PhD Program – Neurocognitive Addiction Treatment Implementation Trial

Job No.: 685196

Location: Turning Point, 110 Church Street, Richmond

Employment Type: Full-time

Duration: 3.5-year fixed-term appointment

Remuneration: There are various scholarships offered by Monash University to support students undertaking Research Doctorate degrees. To find out more, visit

• Be inspired, every day
• Drive your own learning at one of the world's top 80 universities
• Take your career in exciting, rewarding directions

About the project

We're thrilled to announce a unique opportunity to join a fully funded PhD program that's redefining addiction treatment in Australia. This is your chance to be part of the first real-world implementation trial of a scientifically proven neurocognitive training intervention for individuals undergoing alcohol withdrawal.

Backed by an NHMRC Partnership Project Grant, this visionary research will co-design and deploy a next-generation Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) platform and smartphone app, developed in collaboration with consumers and clinicians from across Australia. The project will harness cutting-edge AI technologies to personalise CBM training, enhance patient outcomes, and unlock deeper insights into treatment effectiveness and user experience.

As a PhD candidate, you'll work within a dynamic, interdisciplinary team—including fellow CBM PhDs and Research Engineers—to develop and implement a clinician-friendly infrastructure for delivering CBM during inpatient care, and a seamless app-based experience for continued training post-discharge.

Key highlights:

• AI-powered personalisation of cognitive training
• Human-centred design of digital health tools
• Real-world impact on addiction recovery
• Collaborative research environment across clinical and tech domains

Project funding is generously supported by the Ramsay Health Research Foundation and the CSIRO Next Generation AI Graduate Program.

This is more than a scholarship—it's a launchpad for shaping the future of addiction care.

What's on offer:

• $43,333 AUD/year tax-free stipend (for 3.5 years, indexed annually)
• $5,000 AUD/year research expenses
• $5,000 AUD international travel allowance
• $840 AUD thesis allowance
• $5,000 AUD cost-of-living allowance ($2,000 at enrolment, $3,000 at confirmation)
• 6-month industry placement (or equivalent)
• Expert supervision from leaders in addiction science, AI, and human-computer interaction

About the partnership

This applied PhD is hosted by Monash University's Eastern Health Clinical School (EHCS), in partnership with Turning Point and Action Lab.

The successful candidate will be part of a multidisciplinary cohort of researchers and students based at Turning Point in Melbourne, Australia. For more information about the important work that Turning Point does, please visit the website.

Turning Point is affiliated with Eastern Health Clinical School, within the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (MNHS) at Monash University, and undertakes close collaborative work with the Monash Addiction Research Centre (MARC).

Action Lab is a multidisciplinary team of impact-focused researchers within the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University working at the intersection of communities, technology and social innovation, serving as a capacity for local and international organisations to pursue innovation and engage in mutual learning. To find out more about Action Lab, please visit

Monash University is a member of Australia's Group of Eight coalition and is internationally recognised for excellence in research and teaching as one of the world's top 80 universities. Embedded in an ecosystem of health, academia and industry, it delivers the research outcomes, skilled workforce, technology and partnerships to improve human health locally and globally.

Supervisory team

This project will be supervised by Professor Victoria Manning and Professor Patrick Olivier, combining expertise in addiction science, implementation science and human-centred design.

Eligibility Requirements

This opportunity is open to Australian and New Zealand citizens or permanent residents.

Candidates will need to fulfil the Monash University minimum requirements for admission to a PhD detailed here:

How to apply

To apply, you must submit an expression of interest (including CV and degree documents) at:

Short-listed candidates will have a 30-minute interview on Zoom early October.

For general instructions on how to apply for roles at Monash, please refer to 'How to apply for Monash Jobs'.

Enquiries

For further information and application details, contact Turning Point Research Admin at research-

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