Ballarat Health Services is seeking expressions of interest for the following position:

Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) Chairperson

The Ballarat Health Services - St John of God Human Research Ethics Committee (BHS SJOG HREC) is an NHMRC registered committeee and is a joint undertaking by the two hospitals in Ballarat - Ballarat Health Services and St John of God.

The role of the BHS SJOG HREC is to promote ethical human research, to protect the welfare of research participants and to foster research that benefits the community.

The committee's role is to review research proposals that involve human participants to ensure that they meet the relevant ethical standards and guidelines. Committee members are required to apply the ethical principles and values set out in the National Statement of Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2007 (updated 2018), and to review applications and consider the ethical implications of proposed research involving human participants. HREC members help to advance research in an important and practical way by bringing an independent view to the committee.

Individuals with suitable experience and qualifications, and both Ballarat Health Services staff members and individuals external to the organisation, are eligible to apply for this position. However, the Chairpersons other responsibilities must not impair the HREC’s capacity to carry out its obligations under the National Statement.

The BHS SJOG HREC meets 8 times per year. In addition, the Chair communicates with the Research Ethics & Governance Unit to provide advice or review, as required on a weekly basis.

Current or previous research experience, ethics committee experience, and/or senior academic experience will be highly advantageous. The Chair is offered an honorarium in acknowledgment of the time associated with chairing the meetings and performing executive duties.

BHS is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, mature age workers and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people.