Research Officer

At Garvan, we see a future where all diseases can be prevented, treated or cured. Everyone is touched by disease. Our discoveries today will lead to better health tomorrow.

To support this vision, the Garvan Institute has established strategic programs which bring together research expertise and cutting-edge technologies from across Garvan, along with clinical, industry and consumer partners. The Cancer Plasticity and Dormancy Program, led by A/Prof Christine Chaffer and Prof Peter Croucher, is one of five strategic programs at the Garvan Institute.

The program has recently established the AllClear program, supported by a

major collaborative research accelerator grant from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, to tackle relapse in breast cancer. This is a major national and international collaborative initiative and flagship activity for the program.

A/Prof Christine Chaffer, Head of the Cancer Cell Plasticity Laboratory, is directing research into the mechanisms driving the progression of cancers from benign to metastatic disease. The laboratory uses in vitro and in vivo models of tumourigenicity, and places a strong emphasis on clinically focussed laboratory research in partnership with patients who donate their tissues for scientific discovery. A major focus of this work is to discover epigenetic mechanisms that enable cancer cells to dynamically transition into different cell states, including metastatic and therapy-resistant states.

A therapeutic combination arising from her lab’s findings has entered the clinic as the first state-gating therapy to block the dynamic processes that lead to the emergence of new therapy-resistant cell states. This therapeutic approach has transformative clinical potential across multiple cancer types.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Research Officer is accountable for conducting independent experiments within their laboratory or research group in collaboration with their supervisor. Research Officers are appointees who are academically qualified at the level of PhD or MD. The role involves conducting research work under the guidance of a more senior scientist while demonstrating increasing independence in research, people development, and institutional service.

Salary: Up to $112,700 + 14% super + salary packaging (depending on experience)

Employment Type: 2 year fixed-term contract with possibility to extend

SNAPSHOT OF BENEFITS

• Generous salary packaging to save you income tax on your wages thereby boosting your monthly take home pay (max. $15,900 general expenses + $2,650 meals/accommodation)

• Ample opportunities for ongoing training and development

• Stimulating, diverse and highly international research environment

• Flexible work arrangements e.g. start / finish times

• 18 weeks paid parental leave for both parents including paid superannuation

• A range of additional leave types to meet your personal needs, including cultural leave, conference leave, community service and study leave

• Discounted health insurance

• Lifestyle discounts with our community partners

WHAT YOU WILL DO

The key responsibilities include:

Research Excellence

• Original Research: Conduct original research and inquiry-oriented experimentation to discover new knowledge.

• Project Management: Complete research projects in an efficient and timely manner, taking a strategic view to prioritise and plan work.

• Publication & Presentation: Produce high-standard publishable material for peer-reviewed journals and present original research at national and international scientific conferences.

• Technical Innovation: Contribute to improvements in techniques, quantitative methods, and quality control, actively searching for new ways to develop workflows.

• Grant Support: Assist in the preparation of research grant proposals by providing data and acting as an Associate or Lead Investigator on pilot or large-scale grants.

 Team Leadership

• Mentoring: Provide advice, coaching, and mentoring to students and junior research staff to help them develop scientific and technical skills.

• Supervision: Assist with the day-to-day supervision of less experienced students and take responsibility for the recruitment and management of Research Assistants where appropriate.

• Personal Growth: Manage own continuing development of scientific and technical skills, participating in employee development workshops and programs.

Resources & Planning

• Operational Management: Participate in the administrative duties of the research group, including the oversight of day-to-day lab activities and lab resources.

• Financial Responsibility: Demonstrate prudential management of grant funds received and recognise the significance of income generation for the Institute.

• Data Integrity: Ensure research data is accurate, high-quality, reproducible, and accessible, conforming to good scientific practice and IP principles.

Institute Contributions

• Integrity & Ethics: Demonstrate scientific and professional integrity, acting within Garvan’s policies and procedures including research integrity.

• Collaboration: Seek out diversity of thought and build collaborative relationships with a range of colleagues and stakeholders to co-produce research outputs.

• Service: Participate in Garvan’s organisation and management through committee membership, journal clubs, and public outreach activities.

ABOUT YOU

The key skills and experience include:

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Qualifications

• Education: A PhD, preferably in molecular biology, cell biology, or biochemistry with extensive postdoctoral experience.

• Technical & computational skills: Direct experience with wet laboratory techniques, including:

  • Cell and molecular biology techniques (e.g. qRT-PCR, sequencing, site-directed mutagenesis, transfection, gene knockdown, and viral transduction).

  • Flow cytometry and cell sorting.

  • Genomic techniques (e.g. ChIP-seq, single-cell RNA-seq, and CUT&RUN).

  • In vitro cell culture of mammalian cell lines.

  • Animal handling for mouse model experiments.

  • Experience with computational tools and a willingness to develop and learn new techniques.

• Leadership and mentoring:

  • Demonstrated maturity and strategic thinking to progress multiple lines of research in parallel.

  • High motivation and a clear commitment to achieving scientific goals and publishing manuscripts in a timely manner.

  • The ability to work collaboratively with researchers across different laboratories.

• Publications and grants: A track record of high-quality scientific output, including scientific publications and securing competitive funding.

ABOUT GARVAN

Garvan Institute of Medical Research is an independent Medical Research Institute (MRI) in Sydney, delivering scientific and clinical impact on a global basis and in partnership with organisations that share our vision. We are proud to be one of Australia’s largest and most highly regarded MRIs.

Our vision is global leadership in discoveries to impact and our enduring purpose is to impact human health, by harnessing information encoded in our genome.

We seek to see our world-class discovery research achieve life-changing impacts, not only for individual patients with rare diseases, but for the many thousands affected by complex, common diseases.

Garvan promotes a diverse workplace and is committed to the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We are always looking for culture ‘add’, not culture ‘fit’ and are building diverse teams with great sets of complementary styles and skills to help deliver our important work effectively.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for this position, please submit your application with a CV and cover letter as one document, stating why you are interested in this role. We are reviewing applications as they are received. If you think you’re the right person for this role, we’d love to hear how your capabilities, achievements and experience set you apart. Only applicants with full working rights in Australia are eligible to apply for this role.