Project summary
Workplace harm continues to impose substantial personal, economic, and societal costs. Despite advances in safety science, two key challenges persist: a gap between systems thinking-based research and its application in practice, and a lack of integration between risk assessment and incident data analyses. As a result, valuable incident data are often underutilised in proactively identifying and managing risk. To address this, a program of research is being undertaken at the Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science, UniSC, to develop a novel, systems thinking-based tool designed to integrate risk assessment with incident reporting and organisational learning in outdoor education. The PhD project will contribute to this wider project.
Specifically, the PhD project will test and extend this newly developed tool, the digital Net-HARMS platform, in another domain such as transport safety, safety in outdoor leisure activities, or child safeguarding in the outdoor sector. The candidate will be responsible for adapting (where necessary), implementing, and evaluating the tool in the new context, with the aim of enhancing proactive risk management. This work offers the opportunity to contribute to the translation of systems thinking approaches into practice, generating practical impact across industries while advancing the evidence base for integrated safety management systems.
The PhD position is funded by UniSC's Research Training Program in partnership with the Australian Research Council.
Applications close
10 July 2026 11:55pm
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Summary of position
This PhD position will involve testing and extending a novel systems thinking-based risk assessment and incident learning tool within a new safety-critical domain. The candidate will undertake applied research, applying the tool to suit the relevant context, engaging with relevant stakeholders, and supporting its implementation in real-world settings. The role is likely to include a combination or qualitative and quantitative research methods, such as workshops, systems mapping, and data analysis to evaluate the reliability, validity, and usability of the digital Net-HARMS platform.
Over the course of the project, the candidate will contribute to the testing and evaluation of the digital Net-HARMS platform, with opportunities to publish in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at academic and industry-based conferences. The position provides an opportunity to develop expertise in systems thinking, human factors, and safety science, while generating applied outcomes that improve how organisations identify, manage, and learn from risk.
The candidate will be supervised by Professor Katie Plant, Professor Gemma Read, Dr Jolene Cox, Dr Matthew Morrison, and Professor Paul Salmon and will be based at the Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science, University of the Sunshine Coast. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work closely with leading researchers in human factors and systems science. The successful candidate will be offered a desk space at the Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science or can complete their studies remotely. The PhD opportunity is open to domestic candidates only.
Inclusions
Funded by UniSC Research Training Program the scholarship package includes 3 years coverage until Thesis submission
- Stipend - $38 000 (AUD) per annum, paid fortnightly and is tax-free for full-time students.
- Tuition fees - Full coverage, with a value of $29 300 per annum.
- Relocation allowance - Up to $2,000 to relocate to a UniSC campus
All inclusions are in accordance with UniSC RTP Research scholarship conditions
Ideal Candidate
- A strong work ethic, and be a motivated individual
- Sound project management skills
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- An interest in safety and risk assessments
Contact
Dr Matthew Morrison
Email: mmorrison1@usc.edu.au
Kelly Stewart
Email: kstewart@usc.edu.au