Research Assistant

Garvan Institute of Medical Research brings together world-leading clinicians and basic and translational researchers to break down barriers between traditional scientific disciplines and find solutions to disease.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Advanced Prostate Cancer group is concerned with the identification of markers for therapeutic responsiveness, prognostic markers, and new markers of early prostate disease. We take a multidisciplinary approach that utilises expertise from a number of cancer researchers within and outside the Garvan, as well as clinicians and pathologists. Our research aims to identify genes and pathways whose expression changes can predict the development of aggressive life-threatening prostate cancer or resistance to chemotherapy used for the treatment of advanced stage prostate cancer. The Research Assistant, Level 4 to 6 is accountable for conducting experiments and assisting other researchers within the Advanced Prostate Cancer Research group, with occasional off-site work at Chris O’Brien LifeHouse and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

Salary: $85,100 - $92,300 + 14% super + salary packaging (depending on experience)

Employment Type: 1 year term contract with possibility for extension

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 opportunities for on-going 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

Accountable for conducting experiments and some basic laboratory management within his/her Research Theme. Key responsibilities include:
- Plan experiments under supervision and conduct experiments under mínimal supervision- Liaise with clinical collaborators to arrange collection and cataloguing of clinical samples- Record experimental procedures and results, present findings at group meetings- Regularly attend meetings with the wider Research Theme community as required- Some lab management responsibilities in collaboration with senior lab members such as:
- Store duties, wash-up and cleaning of shared rooms- Stock control: monitoring and ordering consumables- Liaising with internal facilities managers and shared services- Liaising with external suppliers and couriers- Responsible for imparting knowledge in relation to skills or experimental expertise to junior staff and students

ABOUT YOU

The key skills and experience include:
- Bachelors’ Degree in Science or Medicine (1st Class Honours);- 3+ years’ experience in molecular biology/biochemistry laboratory or similar is essential. Experience with tissue culture or experience with lipid biology will be highly regarded.- Experience with one or more of the following techniques is desirable: Western blot; DNA extraction; PCR/qPCR; RNA extraction; immunohistochemistry- Demonstrated ability to keep accurate records- Experience handling clinical samples (desirable)- Experience with data analysis (e.g. R studio or similar) (highly regarded)- Competent computer skills (Excel, Word & PowerPoint)

Research Assistants within the Garvan are expected to possess the following attributes as shown below:
- Strong commitment to quality.- Team-focused approach.- High degree of flexibility.- Ability to take direction well.- Showing ability to time manage.- Appropriate prioritisation of workload.- Good communication skills.- Comfortable with basic decision making.

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 MRI’s.

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 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