• 12 Month Contract | Full-Time
• Academic Level A| $86,423 - $104,734 p.a.
• Location: Health and Medical Research Building / Kaurna Country
• View Position Description

About the Role

The Research Associate will make an active contribution to the exciting research activities within the Insect Vision laboratory. The research activities are based on hoverflies, aiming to investigate how insect movement help hoverflies make rapid decisions, in the natural world. The incumbent will work with support and guidance from more senior academics, while reporting directly to the head of the laboratory.

Responsibilities include:

• Designing of visual stimuli
• Performing experiments using quantitative behaviour and/or electrophysiological techniques and/or modelling
• Analysing and interpreting data using Matlab scripts
• Generating publishable outcomes
• Generating pilot data for own external funding

About the Insect Motion Vision Group

The Insect Motion Vision group uses hoverflies to understand how the nervous system codes visual information. A range of techniques are used, such as electrophysiology of single neurons in the fly nervous system, morphology, quantitative behaviour, free flight experiments, field site measurements and modelling. The neuroethological approach used allows behaviourally relevant stimuli to be used in more controlled laboratory experiments.

About You

To be successful in this role you will exhibit:

• Completion of a PhD in a relevant area, or significant progress towards completion of a postgraduate degree in an area addressing insect motion vision, or other relevant field
• Emerging research experience in terms of publications and presentations at a national and/or international level in a relevant field
• Experience developing experiments using electrophysiology and/or quantitative behaviour and/or biomimetic modelling, with publishable outcomes
• Well-developed interpersonal skills and the capacity to collaborate and engage with diverse stakeholders and industry partners, work independently or as part of a team
• Quantitative and/or qualitative research methodology experience
• Ability to design experiments, analyse data and interpret the results
• Ability to successfully complete work within a given timeframe.

Life at Flinders

We're transforming and investing in people and facilities to create contemporary, stimulating, and satisfying learning and work environments that reflect our core values of excellence, innovation, courage, and integrity. Flinders is refocusing its strategic priorities with the aim of elevating its performance to be a top ten Australian university, and amongst the top 1% in the world.

Reaching beyond the limits of buildings, borders, and backgrounds, ours is an inclusive culture that believes absolutely in equality and opportunity for all. We don't just accommodate differences; we embrace and celebrate them. So, why work at Flinders?

• 17% Superannuation + salary packaging options
• Flexible working arrangements
• Wide range of professional development activities and services
• We embrace diversity and promote equity and inclusion for all students and staff
• Vibrant campus life and amenities including on campus health care services, gym and childcare centre (Bedford Park, South Australia).

About the Flinders Health and Medical Research Building

At the beginning of 2022, construction commenced on the $255 million Flinders Health and Medical Research Building (FHMRB). Opening in early 2024, the FHMRB enables researchers, practitioners and industry partners to work together more closely than ever before, creating a hub of collaboration within southern Adelaide’s own biomedical research precinct. Located adjacent to Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders Private Hospital, FHMRB is the focal point of research informed by genuine patient need, positioned to make an immediate improvement to people’s health and wellbeing.

About the College of Medicine and Public Health      

At the College of Medicine and Public Health, we deliver clinical, population and lab-based research, integrated teaching programs and high-quality clinical services. Our footprint reaches out from our world class teaching hospital at the Flinders Medical Centre in South Australia to multiple rural clinical locations all the way to Darwin in the Northern Territory. Our research and teaching equip the next generation of leaders and innovators with the skill, commitment, and vision to protect vulnerable communities and truly advance health outcomes. It is at the heart of everything we do.

Our Commitment to Reconciliation and Indigenous Employment

Flinders University is proud to be an organisation that is committed to our Reconciliation Action Plan and Indigenous Workforce Strategy. Our vision is to be a preferred employer for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  We are committed to progressing Indigenous advancement in education, research, employment, and wellbeing, and strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for all Flinders vacancies.

Prescribed Conditions for Employment

• A valid Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check which is satisfactory to the University will also be required before the successful applicant can commence in this position.

How to Apply and Information

• You are required to submit Suitability Statement of no more than 3 pages, addressing the Key Position Capabilities of the position description.
• For more information regarding this position, please contact Karin Nordstrom
• Please see here for our Reconciliation Action Plan
• Please see here for our Indigenous Workforce Strategy

Certification

Applications to be submitted before 10.00pm:

29 Oct 2024

At Flinders we embrace and celebrate diversity and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people of all ages, ethnicities, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

Flinders. Fearless.