Role Title: Research Software Development Intern
Organisation: The Kids Research Institute Australia
Internship Period: Summer (November - December)
Location: Nedlands
Research underpins management decisions that have a direct impact on the world, and require robust best practices to ensure reliable decision-making. Open science practices, such as writing open-access software, encourage research practices that are both transparent and repeatable. R packages for data analysis are increasingly common, but proprietary software is still common for many data collection and processing procedures. The `mixchar` R package is an alternative to financially restricted ‘point-and-click’ methods to estimate the composition of different types of carbon in plant litter. This type of data processing has been used in soil carbon research, functional trait ecology, and materials science. Despite benefits of the open access format, many of the target users are not proficient at programming in R – and the developers of the package have received feedback requesting a version accessible to users who cannot/do not write code. Therefore in this project, we plan to extend the open-access tool with a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI will also output the underlying code so that the process remains reproducible and open access while reaching a broader audience. The intern will be responsible for coding this GUI, with support from the supervisor and the wider Infectious Disease Ecology and Modelling team. Skills required in this role are not restricted those who a background in infectious disease studies.
The Kids Research Institute Australia is based within the Perth Children’s Hospital, and is one of the largest, and most successful medical research institutes in Australia, comprising a dedicated and diverse team of around 1,000 staff, students and honoraries. We've created a bold blueprint that brings together community, researchers, practitioners, policy makers and funders, who share our vision to improve the health and wellbeing of children through excellence in research.