Research fellow and primary education

Job no: 0062534

Location: Parkville

Role type: Full-time; Fixed-term for 12 months

Faculty: The Faculty of Education (FoE)

Department/School: Melbourne Metrics

Salary: Level B – $119,231 - $141,581 p.a. plus 17% super

• Contribute to innovative research in early childhood education
• Collaborate with educators to shape future assessment practices
• Salary packaging, subsidised health and wellbeing services, fitness and cultural clubs, Myki discounts, and a 25% discount on graduate courses to our staff and their immediate families!

About the Role
The Research Fellow role at Melbourne Metrics focuses on addressing key assessment and research questions in early childhood and primary education. The position entails developing expertise in next-generation, strengths-based assessment and reporting methods, with a focus on meeting the needs of all children.

Additionally, the role requires applying deep knowledge of early childhood education or primary schooling contexts, collaborating closely with educators, teachers, and school leaders, and drawing linkages between research findings and education stakeholders' issues to provide recommendations.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Contribute to and undertake work on research and development projects, including being actively involved in all aspects from design, planning, data collection, consultation, analysis, publication, and presentation
• Carry out literature reviews, write ethics applications, prepare and review project reports and briefing materials, and write and publish academic and industry papers to a high standard
• Develop and validate developmental or strengths-based learning and functional needs assessment and reporting tools
• Liaise with research partners and manage relationships with clients
• Be involved in data collection processes and the management of data preparation, data quality, data checking and data analyses
• Contribute to the preparation of project proposals and grant applications

Who We Are Looking For
You have the ability to effectively collaborate within research or project teams and be a team player, coupled with a strong willingness to engage with the latest research in relevant fields, particularly assessment of learning in the early and primary years.

You will also have:

• A completed tertiary degree in teaching, preferably early childhood or primary teaching, and a completed doctoral degree in education or related discipline
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills to conduct meetings, facilitate workshops, present research methodologies, findings and implications clearly and concisely to a variety of audiences through presentations, reports, academic papers, briefings, and visualisations
• Experience working as an educator either in an early-childhood or primary school-based environment

For further information regarding responsibilities and requirements, please refer to the attached PD.

This role requires that the successful candidate must undergo and maintain an up-to-date Working with Children Check. This is essential to guarantee a secure environment for all individuals at the University. 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.

Your New Team – Melbourne Metrics
Melbourne Metrics is a University of Melbourne social-purpose initiative within the Faculty of Education (FoE), led by Executive Director, Enterprise Professor Sandra Milligan. It undertakes research to develop next-generation assessment tools, credentials and services, empowering educators to assess and credential the complex competencies learners need to thrive now and in the future. Melbourne Metrics works through research and development partnerships, domestically and internationally, with schools and other educational institutions, system authorities, and industry organisations. It researches, designs, builds, validates, and brings-to-scale trusted, research-based innovative, useful assessment and credentialing products and associated services that respond to the needs of its partners, and of the industry as a whole. Melbourne Metrics was established in March 2023 to build on and amplify new generation approaches to assessment and recognition policy and practices that have been developed in the FoE’s Assessment Research Centre for assessment and recognition of complex competencies.

What We Offer You!
In addition, we offer the opportunity to be part of a vibrant community and enjoy a range of benefits, including generous leave provisions, salary packaging, health and well-being services and discounts on graduate courses. For more information, check out our benefits page!

About the University of Melbourne
We’re tightly connected with the community, both at home and abroad. We take pride in our people, who all contribute to our mission to benefit society through the transformative impact of education and research. Discover more via our website and stay connected with our stories and people on LinkedIn.

Be Yourself
The University of Melbourne values the unique backgrounds, experiences and contributions that each person brings to our community and welcomes and celebrates diversity. First Nations people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, parents, carers, people of all ages, abilities and genders, and people of diverse ethnicity, nationality and faith are encouraged to apply. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community in which we live. For more information please visit our Diversity and Inclusion page.

We are dedicated to ensuring barrier free and inclusive practices to recruit the most talented candidates. If you require reasonable adjustments, please contact the employee listed on the first page of the found below, with an email containing your name and contact details for a confidential discussion. Please ensure your email is titled "Reasonable Adjustments Request".

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 -

Join Us!

If you feel this role is right for you, please apply with the following documents:

• Resume
• Cover Letter outlining your interest and experience
• The responses against the following Selection Criteria:

• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills to conduct meetings, facilitate workshops, present research methodologies, findings and implications clearly and concisely to a variety of audiences through presentations, reports, academic papers, briefings, and visualisations.

• Experience working as an educator either in an early-childhood or primary school-based environment.

• Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a research or project team.

• Your interest in inclusive education and strengths-based assessment.

^For information to help you with compiling short statements to answer the selection criteria and competencies, please go to

If you have any questions regarding the recruitment process, please feel free to contact Tara Amini via email at , 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 .

Advertised: 15 May 2024 12:05 AM AUS Eastern Standard Time

Applications close: 29 May 2024 11:55 PM AUS Eastern Standard Time