Senior Research Fellow-School of Public Health

• Part time (0.40 FTE) fixed term 12 months at Camperdown

• Senior Research Fellow role supporting

• Base Salary $162,347 (pro rata 0.40FTE) + 17% superannuation 

About the opportunity

Founded in 1930, the Sydney School of Public Health is Australia’s first and leading school in public health, dedicated to addressing the world's most pressing health challenges. Each day, our researchers and graduates are tackling global health issues and striving to improve equity in communities both locally and around the world.

We are seeking a Senior Research Fellow who will lead a research program on misleading medical marketing of social media and AI, co-designing, evaluating using mixed method studies and implementing evidence-based solutions to address this public health issue.

The role will support Dr Brooke Nickel and her team with the NHMRC funded Synergy grant. The Synergy Grant aims "to carry out world-leading cross-disciplinary research integrating health literacy with health AI technology development and implementation". This ambitious program will support critical efforts to bridge the AI health literacy gap in Australia and globally, ensuring AI-driven healthcare is understandable, accessible and usable for everyone, advancing equitable health outcomes both nationally and internationally.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• build and maintain a reputation for academic excellence through independent and innovative contributions to research, expanding knowledge and practice in the discipline, with a particular focus on advancing the objectives of the NHMRC Synergy Grant investigating health literacy, social media and AI technologies and misleading medical marketing.

• disseminate research knowledge and facilitate knowledge transfer to drive impact, including translating findings into evidence-based solutions that improve the accessibility, understanding and safe use of social media and AI-driven healthcare.

• maintain a research profile, including publication in academic or professional journals and engagement in keynote addresses, showcasing leadership in health literacy, digital health and low value care research.

• lead successful competitive research grants and/or generate other research income by exploring diverse funding opportunities, building on the research program and collaborative networks established through the NHMRC Synergy Grant.

• maintain quality, standards and excellence in research activities and output, ensuring the successful delivery of high-quality, impactful research outcomes across the Synergy Grant program.

• provide mentoring and guidance to lower-level academics, research staff and higher degree research students involved in the Sydney Health Literacy Lab and Wiser Healthcare research collaboration.

• make a significant and holistic contribution to the research, administrative and governance activities of the School or Faculty, including participating in committees and academic boards, and contributing to the effective management and reporting requirements of the Synergy Grant.

• contribute to a positive workplace culture in which diversity of thought, contribution, collaboration, excellence and achieving outcomes are valued and enabled, fostering productive interdisciplinary and international collaborations across the Synergy Grant partnership and the Wiser Healthcare research collaboration.

• understand and contribute to furthering the University and Faculty/School strategic agenda, including strengthening the University's leadership in health literacy, digital health (social media and AI) and public health research.

• engage in community and alumni outreach, contribute expertise to public debates, and play a significant role in scholarly, research, or professional activities relevant to area of expertise, supporting the Synergy Grant's goal of bridging the digital health literacy gap in Australia and globally.

• establish partnerships, collaborations and engage in translational research for impactful outcomes in research, development, commercialisation, and policy improvement, working closely with investigators from three countries and eight institutions led by the Sydney Health Literacy Lab to advance equitable health outcomes through AI-driven healthcare.

About you

• a PhD in public health, health communication, health services research or a closely related discipline

• a strong track record of high-quality research outputs, including publications in internationally recognised peer-reviewed journals and evidence of research impact

• experience leading and managing complex research projects and multidisciplinary, cross-institutional collaborations, ideally involving national and international partners

• expertise in mixed methods research, evaluation approaches and the co-design of interventions to improve health outcomes

• demonstrated success in obtaining competitive research funding or making substantial contributions to successful grant applications and funded research programs

• experience supervising and mentoring research staff, early career researchers and higher degree research students

• strong stakeholder engagement skills, with experience working across academic, government, community, healthcare and/or policy sectors to deliver research translation and impact

• excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to publish in high-impact journals, present at national and international conferences, and translate research findings for diverse audiences

• demonstrated commitment to research excellence, collaboration and positive societal impact

• experience in health literacy, digital health, social media research, artificial intelligence, health communication, misinformation or implementation research

• the ability to build strategic partnerships and contribute to translational research that informs policy, practice and public understanding of health-related issues

• a demonstrated capacity to contribute to an internationally recognised research program.

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.

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 Cecilia Blamey, Recruitment Operations by email to [email protected].

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

Click to view the Position Description for this role.

Applications Close

Monday 28 September 2026 11:59 PM