Research Assistant / Officer - Menstrual Health - [Archived Advertisement]

The Opportunity

Do you have strong quantitative research skills and experience in adolescent health? Are you interested in contributing to meaningful public health research that positively impacts Asia and the Pacific? Then this could be the role for you!

We have an exciting opportunity available to join our Global Adolescent Health team as we advance our research in menstrual health. You will work closely with Burnet researchers and international collaborators implementing quantitative research to understand the impacts of menstruation on health and education.

In this role you will:

• Support the establishment of a cohort study to track adolescent girls’ experience of menstruation in Bangladesh
• Support ongoing studies to measure unmet menstrual health needs and their impacts over the life-course
• Develop and implement data management protocols, and conduct quantitative data analysis
• Support the development of peer-review publications and reports, with opportunities to lead your own publications
• Establish strong relationships with study collaborators, and provide logistical support
• Support the dissemination of research findings for varied audiences, including through websites, blog posts, and short summaries

Refer to the attached position description for full details.

You will be given the opportunity to lead the production of research outputs, and to build skills in Global Public Health research. Travel (when safe to do so) in Asia Pacific is also a component of this role. This is a unique chance to join a dynamic and experienced group of public health researchers and practitioners. You will have the chance to develop your skills, write academic papers, present at conferences, build on your understanding of statistical packages or join our coding and software club!

This position is initially for a 2-year period with the possibility of extension. A time fraction of 0.8 – 1.0 FTE will be considered. Flexible working hours and ongoing part time working from home options will be provided!

Let’s talk about you

The following are essential requirements:

• Masters degree (e.g., MSc, MPH) in health, social sciences, or international development OR Bachelor degree, with honours, in related field and significant experience working in global health research
• Experience in the development of research protocols and ethics applications
• Competency using statistical software for data cleaning and analysis (e.g., Stata, SPSS, R)
• Ability and availably to travel once safe to do so

You will also possess strong organisation and prioritisation skills which allow you to handle multiple research related tasks at once. Your excellent written and oral communication skills allow you to engage effectively with stakeholders (especially in cross cultural settings), and you work well independently while helping others when needed.

The following are preferable but not essential:

• PhD related to sexual and reproductive health, water, sanitation and hygiene, or adolescent health
• Experience in survey data collection in cross-cultural settings
• Experience in menstrual health or sexual and reproductive health research
• Experience in adolescent health research
• Experience using advanced statistical methods for longitudinal data analysis or psychometrics
• Peer review publications in a relevant field

The Burnet experience…

We want you to have a successful and meaningful career at Burnet and are committed to providing a supportive workplace environment for all our people. You will be part of a collaborative culture where progressive leadership, innovation, respect, and excellence are valued. Join a team of talented individuals who are passionate about what they do – improving the health of vulnerable communities around the world. Hear from some of our talented staff about their career journeys at Burnet here!

We offer:

• A monthly accrued day off for full-time staff
• Flexible working arrangements
• 14 weeks paid parental leave
• Generous salary packaging
• Opportunities for career and professional development

Who are we?

Burnet Institute is a leading Australian, unaligned, not-for-profit, organisation that uniquely links medical research with practical action to achieve better health for disadvantaged communities and help solve devastating global health problems.

Burnet Institute brings together a highly diverse skill base, with more than 400 staff and students working across cutting-edge research and projects to address some of the most relevant global health issues. Institute-wide interdisciplinary health programs Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, Disease Elimination, Behaviours and Health Risks, and Health Security, are at the heart of our daily decision making. Harnessing our international and local field presence, our laboratories, and our mixed development and research cultures drives a greater focus on the most relevant health issues and achieves a greater impact as a result.

Whilst our headquarters is in Melbourne, Australia, we also have offices in Papua New Guinea and Myanmar, and are actively involved in research and public health programs throughout Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and Africa. Burnet is the only unaligned organisation in Australia that has dual accreditation with both the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Bring your whole self to work

At Burnet, we foster a diverse and inclusive culture. We want our people to feel like they belong and are free to be themselves at work. We have an active Gender Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (GEDI) Council that works to promote and improve gender equity, diversity and inclusion across the Institute, by developing and implementing strategies informed by both national and international best practice and staff input. Burnet holds an Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Award from Science in Gender Equity (SAGE).

Sounds great! How do I apply?

Apply below and attach the following documents:

• Cover Letter
• Resume

Applications close at 11:59pm AEDT on Monday, 8 August 2022.

As part of our commitment to gender equity, we have included a question in the application process on gender. This will allow us to monitor and report on gender in relation to our recruitment process.

Burnet is a child safe organisation. The successful applicant will be required to apply for a Working with Children check and/or National Police Check. Australian working rights and evidence of full vaccination against Covid-19 will also be required.