RTP Stipend Scholarship

This PhD scholarship at Monash University offers a unique opportunity to contribute to high-impact, policy-relevant research focused on improving the experiences and outcomes of Australian adults making workers’ compensation claims. The project is based within the Healthy Working Lives Group in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and is supported by the Australian Laureate Fellowship program, Reforming Work Disability Benefit Systems for Contemporary Australian Society.

The research aims to generate in-depth qualitative evidence on how individuals interact with Australia’s financial support systems, including Workers’ Compensation, Job Seeker, and Disability Support Pension. Many people face significant challenges navigating these systems, such as understanding eligibility, producing documents, and managing complex administrative processes. The successful candidate will use qualitative and participatory research methods—interviews, focus groups, and co-design approaches—to embed the perspectives of people with lived experience of work disability into the research. The findings will inform the co-design of a navigation support model to assist individuals in accessing and engaging with these systems, with dissemination to policy agencies as a key outcome.

The project is part of Program 2 of the Laureate Fellowship, which examines participant experiences of benefit systems. The broader program integrates prevention, lived experience, and policy reform, supported by a Community of Practice and contributing to real-world outcomes such as a National Training program. The candidate will join a multidisciplinary cohort of researchers and students.

Supervision will be provided by Professor Alex Collie, a leading public health and social policy scholar, and Dr Samineh Sanatkar, a Research Fellow specializing in work participation and recovery outcomes for people with work-related mental health conditions, illness, or injury. Both supervisors are part of the Healthy Working Lives Research Group at Monash University.

The scholarship provides a Research Living Allowance of $40,000 AUD per annum (tax-free stipend), indexed plus allowances as per RTP stipend scholarship conditions. Please note that tuition fees are not covered by this scholarship.

Eligibility requirements include valid and current Australian work rights, a bachelor’s degree of at least four years in a relevant discipline with a research thesis or project and a minimum overall average grade equivalent to First-Class Honours Division A, or a master's degree in a relevant discipline with a research thesis or project equivalent to at least 25 percent of one year of full-time study and a minimum overall average grade equivalent to First-Class Honours Division A, or equivalent qualifications and relevant professional or research experience as deemed by the Graduate Research Committee. Preferably, candidates should be available to commence as a full-time, on-campus PhD candidate in Q3 or Q4 2026.

To apply, check your eligibility via the Monash Graduate Research Admission Procedure. Submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your interest and fit for the project to the provided email address. Selected candidates will be invited for interviews, and successful candidates will receive an invitation to apply via the online portal. Applications close on Wednesday 19 August 2026, 11:55pm AEST.

For further enquiries, contact Dr Melinda (Millie) McCabe, Senior Project Co-ordinator, via email.