EL 1 | Senior Researcher | Ethics

Full job description
$115,8++ - $130,733 + up to 15.4% Superannuation
Weston Creek - ACT


The Role
The successful applicant will work with researchers in psychology, anthropology, organisational behaviour and other disciplines to deliver the research foundation on which Defence’s Social Mastery learning is based. This position is new, so its duties will evolve.

The person in this position will:

Work in an integrated team of Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and Australian Public Service (APS) employees.
Work closely with the RAN, Army, RAAF, and other Defence Groups.
Apply their expertise in ethical philosophy and applied ethics to design and deliver empirical research programs to inform Defence’s approach to Social Mastery.
Communicate and champion these research findings through a range of methods including peer-reviewed journals, Defence publications, seminars, conference and online articles.
Synthesise current ethical knowledge to inform Social Mastery programs for Defence personnel.
Foster relevant communities of practice across Defence, government, academia and internationally.
Co-ordinate the research projects of other Centre for Defence Leadership and Ethics (CDLE) affiliated researchers.

About our Team
The Australian Defence College's (ADC) Centre for Defence Leadership and Ethics (CDLE) leads in the professional military education of ‘Social Mastery’ for military and civilian personnel in the Australian Defence Organisation (Defence) - comprising the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Department of Defence.

CDLE defines, delivers and assures the quality of Defence’s Social Mastery learning across the fields of command and leadership, military ethics, character, and cultural intelligence. CDLE’s role is grounded in robust research, real-world experience, academic expertise, and enterprise-wide engagement. We enable the practical application of Social Mastery learning across Defence, drawing on a joint, all-ranks perspective, reinforced through real life case studies, deep personal experience, and world-leading research.

We are a united team who values robust debate and critical analysis, underpinned by a deep respect for the achievements, experience, and expertise of our colleagues.

Our Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will:
Hold higher (research) degree/s (AQF Level + or 10) relating to ethics in the profession of arms or applied ethics.
Be experienced working in, or closely with, the military and/or security sector.
Be adept at communicating complex ethical constructs both verbally and in writing to a wide variety of audiences, from junior personnel to academics and senior executives.
Have demonstrated ability to generate and report research findings that enable enhanced ethical decision-making and related interventions.
Be adept at collaborating across a large and complex organisation comprising many perspectives, and constructively resolving uncertainty or disagreement.
Be comfortable working to achieve Defence’s mission and understanding the sometimes confronting situations experienced by Defence personnel in their pursuit of Defence operations and activities.
Be willing and able to work cooperatively in CDLE’s integrated ADF and APS workforce.
Be able to contribute to CDLE’s mission with enthusiasm, proactivity, curiosity and ingenuity.