Research Assistant - Planning, Funding and Outcomes

• Join a supportive, equity-focused team at Smales Farm, Takapuna, and build your research career alongside leading clinical and academic partners
• Based in Smales Farm, Takapuna:  Permanent Full-time with a hybrid working model
• Play a key part in lung screening research that aims to improve health outcomes for Māori and other communities across Aotearoa

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is the country's largest employer, delivering universal public healthcare to 5 million New Zealanders.

We provide essential hospital, specialist, and community health services across 80+ locations — from large urban centres to rural towns and remote communities.

Our goal is to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders by delivering equitable, accessible and innovative care.

About the Role

As a Research Assistant in our Lung Screening Team, you'll be at the heart of research that could change how lung cancer is detected and treated in Aotearoa. Your work will support the day-to-day delivery of our lung screening studies. One day you might be talking with study participants, explaining parts of the study and following up on outstanding information. Another day you could be carrying out interviews and surveys, preparing participant letters and mail merges, or helping coordinate study meetings with the wider research team.

Accurate data is central to good research, so you'll also enter, clean and quality-check study data in systems such as Procon and REDCap. You'll help pull together information for study monitoring and reporting, and contribute to research reports and other outputs, while keeping participant information safe and confidential. You'll also support research across the wider Māori Health Pipeline and Health Equity work programmes, giving you broad experience and the chance to make a meaningful difference.

About the Team and Location

You'll join the Lung Screening Team within Health Gain Development in the Planning, Funding and Outcomes directorate, and report to the Project Manager in the Lung Screening Team. You'll work with a team that includes the Research Manager, Project Managers, Research Assistants, Principal Investigator, co-investigators, and Steering and Advisory Group members. You'll also collaborate with clinical and academic partners, including the University of Auckland, the University of Otago, and Health NZ teams at Te Toka Tūmai, Waitematā and Counties Manukau. This full-time role is based at Smales Farm in Takapuna on Auckland's North Shore.

About you

You're organised, curious and passionate about research that makes a real difference. You'll have a relevant graduate qualification (postgraduate study would be an advantage) and experience in a research or health role, ideally in a clinical research or clinical data environment. You value accuracy, communicate clearly, and build trusted relationships with participants, whānau and colleagues. You will bring:

• Experience applying Te Tiriti o Waitangi in practice and a commitment to improving outcomes for Māori
• Strong skills in data entry, data management and analysis, with close attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including report writing and presenting
• Confidence working with participants and their whānau, and in conducting interviews or field research
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and online applications
• Knowledge of clinical and health systems and the safe handling of patient data
• Sound judgement, with the ability to identify and escalate study risks and issues
• Desirable: understanding of Māori research methods, cultural values and practices, and connections with Māori academic, health and community networks

Working at Health New Zealand 

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.   

How to Apply 

To apply, please click “apply now.”  All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal by 11:59PM Sunday 15 November 2026. For further information, please contact Jenita Spencer on Jenita.Spencer@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz.

The full position description is available on the Health New Zealand Careers site.

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process before the closing date of this advert.