Position Number: 0065690
Location: Parkville
Role type: Part-time (0.8 FTE); Fixed-term for 3 years
Faculty: Arts
School: Social and Political Sciences
Salary: Level A - $83,468 - $113,262 p.a. (pro rata) plus 17% super
- Join a multidisciplinary, global team producing impactful research.
- Contribute to research on how Australians commemorate and care for the dead in an evolving cultural landscape.
- Investing in you - benefits package including salary packaging, health and wellbeing programs, discounted services, and professional development opportunities.
The University of Melbourne
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Your next career opportunity
A unique opportunity is available for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to contribute to the ARC-funded project ‘Do-It-Yourself Commemoration of the Dead’. This interdisciplinary research, led by the established DeathTech Research Team, explores how contemporary do-it-yourself commemorative practices are reshaping the ways Australians memorialise and care for the dead.
In this role, you will work closely with a collaborative team of five Chief Investigators and two Partner Investigators across anthropology, philosophy, history, computing, and information science. You will contribute to project coordination, literature reviews, data collection and analysis and the development of high-quality research publications.
Based at the University of Melbourne in the School of Social and Political Sciences, you will also engage with scholars from the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, and the School of Computing and Information Systems, alongside international partners from the University of Oxford and the University of Colorado.
This is a compelling opportunity to join a multidisciplinary team committed to producing impactful research that benefits scholars, communities, professionals, and policymakers associated with the care of the dead in Australia.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Assist in the coordination, development, conduct and reporting of research
- Conduct literature searches and reviews in support of the project
- Work with the project team to develop the project research design and methods
- Assist with preparation of interview schedules, data collection and analysis
- Recruit research respondents
- Undertake interviews with respondents (digital and face to face)
- Contribute substantially to reports and other publications by submission and successful publication of articles in peer reviewed journals during the term of the appointment
- Publish academic papers and other scholarly outputs to a high standard, and in accordance with the research expectations of a Level A academic at the Faculty of Arts
You may be a great fit if:
You are a passionate researcher with a PhD and a background in Social Studies of Technology, Anthropology, Human-Computer Interaction or related discipline, ideally with an understanding of death studies. You have a proven track record of contributing to research projects and publications, and the ability to work with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
You also have:
- The candidate must hold a PhD
- A disciplinary background in the Social Studies of Technology and/or Anthropology and/or Digital Media Studies and/or Human-Computer Interaction, or cognate disciplines
- The ability to organise and manage research projects and teams
- A track record of excellent scholarly and/or popular publications
- Expertise with qualitative research methods
- Capacity to work in an inter-disciplinary research team
For further information please refer to the attached PD.
What we offer you!
We offer the opportunity to be part of a vibrant community and enjoy a comprehensive range of benefits to support your success and sense of fulfillment, including:
- Supportive flexible work arrangements underpinned by our commitment to inclusion and well-being
- Progressive, considerate leave provisions to empower your work-life balance
- Salary packaging and access to a range of discounted services including Bupa health insurance
- Health and well-being services including a leading Employee Assistance Program
- Comprehensive career development and training, plus a 25% discount on UniMelb graduate courses for your immediate family members!
For more information check out our benefits page!
Your new team – School of Social and Political Sciences
Join world-class scholars in the School of Social and Political Sciences (SSPS) at the University of Melbourne, which is at the forefront of teaching and research in the social sciences in Australia and internationally. The School’s aim is to redefine the world and change what matters, and our work is underpinned by the values of intellectual freedom, integrity, diversity, environmental sustainability and social justice. We value collegiality and active citizenship and are committed to contributing strongly to public and institutional life, and to providing an engaged and distinctive social science and arts education for our students.
Be Yourself
The University of Melbourne is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a child-safe organisation. We are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace where all individuals feel valued, respected, and have the opportunity to thrive regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, age, being a parent or having caring responsibilities.
The University of Melbourne is committed to fostering a barrier-free and inclusive recruitment process. We are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments for candidates throughout the application and interview stages, including accessible document formats and alternative application methods. To discuss your specific requirements, please feel free to contact Kim Groizard +61 3 9035 3218 or send an email titled 'Reasonable Adjustments' to hr-careers@unimelb.edu.au. You can find more information for applicants requiring reasonable adjustments on our Careers website: https://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Applicants
We aspire to be the University of choice for Indigenous Australians, with unprecedented investment to attract, nurture and retain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff. Tangible support through a range of programs and initiatives will ensure that you personally succeed and flourish while at the University of Melbourne.
For further information, including our 2023-2027 Indigenous strategy please visit -https://about.unimelb.edu.au/reconciliation/murmuk-djerring
If you are a member of an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community and would like any support, please feel free to contact our Indigenous Employment & Development team via email at oied-hr@unimelb.edu.au.
Working at the University – what you need to know
This role requires the successful candidate to maintain a Working with Children Check The successful candidate can apply for the WWCC as part of the onboarding process. In the case the selected candidate doesn't have a valid Working with Children Check, they will be able to apply for the WWCC as part of the initial onboarding procedures.
Please note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. This role requires current valid work rights for Australia.
Join Us and unlock your career potential!
Is this the perfect opportunity for you? Apply today! Including the following documents:
- Resume
- Cover Letter outlining your interest and experience
- The responses against the Selection Criteria^ (found in the Position Description)
^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
If you have any questions regarding the recruitment process, please feel free to contact Rehan Wadiwala via email at hr-careers@unimelb.edu.au, ensuring that you include the Position Number and the Job Title as the subject. Please do not share your application to this email address.
If you have any particular questions regarding the job please follow the details listed on the Position Description.
Position Description