First listed on: 29 January 2024

Research Officer - Immunisation Policy Support and Guideline Development

Employment Type: Temporary Full Time up until 30 June 2025
Position Classification: Health Mgr Lvl 1
Remuneration: $81581 - $108532 full time equivalent base salary range (excludes super, leave loading and salary packaging)
Hours Per Week: 38
Requisition ID: REQ463437

Sydney Children's Hospitals Network is the largest paediatric health care entity in Australia. We care for thousands of children each year in our hospitals and in their homes — with one purpose in mind — to help young people live their healthiest lives.

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Additional information:
  • An eligibility list will be created for future temporary full or part time vacancies. 
  • This position is full time; however, part time/job share arrangements may also be considered.

The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) is looking for a dynamic individual to strengthen the Centre’s role in supporting the development of national immunisation practice guidelines and policies.

The successful candidate will be working in a very supportive and vibrant multi-disciplinary team environment. This is an excellent opportunity to develop a career in using knowledge and skills in medical science, epidemiology, and scientific writing to support public health policy and practice.

This position is particularly suitable for a graduate of medical science, pharmacy, or medical/health disciplines, with post-graduate qualification in public health and strength in epidemiology, who has keen interests in the development of evidence-informed clinical practice guidelines or health policies, especially in the context of communicable disease control and/or immunisation. Experience in systematic review and appraisal of biomedical literature, meta-analysis, statistical analysis of epidemiological data, health technology assessment, scientific writing for various purposes and audiences, and knowledge translation in population health contexts will be key assets that you can bring to the position.

Please refer to the position description for more detailed description of accountabilities and selection criteria.

This appointment will be full time temporary for until 30/06/2025, with possible extension. Part time hours may be considered for the preferred candidates. NCIRS supports flexible working arrangements, including hybrid working agreements.  

About NCIRS

The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) is the leading organisation in Australia in immunisation and vaccines that provides expert advice to support evidence-informed immunisation policy and guideline development, evaluation of immunisation programs, particularly the National Immunisation Program, and the monitoring of vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine coverage and factors impacting uptake, and vaccine safety. NCIRS has national and international recognition in this arena and has a growing program of international work, focused on providing technical support for immunisation system strengthening to countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

NCIRS is a collaborative team of experts in public health, biostatistics, infectious diseases, paediatrics, internal medicine, epidemiology, communication, social science and quantitative and qualitative research and survey methods. http://www.ncirs.org.au

The Centre is based within the Division of Research of the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead Campus, NSW, Australia, but has an all-age research remit and is affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine and Health and the Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases (Sydney ID) at the University of Sydney. NCIRS is funded primarily by the Australian Government and NSW Government, as well as via grants from WHO, Gavi, and research granting bodies.

What you'll be doing
NCIRS is the leading organisation in Australia working in research that provides expert advice to support evidence-informed immunisation policy and guideline development, evaluation of the National Immunisation Program and the surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine coverage and vaccine safety. NCIRS has national and international recognition in this arena and also has a growing program of work providing technical support to countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

NCIRS is a collaborative team of experts in public health, biostatistics, infectious diseases, paediatrics, internal medicine, epidemiology, communication, social science and quantitative and qualitative research and survey methods.  www.ncirs.org.au  

The Centre is based within the Division of Research of the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead Campus, NSW, Australia, but has an all-age research remit and is affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine and Health and the Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases (Sydney ID) at the University of Sydney.  
 
Research and surveillance activities include surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccination coverage and adverse events, vaccine safety and program evaluations and social research. NCIRS also provides technical support for the Australian Government Department of Health on immunisation-related matters and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), including the production of The Australian Immunisation Handbook.
 
The preferred applicant may be considered for the award of a conjoint academic title in the Faculty of Medicine and Health of The University of Sydney at a level commensurate with his/her qualifications and experience, in either the Discipline of Child & Adolescent Health or the School of Public Health. The academic title will be held for the durationof the NCIRS appointment at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. No remuneration is attached to the University appointment. The appointee will be responsible to the University for academic matters, and to NCIRS, The Children's Hospital at Westmead for day-to-day work, research and clinical matters.
  1. Tertiary qualifications in nursing, medicine, pharmacy, medical science or related health disciplines, with post-graduate qualification in public health including epidemiology, or equivalent qualifications and/or demonstrated experience.
  2. Excellent organisational skills, including planning and attention to detail with knowledge or experience in project coordination and management.
  3. Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team environment.
  4. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with demonstrated ability to produce high quality scientific writing of various types including technical reports and/or practice guidelines.
  5. Demonstrated understanding or experience in methods and process of systematic scientific literature review and critical appraisal, meta-analysis, analysis of epidemiological datasets and preparing epidemiological reviews, health technology assessment, and public health research.
  6. Demonstrated familiarity with the biomedical literature and relevant bibliographic databases (eg. Medline, Cochrane Library) and framework for evidence-informed development of clinical practice guidelines and/or population health policies or population health policies (e.g. GRADE).
  7. Demonstrated experience working in or understanding of the Australian health care system or population/public health services, including those related to immunisation.
  8. Experience in basic analysis of epidemiologic data and in the use of relevant computer packages including Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint and Word) and EndNote (or equivalent).

SCHN is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity - we acknowledge the vibrancy that a diverse workforce brings to enhance both our workplace culture and our service delivery to children, young people and their families and carers. We encourage all suitably qualified applicants to apply. If you identify as an Indigenous Australian or as a person with a disability, please contact us if you would like some more information about our recruitment process.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply. We recognise the value of Aboriginal staff providing health care to Aboriginal children and families that access the services we provide at the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network. Aboriginal job applicants are encouraged to visit the NSW Health Aboriginal Recruitment tool, Stepping Up to assist in preparing your application.                         

All NSW Health workers are required to have completed a primary course (2 doses) of a COVID-19 vaccine which has been approved or recognised by the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA). New applicants must have completed the vaccination course prior to commencement with NSW Health, or provide an approved medical contraindication certificate (IM011 immunisation medical exemption form) certifying the worker cannot have any approved COVID-19 vaccines available in NSW.

Acceptable proof of vaccination is the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) Immunisation History Statement or AIR COVID-19 Digital Certificate. Booster doses are highly recommended for all health care workers who have completed the primary course of COVID-19 vaccinations.

NSWHealth is committed to child safety in line with the Child Safe Standards

Applicants holding visas with working rights may be considered for temporary appointment (up to the expiry date of their visa) where no suitable local applicant is identified.

Need more information?
1) Click here for the Position Description 
2) Find out more about applying for this position
For role related queries or questions contact Carol Corbett on Carol.Corbett@health.nsw.gov.au

If you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait islander wishing to apply for this role and want to speak with an Aboriginal person/representative from the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network please contact Wayne Dargan on 0486012545.

For technical support please contact the customer services team on 1300 679 367 and select option 3.

Applications Close: 7/02/2024




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