Research Fellow

About the role

The UNSW Centre for Social Impact (CSI) is an education and research centre based at UNSW Business School. Its mission is to develop people and partnerships that accelerate social innovations that build the impact economy. Through engaged scholarship, CSI works collaboratively with communities, organisations and governments to address complex social and environmental challenges and create practical solutions that contribute to social impact. UNSW Business School is a top business school in the Asia–Pacific region with a global reputation for innovation, research excellence and teaching that embeds real business and community challenges into curricula.

A Research Fellow (Level B) is a valued member of the research team, expected to carry out both independent and collaborative research that supports the CSI research strategy pillars of investment, innovation, and strategy and evaluation of social impact. The role involves producing academic and practitioner outputs from research projects and diffusing knowledge to ensure it contributes to economic and social prosperity. The Research Fellow reports to the Research & Innovation Director and has no direct reports. A current focus is participating in and supporting Chief Investigators of an Australian Research Council Discovery Project investigating the strengthening of regional economies through place-based investment.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research/scholarly activities under limited supervision, either independently or as a member of a team
• Create scholarly impact in the discipline recognised by peers in the advancement of disciplinary knowledge, including high-quality academic publications and public contributions
• Contribute to the strategy of the Centre for Social Impact through the design and development of applications for competitive research funding
• Participate as co-investigator or chief investigator in competitive grant applications, or show evidence of active participation in research collaborations funded by competitive grants
• Support the dissemination of research outcomes through appropriate channels and outlets
• Undertake research activities and field work (e.g. surveys, literature reviews, data gathering including interviewing, and/or recording of results using appropriate research methods)
• Participate in and/or present at conferences and/or workshops relevant to projects as required
• Assist with the supervision of research students and assistants in the research area where required
• Provide leadership and support for project management and administration to achieve deliverables, including organising and attending place-based focus groups and meetings with participants

Requirements

• PhD in a business-related discipline (management, organisation studies, strategy, entrepreneurship, sociology) with expertise in qualitative and mixed methodologies
• Proven commitment to proactively keeping up to date with discipline knowledge and developments, especially relevant to impact investing, regional economic development, and/or civic wealth creation
• Demonstrated track record in research with outcomes of high quality and high impact, with clear evidence of the desire and ability to continually achieve research excellence and capacity for research leadership
• Track record of significant involvement with the profession and/or industry in conducting research projects with academic and industry-relevant outcomes
• High-level communication skills and ability to network effectively and interact with a diverse range of students, staff, industry, and community partners
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team, collaborate across disciplines and build effective relationships, especially with external partners
• Evidence of highly developed interpersonal and organisational skills

Pay

Level B $133,065 – $156,864 per annum (depending on experience) + 17% superannuation + leave loading

Schedule

Full time (35 hours per week), continuing position

Location

UNSW Kensington Campus, Australia