Time poverty and temporal inequity: Implications for wellbeing and healthy ageing in Australia

Why do some people have time to rest, connect with others and look after their health, while others struggle to meet everyday demands? Paid work, unpaid care, domestic responsibilities and commuting shape how much discretionary time people have, creating inequalities with potentially lasting consequences for wellbeing and healthy ageing.

This PhD sits within an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship investigating temporal inequity and its societal impacts in Australia. The wider program will develop and validate the Temporal Inequity Measurement Index (TIMI), a new measure of inequalities in access to discretionary time.

The PhD candidate will investigate the social and structural determinants of temporal inequity and its associations with wellbeing, participation and ageing outcomes. The project will combine a systematic review of time-related measures with quantitative analyses of large Australian population datasets with opportunities to use linked administrative data. A focused component will examine populations particularly affected by time poverty, such as carers, women, low-income earners or shift workers. The precise focus will be developed with the successful candidate.

The candidate will receive training in social epidemiology, longitudinal data analysis, inequality measurement and reproducible research, alongside opportunities to contribute to policy briefs and public health communication. 

Eligibility

• Hold an Honours degree, research Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in epidemiology, public health, psychology, sociology, economics, demography, biostatistics or a related discipline. 
• Demonstrate strong academic achievement and research potential. 
• Have a strong interest in social equity, time poverty, wellbeing and healthy ageing. 
• Demonstrate quantitative research skills, with experience in statistical software such as R or Stata desirable.

How to Apply

Please email Associate Professor Susanne Röehr at s.roehr@unsw.edu.au by 31 January 2027, attaching your CV, academic transcripts and a brief statement outlining your interest in the project and any prior research experience, if applicable. If you are selected for this project, you will need to submit an application for admission to UNSW.