Research Lead

HumanAbility | Hybrid, anywhere in Australia | Ongoing (DEWR funded through June 2028)

About the opportunity

• Generate applied research for decision makers.
• A research role in HumanAbility’s Research and Workforce team, reporting to the Senior Research Lead.
• Hybrid, anywhere in Australia, ongoing through to June 2028.

About HumanAbility

HumanAbility is the Jobs and Skills Council for the health, community services, aged care and disability, sport and recreation, and early childhood education and care. We are a not for profit, sector led organisation, contracted by the federal government to support skills and workforce development. The work matters: better evidence and better policy translate directly into better care and support for Australian communities.

We have an opportunity for a Research Lead to join us on a full-time basis in an ongoing capacity subject to funding (currently funded until mid-2028). The role may be located anywhere in Australia and will involve travel with overnight stays for organisation meetings, stakeholder meetings, workshops, and industry events.

About the role

The Research Lead sits within HumanAbility’s Research and Workforce team, reporting to the Senior Research Lead. The Research Lead delivers research reports on the care and support workforces. The reports are written to be usable as advice to government and industry.

The work is applied, time bound, and written for non-academic audiences. The Research Lead typically works on one research report at a time, scoping the question with the Senior Research Lead, conducting the stakeholder engagement and analysis, and producing a report that lands with the people who need it.

What you’ll do

Deliver research reports on questions that matter to HumanAbility’s industries and to government, typically one at a time.

Scope and design research approaches that can be delivered to time and used by decision makers.

Conduct stakeholder engagement and analysis using qualitative and quantitative methods appropriate to the question.

Make judgement calls about what the evidence shows and what it means.

Write for ministers, advisors, executives, and boards: short, clear, plain English, structured to support a decision.

Land findings with the people who need them, in the form they need them.

Build working relationships with people across the sector who can sharpen the research and sense check the findings.

Work alongside policy, data, and engagement colleagues so the research connects into, and benefits from, HumanAbility’s broader work.

What you’ll bring

Required:

An undergraduate degree in a relevant field (social sciences, public policy, economics, health, education, or similar), or equivalent experience.

Demonstrated capability producing research or analysis for non-academic audiences working to tight timelines.

Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear, accurate, plain English work.

Familiarity with qualitative and quantitative research methods.

High attention to detail and strong organisational skills.

Demonstrated ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.

Capacity to learn new content quickly and apply analytical thinking to unfamiliar problems.

Desirable:

Understanding of the Australian policy making context.

Prior experience producing research to support government submissions, policy advice, workforce planning, or similar applied work.

Familiarity with statistical and survey tools (for example SPSS, R, Stata, Qualtrics, or Q).

Prior experience in or working with one or more of HumanAbility’s industries in scope (aged care and disability, early childhood, health, human services, and sport and recreation).

Further Information

We are committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the stakeholders we work with. We value the unique perspectives, knowledge, and lived experiences that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples bring, and we actively support a culturally safe and inclusive workplace.

This position is offered on a an ongoing basis to reflect Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) grant funding until June 2028.

There may be times when it is required to work outside normal business hours i.e. evenings and weekends to meet operational and/or stakeholder requirements. The role requires interstate travel from time to time.

We operate a hybrid working model. While flexibility is supported, the balance of office-based work, in-person attendance at meetings, events and remote work will vary depending on role, location, and organisation and operational needs.

All appointees must be willing to obtain a police check and Working with Children Check. Appointees must have full working rights within Australia.

Interested? 

We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t meet every single criterion. We value diverse experiences and perspectives, and your unique skills could be a great fit for our team. 

Click on Apply button to submit your cover letter and cv. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, we encourage you to apply without delay. If you have any questions about this role, please contact our P&C team confidentially on people@humanability.com.au.