Research Officer/Senior Research Officer

Job Title

Research Officer/Senior Research Officer

Job Description

An excellent opportunity is available for a Research Officer/Senior Research Officer to join the Immunology Division (Smith/Lyons Laboratory) at Australia’s pre-eminent biomedical research institute.

About the Position

The successful candidate will contribute to cutting-edge research investigating how environmental stressors influence immune responses to infection and cancer in mouse models. They will manage day-to-day operations, logistics, calibration and monitoring of specialised environmental and metabolic housing systems that support pre-clinical research. 

This role requires an experienced, highly autonomous scientist who can oversee the daily operations of specialised animal housing environments, design and execute complex in vivo experiments, provide intellectual leadership to the project and ensure strict compliance with Victorian animal welfare legislation, institutional Animal Ethics Committee approvals and relevant regulatory requirements.

Selection Criteria

Essential Knowledge and Skills

• PhD in Immunology with extensive research experience in immunology and biomedical science.

• Demonstrated research excellence through peer-reviewed publications, competitive funding and conference presentations.

• Proven ability to work collaboratively and build productive research partnerships.

• Experience managing mouse colonies and preparing Animal Ethics Committee applications and amendments.

• Extensive experience designing and conducting in vivo immunology and infection studies.

• Proficient in cellular immunology techniques, including multi-colour flow cytometry, cell isolation and ELISA.

• Experience with molecular biology techniques, including RT-qPCR and RNA sequencing.

• Experience supervising and mentoring students and research staff.

Personal Qualities

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a collaborative approach.

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to high-quality, reproducible research.

• Highly organised, reliable and able to manage competing priorities effectively.

• Adaptable, proactive and committed to continuous learning.

Desirable Knowledge and Skills

• Experience with specialised environmental and metabolic housing systems that support pre-clinical research (e.g. Oxymax-CLAMS, Promethion).

• Expertise in metabolic phenotyping, including Seahorse assays, mitochondrial function and metabolomics.

• Experience in stress physiology, including corticosterone measurements and glucocorticoid receptor signalling.

Terms of Appointment
This position is 2 years in a full time capacity. Salary is Research Employee Level A6-8 ($107,194 - $115,059) or Level B ($121,124 - $143,826) dependent on experience. Very attractive salary packaging options are available for general living expenses, meal entertainment, novated leasing and more. 12% superannuation payable, plus up to a further 5% after the first 6 months of service via our matching superannuation scheme.

General enquiries can be directed to Prof Paul Lyons ([email protected]) or Dr Charis Teh ([email protected]).

A position description for Research Officer is available here.

A position description for Senior Research Officer is available here.

How to Apply
Please apply by uploading your CV, cover letter and a document addressing the key selection criteria in pdf format.

Application Closing Date: The closing date for this advertisement is 6 September 2026, however we will be reviewing applications as they are received, and WEHI reserves the right to appoint a suitable candidate prior to the closing date. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid missing this opportunity.