Research Fellow, REEaCh

Job no: 0057230
Location: Parkville
Role type: Part time (0.4 FTE – 0.6 FTE); Fixed-term for 12 months
Faculty: Melbourne Graduate School of Education
Salary: Level A – $77,171 – $104,717 p.a. plus 17% super
Level B – $110,236 – $130,900 p.a. plus 17% super

The University of Melbourne would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Traditional Owners of the lands upon which our campuses are situated, the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung Peoples, the Yorta Yorta Nation, the Dja Dja Wurrung People. We acknowledge that the land on which we meet and learn was the place of age-old ceremonies, of celebration, initiation and renewal, and that the local Aboriginal Peoples have had and continue to have a unique role in the life of these lands.

About the REEaCh Centre
The REEaCh Centre was established in 2019 through the generous support of the Leaper Foundation. The purpose of the Centre is to focus on three priorities of research and engagement in early childhood education and care: the quality of early childhood education programs, the equitable participation of all children in high-quality programs, and the importance of educational leadership to sustained quality improvement in early childhood education programs. 

Our research is multi-disciplinary and occurs in partnership with early childhood stakeholders to build capacity and provide professional learning around our two research programs:  

Teacher effectiveness in early childhood education, with a focus on teacher-child interactions and assessment for learning practices as valuable ways to maximise young children’s learning and development outcomes, and address disparities in child development early in life; and

The impact of early childhood education on children’s learning outcomes, demonstrating the mechanisms (e.g., sufficient quality and intensity) by which early childhood education programs impact children’s learning and development.

About the Role
The Research Fellow will work within the REEaCh Centre (Research in Effective Education in Early Childhood) at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education (MGSE). The Research Fellow will work closely with the Director and Associate Director of the Centre to support the development of new research proposals, publications, and co-ordinate and manage research activities of the Centre. The Research Fellow will work collaboratively with the Centre staff and other groups within MGSE. It is expected that the Research Fellow will have teaching and/or research experience in the early childhood education and care field.

Responsibilities include:

• Working with researchers in the REEaCh Centre to facilitate the development of new research projects and applications to granting bodies.
• Providing project management and coordination support as required, including for research grants.
• Working with researchers in the REEaCh Centre to support research translation activities.

About You
You are an experienced academic with high level research skills, and experience conducting literature reviews, and preparing research summaries and systems for managing research. Your outstanding communication skills enable you to work with research participants from a variety of backgrounds, and also translate research for academics, professionals, and lay audiences. You are able to work both independently, and also as an effective and collaborative team member, striving to meet deadlines and achieve project goals. Must have excellent written and verbal skills in English-language academia.

You will also have:

• A tertiary qualification in Education, Child Development or related discipline, with Honours or Masters completed in the past 5 years
• Demonstrated expertise in early childhood education and care, high-quality teaching strategies and learning experiences
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method research methodologies

To ensure the University continues to provide a safe environment for everyone, this position requires the incumbent to hold a current and valid Working with Children Check.

About the University
The University of Melbourne is consistently ranked amongst the leading universities in the world. We are proud of our people, our commitment to research and teaching excellence, and our global engagement.

Benefits of Working with Us
In addition to having the opportunity to grow and be challenged, and to be part of a vibrant campus life, our people enjoy a range of rewarding benefits:

• Flexible working arrangements, generous personal, parental and cultural leave
• Competitive remuneration, 17% super, salary packaging and leave loading
• Free and subsidised health and wellbeing services, and access to fitness and cultural clubs
• Discounts on a wide range of products and services including Myki cards and Qantas Club
• Career development opportunities and 25% off graduate courses for staff and their immediate families

To find out more, visit https://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/staff-benefits .

Be Yourself
We value the unique backgrounds, experiences and contributions that each person brings to our community and encourage and celebrate diversity.  First Nations people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, females, people of all ages, with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse people are encouraged to apply. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the community in which we live.

Join Us!

If you feel this role is right for you, please submit your application including a brief cover letter, your resume and your responses against the selection criteria^ (found in the Position Description) for the role.

^For information to help you with compiling short statements to answer the selection criteria and competencies, please go to http://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/selection-criteria

We are dedicated to ensuring barrier free and inclusive practices to recruit the most talented candidates. If you require any reasonable adjustments with the recruitment process, please contact  us at hr-talent@unimelb.edu.au .

Position Description