Research Assistant/Project Coordinator

• Part-time fixed term contract available

• Be a part of an NHMRC-funded study evaluating co-designed mobile cooling hubs for people experiencing homelessness

• Base Salary starting from $ $93,345 + 17% superannuation  ( Pro Rata )

About the opportunity

The Sydney School of Health Sciences is a world leader in health science research and education. We collaborate with external partners and engage with real-world problems to anticipate the health issues of tomorrow while overcoming the challenges of today. Our high-impact research is acknowledged and translated into practice and policy nationally and internationally. Our multidisciplinary research themes and centres reflect the strength, diversity and depth of our research.

The University is seeking to employee a Research Assistant/Project Coordinator who will support the establishment and delivery of an NHMRC-funded study evaluating co-designed mobile cooling hubs for people experiencing homelessness. The immediate priority will be preparing the study for the 2026–27 summer, when two hubs will operate concurrently at different Sydney locations on forecast hot-weather days.

Working closely with the Chief Investigator and the wider cooling hubs team, the appointee will coordinate the research aspects of the project from protocol development and ethics approval through to field implementation and data management.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• Develop the detailed study protocol for the first summer, including research procedures, standard operating procedures, participant documentation, data-collection tools, field manuals and a data-management plan

• Work with the Chief Investigator to determine the most appropriate ethics and governance pathway through the University of Sydney and/or St Vincent’s Hospital, and prepare and manage ethics submissions, governance approvals and subsequent amendments

• Prepare the study for prospective registration with ANZCTR and ensure the protocol and documentation align with relevant reporting guidelines and the requirements of high-impact journals

• Coordinate regular meetings with the Chief Investigator, co-design group, research team and operational partners, including monitoring timelines, actions, risks and study readiness

• Establish secure research databases and systems for participant tracking, surveys, interviews, physiological measurements, hub usage, implementation outcomes, costs and deployment records

• Support recruitment, training and coordination of research staff and assist with the research-related operation of two hubs during the summer

• Provide on-site research coordination during weather-triggered deployments, including overseeing consent, data collection, protocol adherence and data quality.

• Liaise respectfully with people with lived experience of homelessness, homelessness and health services, local government partners and other stakeholders

• Contribute to data analysis, reports, conference abstracts and manuscripts, with a focus on producing rigorous findings suitable for publication in leading public health and implementation-science journals.

About you

• An Honours degree in exercise physiology or closely related discipline, with First Class Honours or equivalent evidence of high-level research capability

• Experience preparing human research ethics applications and research protocols

• Strong research project-management, organisational and stakeholder-engagement skills

• Experience with quantitative and/or qualitative data collection and research data management

• Excellent written communication and attention to detail

• Ability to work collaboratively in complex community-based research and respond flexibly to weather-triggered fieldwork.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to be eligible to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Pre-employment checks and declarations 

  Your employment is conditional upon the successful completion of all pre-employment or background checks required for the role in terms satisfactory to the University.  Also, to meet the University’s obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence you will be asked to declare if you have been investigated for, or found to engaged in, sexual harm or gender-based violence in the course of previous employment or in a legal process. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

This position is designated as involving child-related work. To undertake or remain in this position, you are required to apply for and obtain a Working with Children Check clearance in accordance with the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012.

EEO statement 

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds. 

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion. 

How to apply

Applications (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page. 

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard.  Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Rachel Ann Yazigi Recruitment Operations by email to [email protected].

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The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

Applications Close

Sunday 06 September 2026 11:59 PM