Pursuant of Section 50(d) of the Equal Employment Opportunities Act 1984, the occupant of this position must be of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent.

The Opportunity

The Kids Research Institute Australia, Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines & Infectious Diseases (WCVID) is a highly collaborative and multidisciplinary centre whose vision is to reduce the impact of infectious diseases through excellent and innovative research and partnership with families and community.

Ensuring our research occurs in partnership with community and is guided by a strong Aboriginal voice is essential in our work. This includes developing a research career pathway for Aboriginal students to join the WCVID and ensuring the WCVID is a culturally safe workplace.

We now have an exciting opportunity available for an Aboriginal Development Manager to lead and evaluate a successful research career pathway and support program for Aboriginal students and staff in the WCVID. In addition, this position will support researchers to ensure research projects are culturally safe, strengths-based, and compliant with ethical standards by providing practical advice.

In this role, you will develop strong relationships with external and internal stakeholders and community.

Key responsibilities:

Recruiting, training and retaining Aboriginal students and staff across the Centre.
Identifying opportunities within the WCVID to ensure it is a culturally safe place of employment that is supportive and inclusive.
Enhance the Centre practices by providing training opportunity and guidance to non-Aboriginal staff, students and researchers.
Building effective relationships with the Aboriginal community and Aboriginal University Centres.

Based in our modern offices within Perth Children’s Hospital, this full-time role will be offered for an initial 2-year period. Flexible hours/days will be considered for the right candidate.

About You

The successful candidate will hold a tertiary qualification in a relevant field or demonstrate relevant experience. You will also possess:

Deep commitment to building the capacity of Aboriginal people.
Demonstrated ability to act and communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal peoples and have knowledge and understanding of their history and cultures.
Experience working within the Aboriginal community, research or related sectors.
Ability to work independently, take initiative, communicate and work within a team.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills and a proactive attitude to relationships.
Knowledge of research processes is desirable.

At The Kids Research Institute Australia, we are committed to building a workplace culture that reflects the communities we serve. We actively recruit support and welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ people, people of all ages, and those with diverse lived experiences. We also provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and in the workplace, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

If you meet many, but not all, of the role requirements, we encourage you to apply. We also welcome you to mention any career breaks in your cover letter to help us understand your journey.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is reflected in how we:

Support staff-led inclusion and allyship groups.
Offer flexible work practices that recognise different needs and life stages.
Provide training, development and mentoring opportunities to increase inclusive leadership and create an environment where all staff can thrive.
Partner with communities to strengthen cultural awareness and belonging.
Ensure adjustments and accessible practices are available for diverse community groups.
We continually strive to measure our progress and improve where we can.

Alongside our inclusive culture, you’ll enjoy:

Extra annual leave at Christmas and Easter.
Salary packaging and entertainment benefits.
Health and wellbeing programs with weekly events.
Flexible and hybrid working options.
Recognition and professional development opportunities, including LinkedIn Learning.
Modern offices with sit-to-stand desks and end-of-trip facilities.
Staff discounts on travel, IT, stationery, and access to corporate health insurance.

How to Apply

If this role feels like the right fit and an exciting new opportunity for you, please click on 'Apply Now' to visit our Career Site, view the Job Description, and submit your application.

Please include a cover letter (no more than 2 pages) that specifically addresses the skills and experience outlined in the “About You” section.

Applications will only be accepted through our career portal. If you are experiencing technical difficulties or require reasonable accommodations in completing your application, please contact recruitment@thekids.org.au.

Click here for the Job Description

Contact Name: Shaun Wright

Contact Email: shaun.wright@thekids.org.au

Closing Date: 23/03/2026 - We reserve the right to hire prior to the closing date.

The Kids Research Institute Australia is committed to being champions of gender equity, diversity, and inclusivity. We actively encourage applications from people of all ages, nationalities, abilities, and cultures, including: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with diverse genders, sexes and sexualities and people living with disability. As such we are a proud Bronze award recipient of the first Australian Athena Swan Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) pilot program.

We acknowledge that when working in environments which contribute to the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people, it is imperative that Aboriginal people are at the forefront of this work. We have launched the Aboriginal Employment and Career Development Strategy to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students and researchers employed in the Institute who provide guidance and support in our work in Aboriginal health.

Aboriginal Development Manager

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