Quantitative Social Research & Evaluation Specialist

Company DescriptionRegional Advantage Group is an Australian advisory firm working across regional development, strategy, procurement, governance and complex stakeholder environments. We work with government, industry, regional organisations and community stakeholders to turn evidence and consultation into practical, implementable outcomes.
Role DescriptionRegional Advantage Group is seeking a Quantitative Social Research & Evaluation Specialist to join a proposed project team for a national Australian grains industry project focused on community trust.This is a remote, project-based contract opportunity, initially requiring limited input during the tender stage in September 2026. If the project is awarded, the specialist will work intermittently with the project team through December 2027.The specialist will provide the quantitative and evaluation expertise supporting a broader stakeholder engagement and collaboration project. The role will focus on critically reviewing existing community-trust research and datasets, assessing methodological comparability and evidence quality, establishing a defensible quantitative baseline, analysing drivers of community trust, and translating findings into practical measures and indicators.This is not a tender-writing role and not a full-time position.
Key ResponsibilitiesReview existing community trust research, surveys and datasets.Assess data quality, sampling, methodology, measurement consistency and comparability between studies.Determine which existing evidence can legitimately contribute to a quantitative trust baseline.Develop a defensible quantitative baseline using existing evidence and data.Undertake appropriate statistical and driver analysis to identify factors associated with community trust.Clearly distinguish correlation, prediction and causation and document methodological limitations.Develop practical trust indicators and contribute to the project's evaluation framework.Maintain a transparent evidence and confidence trail supporting quantitative findings.Translate technical findings into clear insights for industry, government and non-technical stakeholders.Work with the Project Director and stakeholder engagement team to integrate quantitative findings with consultation and workshop outcomes.Provide technical quality assurance for quantitative components of the final Community Trust Collaboration Blueprint.
Qualifications and ExperienceDemonstrated experience in quantitative social research, evaluation, survey research, behavioural research or a closely related field.Strong applied statistical capability, including multivariable analysis and interpretation of observational data.Experience assessing existing datasets and research rather than relying solely on primary data collection.Understanding of sampling, measurement validity, reliability, comparability and research limitations.Proficiency with relevant analytical tools such as R, Python, Stata, SPSS or equivalent.Ability to translate complex quantitative findings for non-technical audiences.Strong written communication and evidence documentation skills.Experience in agriculture, rural or regional communities, government, community trust, social licence or related research would be highly regarded.Relevant postgraduate qualifications in statistics, economics, social sciences, evaluation, public policy, behavioural science or a related discipline are desirable.
EngagementContract, remote, Australia-wide.Initial tender-stage involvement is expected during September 2026, followed by intermittent project work through December 2027 if the tender is successful.Applicants should provide a CV and one or two examples of comparable quantitative research or evaluation work, clearly identifying their personal role, methodology and outputs.Australian-based candidates are strongly preferred.