UWA Law School

• An opportunity to conduct ground-breaking research on tech and policy, architecting new legal approaches to reining in unchecked power loose in our democracy
• 2 x two-year fixed-term appointments on a full-time basis
• Salary: Level A: $72,780 - $97,946 / Level B: $102,983 - $121,864 plus Superannuation

The University of Western Australia (UWA) is ranked amongst the top 100 universities in the world and a member of the prestigious Australian Group of Eight research-intensive universities. With an enviable research track record, vibrant campus and working environment, supported by the freedom to ‘innovate and inspire’, there is no better time to join Western Australia’s top University.

About us

Established in 1927, UWA Law School has a long and proud history of excellence in legal education, research and service. Comprising over fifty scholars who are engaged in a diverse range of legal and socio-legal research areas covering public, private, international and domestic law, as well as law and society, justice studies and criminology, our research is focused on producing valuable scholarship with real-world impact. UWA Law School provides a creative and supportive environment, with a manifest commitment to ethical scholarship and practice, meaningfully connected with diverse communities.

This role falls within one of the most exciting new global projects on technology law and policy, the new Minderoo Tech & Policy Lab at UWA, launched in September 2020. The Lab collaborates with key partners in a global, impact-oriented research network to challenge the current ordering of technology and power, with a specific focus on governance, labour, and pro-public digital technologies. The inaugural network nodes alongside the UWA Lab are the Minderoo Centre on Technology and Democracy at the University of Cambridge and the Minderoo Initiative on Technology and Power at the Center for Critical Internet Inquiry (c2i2) at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). They are supported by projects based at New York University within the AI Now Research Institute and ENRICH (Equity in Indigenous Research and Innovation Coordinating Hub), the University of Oxford, the Australian National University, the University of Sydney, and more.

Operating in close collaboration with an embedded team of technologists specialising in pro-public applications of machine learning, data analytics, human modelling, and augmented and virtual reality, the Lab supports the University’s mandate, goals and objectives to advance the welfare and prosperity of its community.

About the opportunity

As the appointee you will, under direction of the Director, Tech & Policy Lab, undertake research on pressing legal and political questions in the domain of technology law and governance. You will also develop a research portfolio and contribute to UWA Law School.

You will work on a range of projects that may include public law, private law, and data and tech governance in applied domains, and will be expected to collaborate with other researchers in the Law School and across a range of other disciplines at UWA (e.g. Science, Medicine, Engineering), as well as with other international nodes/programs in the global Tech Impact Network driven by the Lab.

You will work as part of a team dedicated to making policy moves and targeted interventions on three core themes of work: tackling lawlessness in the tech ecosystem, empowering workers through enhanced legal protections, and reimagining technology in the public interest. With a pro-public overarching philosophy, the appointee’s work in the Lab will inform public policy and opinion not only through cutting-edge scholarship but also via public events, policy briefs, consultations, parliamentary submissions, and a strong public and media profile.

All members of the Lab will be expected to provide a crucial bridge between scholarship, policy, and practice.

To be considered for this role, you will demonstrate:

• Completed or near completed postgraduate qualification related to technology law and policy.
• Demonstrated understanding of the requirements and challenges of interdisciplinary research.
• Demonstrated personal commitment to scholarly research.
• Highly developed and effective interpersonal and communication skills.
• Highly developed organisational skills and demonstrated ability to set priorities and to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work independently, show initiative and work productively as part of a team.

About you

This role would suit a researcher with a deep understanding of either technology law specifically (privacy, data protection, intellectual property, competition law, consumer law) or domains that can be readily applied to digital technologies. If you are motivated to do ground-breaking research on the biggest companies in the world and to help architect new legal approaches to reining in power that is loose in our democracy, this role is for you.

Full details of the position responsibilities are outlined in the position description.

In preparing your application, you are asked to submit a cover letter, address the selection criteria in the position description and upload your CV along with copies of your education certificates and transcripts of academic record.

Closing date: Monday, 3 May 2021

Application Details: Please apply online via the Apply Now button.

Our commitment to inclusion and diversity

UWA is committed to a diverse workforce. We celebrate inclusion and diversity and believe gender equity is fundamental to achieving our goal of being a top 50 university by 2050.

• We have child friendly areas on campus, including childcare facilities. Flexible work arrangements, part-time hours and job sharing will all be considered.
• UWA has been awarded Platinum Employer Status for being a Top Ten Employer for LGBTI Inclusion by the Australian Workplace Equity Index (AWEI -2019).
• UWA has also been awarded Athena Swan Bronze Accreditation in 2020.