Health and Medical Research Workforce Audit

The Department of Health and Aged Care (department) requires the services of a supplier to conduct a health and medical research workforce audit that provides up-to-date data on workforce demographics, characteristics, and diversity of career pathways. The findings from the audit will form part of an evidence base that will contribute to future national health and medical research policy.

There is currently a paucity of recent data on the Australian health and medical research workforce, though a number of past surveys and grant funding statistics point to job insecurity and attrition. Concurrently, there is general call from the sector for support for researchers to be improved, particularly job security, training and career development/ pathways.

A national health and medical research workforce audit (the audit) will help map the current capacity, capability and gaps in the research workforce, as well as provide an understanding of existing traditional and non-traditional research career pathways.

The evidence gathered from the audit will help address key questions surrounding the research workforce, identify areas of national strengths and gaps in capacity and capability, and shape feedback from stakeholders during national conversations.