Research Project Officer - Psychology
- University of New South Wales
- Australia, NSW
- Jul 10, 2026
Job Description:
- One of Australia’s leading research & teaching universities
- Vibrant campus life with a strong sense of community & inclusion
- Enjoy a career that makes a difference by collaborating & learning from the best
At UNSW, we pride ourselves on being a workplace where the best people come to do their best work.
The School of Psychology at UNSW is the leading Psychology school in Australia. It is located in the Faculty of Science and is recognised nationally and internationally for its excellence in research and teaching. It offers world class undergraduate psychology degrees, as well as postgraduate professional Masters training in Clinical and Forensic Psychology, an online Graduate Diploma program, and a PhD research program with over 120 students. 40 academic staff conduct experimental research in many areas of Psychology, including behavioural and cognitive neuroscience, perception, learning, memory and cognition, as well as health, social, developmental, clinical and forensic psychology. UNSW Psychology is the only School in the southern hemisphere ranked in the top 30 by discipline in the THES, QS and ARWU rankings. The School has well equipped research and teaching facilities and attracts outstanding staff and students from Australia and overseas. UNSW is located 5 km from the centre of Sydney and is close to other research centres, teaching hospitals, transport, shopping, and beaches.
For further information about the school please visit www.psychology.unsw.edu.au
The Research Project Officer works with the research team and key stakeholders on research projects investigating the mental health of people from refugee backgrounds. This role is based in the School of Psychology and will support the academic activities undertaken at the Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program. In particular, this role will be actively involved in two specific projects – taking on a key coordination role in one project and providing general support to the other.
These projects comprise (1) a longitudinal research study investigating the psychological and social mechanisms underlying refugee mental health, and how these differ across contexts (i.e., in Australia and Indonesia) and (2) a study investigating efficacy and effectiveness of a scalable skills-based intervention in improving wellbeing and functioning amongst people with refugee backgrounds. The role will also be responsible for the coordination and management of funded research and clinical trials, including overseeing project staff, data collection, entry and management, participant recruitment and retention and project governance.
About the role
- LEVEL 6 - $103k - $110k plus 17% Superannuation and annual leave loading
- Fixed Term – Approx. 2 years (to 31 August 2028)
- Full time (35 hours)
Specific responsibilities for this role include:
- Develop and maintain well-organised, efficient systems of scheduling, communication, file organisation and documentation of both meetings and study procedures and train project staff in their use. Embed these systems into day-to-day research operations to ensure high quality, compliant, and consistent data collection.
- Coordinate multi-site research studies, including managing recruitment, screening, scheduling, tracking, and following up participants, and independently identifying and resolving issues surrounding participation rates.
- Coordinate project meetings and oversee the smooth running of research projects, ensuring adherence to study protocols and that project milestones and outcomes are met.
- Perform tasks associated with undertaking research studies, including literature reviews, data collection, entry, management, analysis, identifying and resolving issues surrounding data quality, administrative tasks, and contributing to drafting manuscripts for publication.
- Oversee translation and back-translation of measures into study languages.
- Engage with the Partner Organization and other stakeholders, including academic partners, non-government organizations and refugee-led organizations.
- Deliver or support training in Problem Management-Plus to facilitators from refugee backgrounds.
- Oversee administration of survey measures and/or assessments to study participants.
- Oversee the implementation of experimental research sessions with study participants.
- Data management including coordinating and executing data cleaning, data management processes and ensuring research integrity in research databases.
- Assist with research duties related to the Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program at the School of Psychology, UNSW as required.
- Oversee finance administration requests, including but not limited to, organising vendor set up and invoice payments.
- Align with and actively demonstrate the Code of Conduct and Values.
- Cooperate with all health and safety policies and procedures of the university and take all reasonable care to ensure that your actions or omissions do not impact on the psychosocial or physical health and safety of yourself or others.
About the successful applicant
(Selection Criteria)
- A postgraduate qualification or an equivalent level of knowledge gained through any other combination of education, training and/ or experience.
- Excellent organisational skills, including an ability to undertake a range of diverse tasks, to work independently, accurately, and with attention to detail and to deliver high quality work on time.
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and levels of seniority.
- Demonstrated experience providing administrative and research support with the ability to work efficiently and flexibly with attention to detail and accuracy.
- Demonstrated ability to work in a team, collaborate across disciplines and build effective relationships.
- Non-essential, but preferred:
- Demonstrated experience in working on longitudinal research studies and/or randomised controlled trials.
- Demonstrated experience in providing training in cognitive behavioural or similar therapeutic modalities.
- Demonstrated experience in recruiting and/or retaining participants into research studies.
- Demonstrated experience in working with people from refugee or culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
- An understanding of and commitment to UNSW’s aims, objectives and values in action, together with relevant policies and guidelines.
- Knowledge of health & safety (psychosocial and physical) responsibilities and commitment to attending relevant health and safety training.
You should systematically address the selection criteria listed within the position description in your application.
Please apply online - applications will not be accepted if sent to the contact listed.
Contact:
Angela Nickerson
E: [email protected]
Applications close: August 6th, 2026
Find out more about working at UNSW at www.unsw.edu.au
UNSW is committed to equity diversity and inclusion. Applications from women, people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those living with disabilities, members of the LGBTIQ+ community; and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, are encouraged. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff. The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.
