Armytage Postdoctoral Fellowship

• Full time fixed term 18 months
• Contribute to an innovative and interdisciplinary research program at Sydney Law School
• Academic Level A Base Salary $93,424 - $125,896 p.a. + 17% superannuation

About the opportunity

Sydney Law School invites applications for the inaugural Armytage Postdoctoral Fellowship to contribute to an innovative and interdisciplinary research program examining harmful child and adolescent sexual behaviours in contemporary digital contexts.

This exciting research initiative addresses a significant and under-examined challenge at the intersection of children's rights, sexual violence, coercive control, technology-facilitated harm and justice responses. The project seeks to generate new knowledge about the pathways through which children and young people engage in harmful sexual behaviours, the role of digital technologies and online environments in shaping these behaviours, and opportunities for prevention, early intervention, rehabilitation and systems reform.

Situated at the intersection of law, criminology, psychology, child protection, gender-based violence, digital harms and social policy, the research responds to pressing social and policy challenges arising from rapidly changing online and offline environments. The successful Fellow will contribute to the development of an emerging national and international research agenda focused on children's safety, wellbeing and rights.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• conduct high-quality interdisciplinary research on harmful child and adolescent sexual behaviours in digital and offline contexts
• design, lead and contribute to research activities, including data collection, analysis and dissemination of findings
• develop an independent research program aligned with the broader project and build an emerging research profile
• collaborate with academic, government and community stakeholders to support research impact and knowledge exchange
• contribute to publications, presentations, reports and other research outputs that inform law, policy and practice
• engage with national and international research networks and support the development of the project’s research agenda
• teach into the school’s LLB/JD or PGCW programs for a six-month period at 0.2 FTE.

About you

• PhD in law or criminology, or a related discipline with demonstrated experience in conducting empirical research
• demonstrated experience conducting original research and producing high-quality scholarly outputs
• strong interest in interdisciplinary research related to children's rights, digital harms, sexual violence, justice or child protection
• ability to develop and lead an independent research program within a collaborative research environment
• excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to disseminate research to diverse audiences
• demonstrated ability to build productive relationships with academic, government and community stakeholders
• experience teaching or tutoring in a relevant area of LLB/JD or PGCW curricula, or the capacity to do so effectively.

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this employment to be eligible to apply.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Pre-employment checks and declarations

Your employment is conditional upon the successful completion of all pre-employment or background checks required for the role in terms satisfactory to the University. Also, to meet the University’s obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence you will be asked to declare if you have been investigated for, or found to engaged in, sexual harm or gender-based violence in the course of previous employment or in a legal process. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

This position is designated as involving child-related work. To undertake or remain in this position, you are required to apply for and obtain a Working with Children Check clearance in accordance with the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion.

How to apply

Applications (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page.

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or any documents in alternate formats, please contact Rae Hao, Recruitment Operations by email to rae.hao@sydney.edu.au.

© The University of Sydney

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

Click to view the Position Description for this role.

Applications Close

Wednesday 30 September 2026 11:59 PM