Research Fellows – Health and Ageing

• Queensland Aphasia Research Centre (QARC) | School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

• Multiple fixed-term positions available from January 2026 – November 2027

• At Academic Level B, base salary will range from $112,572 - $133, % Superannuation

• Based at the Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) at our Herston campus

We are seeking three highly motivated and driven Research Fellows to join our world-class research team at the Queensland Aphasia Research Centre (QARC). QARC is committed to optimising the lives of people living with aphasia through research, service, and partnerships and is the first centre of its kind in Australia. If you are passionate about making a real difference and creating lasting, meaningful impact to the lives of people in our community, this is your chance

Reporting to Associate Professor Sarah Wallace, these three Academic Level B opportunities, are being sought as follows:

Position 1: Full-time (100% FTE) appointment supporting an MRFF project

This position will support and manage research associated with the MRFF funded project: Unspoken, Unheard, Unmet: Improving Access to Preventative Health Care through Better Conversations about Care. This project aims to co-design, implement, and evaluate "Conversations about Care": an interdisciplinary, multi-component intervention to support people with communication disability to have better conversations about aged care. In this role, you will be responsible for coordinating the cluster randomised control trial of the intervention, including preparation of ethics and governance submissions, co-ordination of collaborators and trial sites, and support for participant recruitment and data collection. 

Positions 2 & 3: Part-time (50% FTE) appointments supporting an NHMRC project

These positions will support and manage research associated with the NHMRC funded project: Lost Voices: Improving Outcomes for Older Australians with Communication Disability through Identification, Inclusion and Improved Quality of Care. This includes research to evaluate an intervention to improve care worker-recipient communication and monitor the quality of communication (aphasia) care in stroke services. In these roles, you will be responsible for coordinating the experience testing of interventions, mixed-methods data analysis, and preparation of manuscripts for publication.

As research focused academics at Level B, you will develop and maintain strong working relationships with our clinical and research partners and other stakeholders to facilitate the delivery of current projects and develop future projects. You'll contribute to high-quality, peer-reviewed research outputs and applications for competitive research funding. You'll also contribute to Honours and HDR student supervision and manage internal and external service and engagement activities. 

Successful applicants will possess:

• Completion of a PhD in health or ageing, and qualifications in speech pathology, gerontology, or a related field.

• A growing profile in research in health or ageing.

• A developing reputation and track record of publications in reputed refereed journals and presenting at conferences.

• A growing record of supervision of Honours and Research Higher Degree students to successful completion.

• Experience in meaningful internal service roles in conjunction with active contributions to external activities.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and an ability to work with colleagues at all levels. Experience working with older adults or people with communication disability would be highly regarded.

• An ability to work both independently and collaboratively whilst prioritising own workload to meet deadlines.

• Experience in clinical research management and an understanding of inclusive research methods would be highly regarded.

Please note, you must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of these appointments to apply (employer-sponsored work rights are not available for these appointments). Successful applicants will be required to complete mandatory immunisations. 

The greater benefits of joining the UQ community are broad: from being part of a Group of Eight university, to recognition of prior service with other Australian universities, up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave, 17.5% annual leave loading, flexible working arrangements, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.  

For more information about these opportunities, please contact A/Prof Sarah Wallace at

For application inquiries, and to request the full position description, please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team at , stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line. 
 

We welcome applications from all individuals and are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. To be considered, please ensure you upload: 

• Resume 

• Cover letter including responses to the 'About You' section above

Applicants should specifically address in your cover letter which position/s you are applying for (Position 1, or Positions 2 & 3).

Our strength as an institution lies in our diverse colleagues. We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion, fostering an environment that mirrors our wider community. We're committed to attracting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent. If you require an alternative method to submit your application due to accessibility needs or personal circumstances, please contact  

UQ is committed to a fair, equitable and inclusive selection process, which recognises that some applicants may face additional barriers and challenges which have impacted and/or continue to impact their career trajectory. Candidates who don't meet all criteria are encouraged to apply and demonstrate their potential. The selection panel considers both potential and performance relative to opportunities when assessing suitability for the role.  

Applications close Friday 31 October 2025 at 11.00pm AEST (Job Reference Number: R

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