Senior Research Fellow AI Digital Innovation

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• Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI), Austin Health 
• Fixed Term, Full Time for 12 months, job share may be considered. 
• $108,820 - $123,905 base prorata depending on qualifications and experience + higher qualification allowance + generous salary packaging + super. 

Austin Health is the major provider of tertiary health services, health professional education and research across three campuses in the north-east of Melbourne and statewide. We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our goal to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives. 

About PIRI

PIRI is a not-for-profit independent organization committed to supporting parents and babies (0-24 months) to enhance parent well-being perinatal mental health and children’s healthy development.  PIRI provides a unique contribution to early intervention in Australia and comprises of an expert team of clinical and academic staff. 

About the role

The Parent-Infant Research Institute (PIRI) is seeking an experienced Senior Research Fellow to lead innovative research and development in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital health. As part of a strategic initiative to expand access to evidence-based parent-infant mental health support, you will play a key role in the development and evaluation of AI-enabled tools, including a generative AI chatbot designed to support families participating in online perinatal mental health programs.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge AI innovation while making a meaningful difference to the mental health and wellbeing of parents and infants.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development and evaluation of AI-powered digital health solutions.
• Contribute to the development of generative AI, chatbot and large language model (LLM)-based applications.
• Conduct and publish high-quality research on the effectiveness, safety and implementation of AI-enabled interventions.
• Analyse user and outcome data to support continuous improvement.
• Contribute to grant applications, research strategy and collaborative projects.
• Support ethical, governance and risk management processes for AI applications in healthcare.

About You

You will have:

• A PhD (or equivalent) in Psychology, Computer Science, Data Science, Health Informatics, Artificial Intelligence or a related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in generative AI, large language models and contemporary AI development frameworks.
• Strong programming skills, including experience with Python.
• A strong track record of peer-reviewed publications and research achievement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to work effectively both independently and within multidisciplinary teams.

Our benefits 

Working at Austin Health means enjoying a strong sense of purpose, engaging in meaningful work every day. Our people also receive a variety of rewarding benefits, including: 

• Greater take-home pay through generous salary packaging, for living expenses, meals, and holiday accommodation. 
• A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounted fitness memberships and special offers on health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program. 
• Onsite childcare at Austin Hospital, easy access via public transport and car parking options. 
• Mentoring and career development opportunities. 

Work with us! 

We are committed to cultural safety and health equity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People. We celebrate, value, and include people of all backgrounds, genders, identities, cultures, bodies, and abilities. We welcome and support applications from talented people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, people with disability, neurodiverse people, LGBTQIA+ and people of all ages and cultures. 

If you feel this role is right for you, we encourage your early application. Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. What matters most is your passion, your drive and your willingness to learn and contribute. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the closing date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad prior to the advertised closing date. 

All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working With Children Check. Austin Health is a child safe organisation, committed to upholding the rights, safety, and wellbeing of children and young people in line with Child Safe Standards. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: Prof Jeannette Milgrom, Jeannette.milgrom@austin.org.au or Barbara Frazer, barbara.frazer@austin.org.au.

Interested in finding out more about this opportunity? Read the  position description for further details. 

Application Closing Date: Wednesday 30 September 2026

Please indicate in your application that you are applying the Senior Research Fellow – AI and Digital Innovation position, or for the Senior Research Fellow – Advanced Research Skills and Implementation Science position which is also currently being advertised. You can apply for both positions if you believe you meet the selection criteria for each.