Research Officer

Classification: ANU Officer 7 (Research)
Salary package: $102,653 - $107,795 per annum plus 17% superannuation
Term: Part time (0.4FTE, 14 hours per week), Fixed Term (until 30 September 2028)

Position Overview

The Senior Research Officer will support the delivery of the ACIAR-funded project Springwater management, Agriculture, and resilient livelihoods in the mid-hills of Nepal (SPAN), which aims to empower communities and strengthen local water governance through participatory solutions, knowledge generation, capacity building, and policy engagement. Reporting to Dr Hemant Ojha at the Fenner School of Environment and Society, the successful candidate will work closely with researchers at CSIRO and partner organisations in Nepal to undertake social science research and governance analysis related to springwater management. The role involves co-designing and conducting field-based qualitative research, facilitating stakeholder engagement, contributing to capacity-building activities, and supporting the synthesis and dissemination of research findings. Regular travel to field sites in Nepal’s mid-hills will be required.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in political/social science and policy studies, with demonstrated experience in public management, governance, natural resource management, and rural development. A deep understanding of Nepal's federalism and other policy processes - particularly its local governance system, community development, and the dynamics of policy processes at federal, provincial, and local level - is essential. The candidate is expected to have strong knowledge and experience of Nepal's regulatory atmosphere in relation to environmental governance - among others, linking local governance landscape with the broader policy frameworks within Nepal and South Asia region. Demonstrated ability to work across research and policy communication domains is required, including skills in stakeholder engagement, knowledge translation, and participatory methodologies. The position also demands excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills, with a strong track record of collaborative research, ideally partnering with academic institutions, scholars and practitioners, and international organisations.

About the College

The ANU by 2025 Strategic Plan calls for the University to serve society through transformational research and education. As one of the great universities of the world, ANU is driven by a culture of excellence in everything we do. Our lived experience is increasingly one of large-scale systems of people, whose actions and interactions are influenced by our digital, physical and biological environment. The ANU College of Systems & Society (CSS) hosts three of the key disciplines necessary to help us design, build, regulate and secure the future. 

CSS brings together expertise in social, technical, computational, ecological and scientific systems to build a new approach to systems design and build new national capabilities in data-driven policy and business development. The work we do in the College directly supports one of the four pillars of ANU by 2025: to strengthen our national mission and meet our unique responsibilities as Australia’s national university. We will deliver on our mission by building a strong community, providing transformative educational experiences, conducting high-impact research, seeking meaningful engagement, and becoming a resilient organisation post COVID-19. 

We welcome and openly acknowledge differences in expertise, research / education / professional focus, experience and perspective.

CSS is a vibrant and diverse community of more than three thousand students, staff, and visitors. Our College comprises three schools: the School of Computing, School of Cybernetics, and School of Engineering, supported by the Professional Services Group.

Fenner School of Environment & Society (FSES) is a world-leading centre for cross-disciplinary environmental and sustainability research, education and policy-relevant advice. Through cutting-edge research and insightful analysis, our academic experts create social, economic and environmental impact and deliver real-world solutions to address complex environmental challenges. FSES is housed at Frank Fenner Building, Forestry Building and Robertson Building. Our mission is to encourage sound environmental policy and governance outcomes that support sustainability.

For further information please contact Associate Professor, Hemant Ojha, E: Hemant.Ojha@anu.edu.au

ANU is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community, and particularly welcomes applications from women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and candidates from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, it is practice in the ANU College of Systems & Society to actively seek a gender mix of shortlisted candidates for interview. For more information about staff equity at ANU, visit https://services.anu.edu.au/human-resources/respect-inclusion   

We welcome and develop diversity of backgrounds, experiences and ideas and encourage applications from individuals who may have had non-traditional career paths, who may have taken a career break, had career disruptions or who have achieved excellence in careers outside of the higher education sector. We support applicants who require flexible arrangements in their work environments or patterns. If your experience looks a little different to what we’ve described, but you’re passionate and motivated by this position, we welcome your enquiry and application. 

What we offer

The ANU provides attractive benefits and excellent support to maintain a healthy work/life balance and offers generous remuneration benefits, including four weeks paid vacation per year, assistance with relocation expenses and 17% employer contribution to superannuation. We also offer generous parental leave, the possibility of flexible and part time working arrangements, a parental and aged care support program, dual career hire programs, staff and family tuition fee discounts, ANU school holiday programs, and childcare facilities on campus. For more information, visit: https://services.anu.edu.au/human-resources  

Application information

Applicants must apply online via the ANU recruitment portal and should upload the following separate documents: 

• A detailed curriculum vitae (CV) which includes the names and contact details of at least three referees (preferably including a current or previous supervisor). If your CV does not include referees, you can complete these online when prompted in the application form. 
• A statement addressing the selection criteria.
• Other documents, if required.

Please note: The successful candidate must have rights to live and work in this country and will be required to undergo a background check during the recruitment process.  An offer of employment is conditional on satisfactory results.