At UNSW, we take pride in the broad range and high quality of our teaching programs. Our teaching gains strength and currency from our research activities, strong industry links and our international nature; UNSW has strong regional...
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Job Description:
- One of Australia’s leading research & teaching universities
- Vibrant campus life with a strong sense of community & inclusion
- Enjoy a career that makes a difference by collaborating & learning from the best
At UNSW, we pride ourselves on being a workplace where the best people come to do their best work.
The School of Psychology at UNSW is the leading Psychology school in Australia. It is located in the Faculty of Science and is recognised nationally and internationally for its excellence in research and teaching. It offers world class undergraduate psychology degrees, as well as postgraduate professional Masters training in Clinical and Forensic Psychology, an online Graduate Diploma program, and a PhD research program with over 120 students. 40 academic staff conduct experimental research in many areas of Psychology, including behavioural and cognitive neuroscience, perception, learning, memory and cognition, as well as health, social, developmental, clinical and forensic psychology. UNSW Psychology is the only School in the southern hemisphere ranked in the top 30 by discipline in the THES, QS and ARWU rankings. The School has well equipped research and teaching facilities and attracts outstanding staff and students from Australia and overseas. UNSW is located 5 km from the centre of Sydney and is close to other research centres, teaching hospitals, transport, shopping, and beaches.
For further information about the school please visit www.psychology.unsw.edu.au
The Research Project Officer works with the research team and key stakeholders on research projects investigating the mental health of people from refugee backgrounds. This role is based in the School of Psychology and will support the academic activities undertaken at the Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program. In particular, this role will be actively involved in two specific projects – taking on a key coordination role in one project and providing general support to the other.
These projects comprise (1) a longitudinal research study investigating the psychological and social mechanisms underlying refugee mental health, and how these differ across contexts (i.e., in Australia and Indonesia) and (2) a study investigating efficacy and effectiveness of a scalable skills-based intervention in improving wellbeing and functioning amongst people with refugee backgrounds. The role will also be responsible for the coordination and management of funded research and clinical trials, including overseeing project staff, data collection, entry and management, participant recruitment and retention and project governance.
About the role
- LEVEL 6 - $103k - $110k plus 17% Superannuation and annual leave loading
- Fixed Term – Approx. 2 years (to 31 August 2028)
- Full time (35 hours)
Specific responsibilities for this role include:
- Develop and maintain well-organised, efficient systems of scheduling, communication, file organisation and documentation of both meetings and study procedures and train project staff in their use. Embed these systems into day-to-day research operations to ensure high quality, compliant, and consistent data collection.
- Coordinate multi-site research studies, including managing recruitment, screening, scheduling, tracking, and following up participants, and independently identifying and resolving issues surrounding participation rates.
- Coordinate project meetings and oversee the smooth running of research projects, ensuring adherence to study protocols and that project milestones and outcomes are met.
- Perform tasks associated with undertaking research studies, including literature reviews, data collection, entry, management, analysis, identifying and resolving issues surrounding data quality, administrative tasks, and contributing to drafting manuscripts for publication.
- Oversee translation and back-translation of measures into study languages.
- Engage with the Partner Organization and other stakeholders, including academic partners, non-government organizations and refugee-led organizations.
- Deliver or support training in Problem Management-Plus to facilitators from refugee backgrounds.
- Oversee administration of survey measures and/or assessments to study participants.
- Oversee the implementation of experimental research sessions with study participants.
- Data management including coordinating and executing data cleaning, data management processes and ensuring research integrity in research databases.
- Assist with research duties related to the Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program at the School of Psychology, UNSW as required.
- Oversee finance administration requests, including but not limited to, organising vendor set up and invoice payments.
- Align with and actively demonstrate the Code of Conduct and Values.
- Cooperate with all health and safety policies and procedures of the university and take all reasonable care to ensure that your actions or omissions do not impact on the psychosocial or physical health and safety of yourself or others.
About the successful applicant
(Selection Criteria)
- A postgraduate qualification or an equivalent level of knowledge gained through any other combination of education, training and/ or experience.
- Excellent organisational skills, including an ability to undertake a range of diverse tasks, to work independently, accurately, and with attention to detail and to deliver high quality work on time.
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and levels of seniority.
- Demonstrated experience providing administrative and research support with the ability to work efficiently and flexibly with attention to detail and accuracy.
- Demonstrated ability to work in a team, collaborate across disciplines and build effective relationships.
- Non-essential, but preferred:
- Demonstrated experience in working on longitudinal research studies and/or randomised controlled trials.
- Demonstrated experience in providing training in cognitive behavioural or similar therapeutic modalities.
- Demonstrated experience in recruiting and/or retaining participants into research studies.
- Demonstrated experience in working with people from refugee or culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
- An understanding of and commitment to UNSW’s aims, objectives and values in action, together with relevant policies and guidelines.
- Knowledge of health & safety (psychosocial and physical) responsibilities and commitment to attending relevant health and safety training.
You should systematically address the selection criteria listed within the position description in your application.
Please apply online - applications will not be accepted if sent to the contact listed.
Contact:
Angela Nickerson
E: [email protected]
Applications close: August 6th, 2026
Find out more about working at UNSW at www.unsw.edu.au
UNSW is committed to equity diversity and inclusion. Applications from women, people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those living with disabilities, members of the LGBTIQ+ community; and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, are encouraged. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff. The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.
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