Job Description

YOUR ROLE IN OUR FUTURE

SCIENTIFIC ADMINISTRATION OFFICER

• Fixed term, full time position until 29 February 2028
• $70,000 to $90,000 base + salary packaging + super + 5-weeks annual leave
• Onsite presence essential at 305 Grattan Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

At Peter Mac we aim to continuously improve cancer care, research and education across all cancers and for all people affected by cancer: changing lives, breaking new ground. Everything we do is underpinned by our core values, Excellence, Compassion and Innovation. Welcoming people from a wide variety of different backgrounds and experiences is critical to fostering innovation, cultivating compassion, attracting and retaining top talent and providing the best possible cancer care for our patients.

About the role

The Scientific Administration Officer is responsible for a high level of day to day administrative assistance across the following functions:

• Professional assistance for a portfolio of Cancer Research’s Senior Staff including Group Leaders, Core Facility Managers and Clinical Cohort Managers within the scientific faculty to ensure effective scheduling, meetings, document preparation and milestone management as well as other administrative tasks and projects as required.
• Travel arrangements, diary management, reimbursements, recruitment and other administrative tasks as required within Cancer Research.
• Front of house support for Cancer Research working on rotation and with the Scientific Administration Team.

Are you proficient in the use of MS Office suite? Are you customer focused? Do you enjoy working as part of a team?

As a Scientific Administration Officer you will provide professional administrative assistance to a portfolio of Cancer Research’s senior staff including diary management, reimbursements, document preparation, travel arrangements, recruitment and other administrative tasks as required.

Our benefits

We offer a range of benefits which support our people both personally and professionally, including:

• Up to $11,660 in salary packaging to increase your take home pay
• Discounted health insurance and eye care
• A comprehensive health and wellbeing program
• Public transport options at our doorstep and end of trip facilities for cyclists
• Onsite eateries and coffee shops and inviting rooftop garden spaces
• Pathways for professional development and new career opportunities
• Five weeks annual leave, 17.5% leave loading, purchased leave options & monthly ADOs
• Flexible, hybrid working practices

Inclusion and belonging

Peter Mac celebrates, values and supports a diverse and inclusive environment which reflects our vibrant community. We encourage applications from anyone identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. We also welcome anyone who identifies as LGBTQIA+, linguistically, culturally and/or gender diverse, people with disability, and people of any age to apply for our roles.

Join us!

If you feel this role is right for you we warmly invite you to apply, and encourage your early application. All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory police check and may include vaccination requirements. Should you need assistance or require any adjustments or accommodations to fully participate in the application or interview process, you are welcome to reach out to the contact person listed. We acknowledge that not all applicants will meet the full list of selection criteria outlined, and wherever possible we will consider applications where relevant experience can apply.

Applicants to this role should provide a covering letter, resume and response to selection criteria outlining relative key skills and experience to assist us with our assessment.

For further information about this opportunity, click Apply to be redirected to the Peter Mac Careers page where you can review the position summary. Alternatively, please contact us using the information below for a confidential discussion.

Hiring Manager: Adelle Marrazzo

Email: adelle.marrazzo@petermac.org

Applications Close: 11.59pm Thursday 12 November 2026.

Position Summary

The role primarily has responsibility for a high level of day to day administrative assistance across the following functions:

• Professional assistance for a portfolio of Cancer Research’s Senior Staff including Group Leaders, Core Facility Managers and Clinical Cohort Managers within the scientific faculty to ensure effective scheduling, meetings, document preparation and milestone management as well as other administrative tasks and projects as required
• Travel arrangements, diary management, reimbursements, recruitment and other administrative tasks as required within Cancer Research
• Pre and post award management of internal / external funding applications – particularly grant and fellowship submissions
• Front of house support for Cancer Research working on rotation and with the Scientific Administration Team

Enterprise Agreement

Health and Allied Services, Managers and Administrative Workers (Victorian Public Sector) (Single Interest Employers) Enterprise Agreement 2021-2025

Classification or Salary Range

HS2

Immunisation Risk Category

Immunisation Category C

Key Relationships

Internal

• All Peter Mac Staff, in particular:
• General Manager, Laboratory Research
• Group Leaders
• Core & Clinical Cohort Managers
• Senior Scientists
• Professional Services Team
• Grants Team
• Administrative Staff
• Research Staff & Students

