Expression of Interest – DDVA HREC member appointments

Defence and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs are currently seeking expressions of interest (EOI) from individuals who wish to contribute their expertise, experience, and perspective to the ethical review and oversight of human research involving Defence members, veterans and their families, through appointment to the DDVA HREC in the following roles:

  • community representative
  • professional care/counselling member
  • research member
  • a person who performs a pastoral care function in the community
  • a Defence Health Graduate or a Veteran.

To express interest, download the DDVA HREC EOI - Information Kit and submit an EOI in accordance with the instructions in this kit:

DDVA HREC Expression of Interest – Information Kit (DOCX, 73.7 KB)

EOI submissions must be received by 5 pm Monday 17 August 2026.

For further information please contact the DDVA HREC Secretariat via ddva.hrec@defence.gov.au or on 0473 659 822.

Established on 1 July 2017, the Departments of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs Human Research Ethics Committee (DDVA HREC) is the institutional ethics committee for Defence and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). The DDVA HREC is registered with:

The purpose of the DDVA HREC is to provide expert review of human research proposals submitted for ethical approval. 

Research proposals involving humans will be reviewed by the DDVA HREC where one or more of the following apply:

  • Participants are or include Defence members, other Defence personnel (as a specific study group or sub-group), their information (data) and/or tissue.
  • Participants are recruited, either directly or indirectly, through a service provided by Defence or DVA.
  • The research is to be conducted by Defence or DVA personnel in the course of their employment.
  • The research is to be conducted on/in a Defence establishment.
  • The research is sponsored, endorsed or funded in any part by Defence or DVA.

For further information refer to the DDVA HREC Terms of Reference.

Draft DDVA HREC Terms of Reference (PDF, 230.29 KB)

Process for other research

For research that involves ex-serving personnel as a target cohort or a study sub-group, but does not fall under the categories listed above, the researcher’s own institution should be the primary ethics approval body (except where circumstances require otherwise). 

Researchers are encouraged to obtain mutual recognition of the primary ethical review from the DDVA HREC, to consider any ethical implications raised in the research due to the specific nature of the Defence or Veteran community involved.