UWA Safety Net Scheme - Principles for Allocation

1. The purpose of the UWA Safety Net scheme is to provide bridging support to fund the salary of key personnel normally supported by external research grant income but where an individual or group has failed to obtain continued funding for the position. As a consequence of this lack of funding the employment of the key staff member would need to be terminated.

2. The duties undertaken by the key staff member when funded by a UWA Safety Net award may not necessarily be identical to their previous role and may include research, teaching and other administrative duties as deemed appropriate by the host school. It may be possible to relocate the key staff member to another university school provided the relinquishing school is in agreement and the appropriate level of matching funds is committed by the new school (see 4 below).     

3. Eligible personnel to receive funding from the Safety Net Scheme are research fellows/research associates and senior technical or research staff who have been employed at UWA continuously for at least the past three years. An eligible staff member can only receive one UWA Safety Net award within a six year period.  Full or part-time staff are eligible for the Safety Net Scheme.

4. Funding is for one year only up to a maximum of $40,000 and is contingent upon matching funds on a dollar for dollar basis from the faculty and/or school. Funding is also conditional upon the individual or group seeking external research funding to support the salary of the key staff member in the next available funding round.

5. The Safety Net scheme is open at any time and allocations are approved executively by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) on written advice from the Head of  School and the  Dean, and after consideration of the following, which applicants need to address in a written application to the Director, Research Services:

(a) Details of the key staff member to be funded and in particular how a continuation of their position is of strategic importance to the group and to the school.

(b) How retaining the key staff member will continue to help the individual or group attract external research funding.

(c) Whether other options might be available to retain the key staff member within the group or  school.

(d) What external funding will be sought to support the salary of the key staff member within the next twelve months. Normally this will involve an application in the next available round of a major funding scheme.

6. The individual staff member and/or the research supervisor will prepare a written report 2-3 A4 pages in length.  The purpose of the report is to highlight the perceived benefits of the UWA Safety Net award, and must be submitted to the Director, Research Services via the Head of the  School within one month of the conclusion of the Award.

7. The University reserves the right to transfer the staff member to another position within the University.

8. The University and the Unions agree that individuals in receipt of a Safety Net award may legitimately be employed on a fixed term contract.