External

• Other Research Institutes
• Government Departments
• Industry Alliances
• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Biotechnology Companies
• Internal and external medical staff
• Travel consultants
• University departments
• External funding agencies
• Suppliers and other vendors

Skills

Essential Criteria

• Experience in providing administrative support to senior staff within Cancer Research at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.
• Customer focused and able to develop effective relationships with key contacts.
• Able to work calmly and effectively under pressure with a high volume of work and within given time constraints.
• Able to prioritise effectively and manage competing deadlines.
• Ability to work collegiately as part of a busy administrative team.
• Ability to contribute and communicate effectively as a participative and supportive team member.
• High level of attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal skills that demonstrate an ability to be professional, tactful, diplomatic and courteous at all times.
• Demonstrated ability to apply initiative and work independently.
• Demonstrated integrity and ability to manage confidential and sensitive information.
• Proficient in the use of MS Office suite.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience working with clinical data.
• Understanding of medical terminology.
• Qualifications or work experience in a health-related discipline.
• Experience in updating website and intranet pages.

Key Accountabilities

Key Accountabilities Demonstrated by / Key Performance Indicators 1. Coordination and completion of administrative tasks

• Effective handling of incoming telephone calls and emails.
• Excellent word processing skills, ensuring documents are accurate and well presented.
• Adherence to Peter Mac Style Guide for the preparation of all documents.
• Highly developed skills in the preparation and use of spreadsheets and databases.
• Efficient diary management, meeting scheduling and travel co-ordination.
• Effective meeting management, tracking action items and ensuring follow up.
• Assistance with the recruitment of new employees and students.
• Organisation of financial reimbursements and invoicing through Finance.
• Communications assistance such as updating website and intranet pages.
• Front of house support includes but not limited to coordination of timesheets, financial items, ordering supplies, distribution of notebooks, distribution of mail and addressing general enquires from internal and external stakeholders.
• Other administrative duties as required.

1. Funding administration

• Advanced provision of support services for the pre-award and postaward coordination of funding applications (including internal/external grants and fellowships).
• Collegiate interaction with internal and external key stakeholders involved in the preparation, coordination, management and finalisation of internal and external grants and fellowships.

1. Teamwork

• Demonstrable ability to work effectively within a team environment.
• Provide a valuable contribution to the prioritisation, allocation and completion of Cancer Research’s administrative requirements.
• Demonstrable willingness to undertake ad-hoc administrative duties, normally performed by other team members, in response to changing workloads or for leave coverage.
• Approach work in a flexible and collegiate manner responding to changes in a proactive manner.

1. High level organisational skills

• Demonstrable ability to calmly and effectively prioritise a variety of tasks for a number of different people, often with competing deadlines.
• Excellent organisational, time management and forward planning skills.
• High level of attention to detail maintained across all duties.
• Ability to organise events such as seminars and conferences.

1. Data accuracy, integrity and timeliness

• Develop and maintain quality assurance processes to ensure the accuracy, integrity and timeliness of information collected and reported.

1. Provide specific support to a portfolio of senior scientific staff

• Provide administrative support as identified above to an allocated list of Senior Staff within Cancer Research including: Group Leaders, Core Facility Managers and Clinical Cohort Managers within the scientific faculty (noting that this allocation may change to suit the requirements of Cancer Research at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre).

1. Confidentiality

• High levels of care taken to maintain the confidentiality and security of documents and information.
• Deal with personal and/or sensitive information with a high degree of integrity and discretion.

For further information about this opportunity, click Apply to be redirected to the Peter Mac Careers page where you can review the position profile. Alternatively, please contact us for a confidential discussion.

Peter Mac is a child safe organisation and has a commitment to child safety and wellbeing.

WHY WORK FOR PETER MAC

• Peter Mac offer a range of benefits which support our people both personally and professionally.
• Our staff benefits include award winning facilities, professional development and events, a health and wellbeing program, flexible work practices and policies and financial benefits such as salary packaging.
• We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with a disability.