Garvan Institute of Medical Research brings together world leading scientists and clinicians, collaborating locally and globally, to advance our understanding of disease, particularly cancer,autoimmunityand genetic disorders. Garvan is a global leader in fundamental biomedical research and its translation. Our mission is to make discoveries that will improve health for all.
To support this vision, the Garvan Institute hasestablishedstrategic programs which bringtogether researchexpertiseandcutting-edgetechnologies from across Garvan, along withclinical,industryand consumer partners. The Cancer Plasticity and Dormancy Program, ledby A/Prof Christine Chaffer and Prof Peter Croucher, is one of seven strategic programs at theGarvan Institute.
The Cancer Plasticity and Dormancy Program is focused on discovering the fundamentalcontrol mechanisms that regulate cancer cell dormancy and cancer relapse. Our goal is todevelop tools to predict relapse and develop new treatments to stop relapse before it occurs.There is a focus on understanding relapse in cancers that spread to the skeleton including,multiple myeloma,breastand prostate cancer. The program has recentlyestablishedtheAllClearprogram, supported by a major collaborative research accelerator grant from theNational Breast Cancer Foundation, to tackle cancer relapse in breast cancer. This is a majornational and international collaborative program and flagship activity for the program.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Research Assistant provides essential technical and operational support toa research laboratory or group. The primary purpose of this role is to enable andfacilitatehigh-qualitymedical research while optimising productivity through technicalexpertiseand efficientresource management. Appointees typically hold aBachelor’s Degree or a Master’sDegreeand work with an increasing sense of direction and autonomy as they gain experience.
Research Assistants are appointed on a salary scale depending on level of experience,performance and requirements of the rolerequiredwithin the lab/group. For furtherinformation, refer to Garvan’sResearch Assistant & Senior Research Assistant Criteria.
Salary:Up to$80,000(depending on experience)+ 14% super + salary packaging
Employment Type:2yearfixed-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/accom)
Ample opportunitiesfor on-going training and development
Stimulating, diverse and highly international research environment
Flexible work arrangementse.g. start / finish times
18 weeks paid parental leavefor both parents including paid superannuation
A range ofadditionalleave types to meet your personal needs including cultural leave, conference leave, communityserviceand study leave
Discounted Health Insurance
Lifestyle discounts with our community partners
WHAT YOU WILL DO
Depending on level of experience and requirements of the role, a Research Assistant is typicallyexpected to:
Scientific Excellence
Experimental Execution: Conduct experiments and analyses – including tissueculture, genotyping, and routine assays – whileestablishingand maintainingrobust methods and protocols.
Optimisation: Review current protocols and relevant literature toidentifyopportunities to improve, optimise, or implement new research techniques.
Specialist Advice:Providetechnical advice to researchers within the groupregarding specific research methods, instruments, and analysis tools.
Data integrity: Ensure all research data isaccurate, high-quality, andconforms to good scientific practice, ensuring it is accessible to otherresearchers asrequired
Scientific Communication: Communicate experimental results to researchersand collaborators through written reports and effective visual formats.
Scholarly Contribution: Assist In the preparation of research papers andcontribute content to grant applications and research proposals.
Team Leadership
Mentorship & Training: Train students, postdocs, and peers on data collection,specialised instruments, and laboratory safety protocols.
Personal Growth: Take responsibility for own professional development byattending workshops andseekingto learn new techniques to support thegroup’s evolving research needs.
Team Collaboration: Work effectively as a reliable and approachable memberof the research team, fostering a collaborative environment.
Resources & Planning
Operational Management: Manage the group’s daily operations, including thecoordination of consumables, samples, and equipment maintenance.
Lab Coordination: Manage internal communications, such as scheduling teammeetings and research presentations.
Compliance & Outputs: Manage research data and outputs to ensurecompliance withopen accessrequirements of funding bodies and publishers.
Project Delivery: Balance the competing needs and timelines of multipleresearch projects within the lab and with external collaborators to meetdeadlines.
Institute Contributions
Values & Integrity:Demonstratescientific and professional integrity at alltimes, acting as a role model for ethical behaviour.
Active Participation: Contribute to the wider institute community byparticipatingin committees, outreach projects, or donor activities.
Health & Safety and Risk Management
Comply withGarvan’s workplace polices (as amended from time to time) andespecially Garvan’s Work Health & Safety (WHS) Policy, including workinginaccordance withthe WHS management system at all times, as safety isGarvan’s number one priority.
Proactivelyidentify, assess, and report operational, financial, and safety risksassociated with the duties of this role. The incumbentis required toadhere tothe organisation’s Risk Management Framework, ensure all activities areconductedin accordance withestablished policies and procedures, andcontribute to a culture of continuous improvement by suggesting mitigationstrategies foridentifiedhazards or inefficiencies.
ABOUT YOU
The key skills and experience include:
Essential
Bachelors’ Degree in Science or Medicine(preferably with Honours)
Relevant experience (at least 1 year) in cancer cell biology or immunology
Experience with animal models of disease
Experience with processing human samples
Experience with cell biology, immunofluorescence, imaging, flow cytometry
Molecular biology skills
Ability to rapidly learn new techniques
Results-oriented
Excellent time management and ability to prioritise tasks
Display innovative and proactive abilities
Comfortable with moderate decision making
Desirable
Possess strong computing skills including basic bioinformatic analysis, particularlywith regard toRNA-seq methodologies
Expertise/knowledge in the field of cancer immunology or tumour microenvironment
ABOUT GARVAN
Garvan Institute of Medical Researchis 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 regardedMRI’s
Our vision is global leadership in discoveries toimpactand our enduring purpose is toimpacthuman health, by harnessing information encoded in our genome.
Weseekto 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 disease.
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, pleasesubmityour application with a CV and cover letter as one document,statingwhy you are interested in this role. We are reviewing applications as they are received. If you thinkyou’rethe right person for this role,we’dlove to hear how your capabilities, achievements andexperience set you apart. Only applicants with full working rights in Australia are eligible to apply for this role.
The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) has been providing outstanding care for Victoria's children and their families for over 147 years.
We are the major specialist paediatric hospital in Victoria and our care extends to children from Tasmania, southern New South Wales and other states around Australia and overseas.
With a passionate, highly skilled and committed staff campus wide of over 5,000, we provide a full range of clinical services, tertiary care and health promotion and prevention programs for children and young people.
We are the designated state-wide major trauma centre for paediatrics in Victoria and a Nationally Funded Centre for cardiac and liver transplantation.
When it comes to training and research we partner with the very best. Our campus partners, the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) and The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics, along with the RCH Foundation, are on site with the hospital in Parkville. Together, we are committed to improving the health outcomes for children today and in the future.
In 2016–17, more than 85,654 children attended our Emergency Department, 322,291 specialist clinic appointments were held which was almost 70,000 more than the previous year, more than 17,000 surgeries were performed and more than 48,552 children were admitted to our wards.
