Research Fellow (Centre for Research in Child Development) [NIE]

The National Institute of Education invites suitable applications for the position of Research Fellow on a 1-year contract at the Centre for Research in Child Development.

Project Introduction:

The Centre for Research in Child Development (CRCD) is a leading research centre dedicated to advancing understanding of child development and early education. CRCD conducts multi-project research to generate high-quality evidence that informs policy, practice, and innovation in the early childhood sector.

We are seeking a Research Fellow to contribute to our research in developmental science and AI in education. The successful candidate will work at the intersection of child development, educational research, and emerging technologies to generate evidence that informs the age-appropriate use of AI for children.

Requirements:

• PhD in Developmental Psychology, Education, Child Development, Learning Sciences, or a related field.
• Strong knowledge of developmental science and experience conducting systematic or scoping literature reviews.
• Experience in quantitative and/or qualitative research with children, parents, or educators.
• Demonstrated track record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
• Experience in research related to children's digital media, AI, technology use, or educational technology will be an advantage.
• Excellent analytical, synthesis, writing, and communication skills, with the ability to translate research evidence into accessible reports and recommendations.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and collaborate effectively with researchers and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities:

Developmental Science and AI in Education

• Lead a centre-level initiative to synthesise developmental science research and generate evidence to inform age-appropriate AI guidance for children in educational settings.

• Conduct comprehensive reviews of international policy guidelines on children’s use of AI and developmental science research to identify developmental competencies relevant to age-appropriate AI use and AI literacy.
• Design and conduct empirical studies (e.g., interviews, focus groups, surveys) with children, parents, educators, and other stakeholders to understand AI use, perceptions, and developmental considerations.
• Conduct horizon-scanning of developments in AI, education policy, and child development research to identify emerging questions and opportunities for new research projects.
• Prepare research reports, policy briefs, publications, and other knowledge translation materials to disseminate findings to academic, policy, and practitioner audiences.

Centre-wide Research Support

• Organise and support stakeholder engagement activities, including research sharing sessions, workshops, and roundtable discussions with government agencies, schools, and other partners.
• Support CRCD researchers through data analysis, manuscript preparation, grant applications, and other collaborative outputs.
• Explore and pilot innovative research methods and AI-enabled research tools to enhance research processes and efficiency within the Centre.
• Undertake other research-related duties assigned by Centre Management.

Application

Applicants (external and internal) will apply via Workday. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Closing Date

Closing date for advertisements will be set to 14 calendar days from date of posting.

Hiring Institution: NIE