Research Officer

About Garvan Institute

The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, located in Sydney, NSW, Australia, is a leading independent medical research facility renowned for its global scientific and clinical contributions. With a focus on harnessing genomic information to improve human health, Garvan aims for breakthroughs in preventing, treating, and curing diseases. The institute values diversity, inclusivity, and fosters a collaborative environment to generate impactful discoveries.

Program and Laboratory Focus

Within Garvan, the Cancer Plasticity and Dormancy Program, led by Associate Professor Christine Chaffer and Professor Peter Croucher, is a flagship initiative. This program includes the AllClear project, a large-scale, multi-national collaborative effort supported by the National Breast Cancer Foundation to address breast cancer relapse. The Cancer Cell Plasticity Laboratory concentrates on studying the epigenetic and cellular mechanisms underlying cancer progression, including transitions to metastatic and therapy-resistant states. Remarkably, a combination therapy developed here has advanced into clinical trials targeting these dynamic cell states across various cancers.

Role Overview

The Research Officer position involves undertaking independent laboratory research supporting the program’s scientific goals. The appointee, possessing a PhD or MD, will collaborate closely with senior scientists while progressively enhancing autonomy in conducting experiments, mentoring team members, and contributing to institutional services. This fixed-term, two-year contract role offers a salary up to $112,700 AUD plus 14% superannuation and salary packaging benefits.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct original experimental research to generate novel scientific knowledge.
• Manage research projects effectively by prioritizing tasks and meeting timelines.
• Produce high-quality publications and deliver presentations at scientific conferences locally and internationally.
• Innovate laboratory methods, improve quantitative analyses, and refine workflows.
• Support grant application preparation with data contributions and, potentially, as an investigator.
• Mentor and coach students and junior researchers to develop their scientific and technical skills.
• Supervise less experienced team members and potentially recruit and manage research assistants.
• Engage in professional growth activities to advance scientific and technical expertise.
• Assist in lab operational management, including oversight of resources and day-to-day activities.
• Manage research funding prudently and responsibly.
• Ensure data quality, reproducibility, and compliance with good scientific practice and intellectual property policies.
• Adhere to the institute’s ethical standards and policies, fostering integrity throughout research activities.
• Establish collaborative partnerships with diverse colleagues and stakeholders to enhance research outputs.
• Contribute to organizational service through committee participation, journal clubs, and public engagement.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• PhD in molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, or related discipline with substantial postdoctoral experience.
• Practical expertise in wet lab techniques including qRT-PCR, sequencing, site-directed mutagenesis, transfection, gene knockdown, and viral transduction.
• Proficiency in flow cytometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).
• Experience with genomic methodologies such as ChIP-seq, single-cell RNA sequencing, and CUT&RUN.
• Skill in culturing mammalian cell lines and conducting animal handling for mouse models.
• Competence with computational analysis tools and eagerness to learn new technologies.
• Leadership qualities demonstrated by strategic thinking and managing multiple research projects concurrently.
• Strong motivation to achieve scientific milestones and timely dissemination of results.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Documented success in publishing research and securing competitive grants.

Benefits

• Salary packaging options to reduce taxable income, enhancing net pay (up to $15,900 for general expenses and $2,650 for meals/accommodation).
• Opportunities for continuous professional development and training.
• Diverse, dynamic, and international research environment.
• Flexible scheduling options for work hours.
• Comprehensive parental leave of 18 weeks for both parents, inclusive of superannuation payments.
• Additional leave provisions including cultural, conference, community service, and study leave.
• Discounted health insurance and lifestyle benefits through partner programs.

Additional Information

This role is based onsite in Sydney, with a two-year fixed-term contract and the possibility for extension. Applicants must have full working rights in Australia. Applications require a CV and cover letter combined in one document, highlighting the candidate's interest and qualifications. Selection is on a rolling basis.