Lecturer in Large Animal Molecular Biology

**Job no**: HRC0001420
- ** Category**: Academic, Level B
- Full-time, 4-year, fixed term role, based at the Callaghan Campus
- Academic Level B
- Use your passion for large molecular biology to enhance our student’s experience, and shape the future of animal biology research

**Our vision to become a world-leading university for our regions will take passion and perseverance. We can’t do it without you.**

We are looking for people to join our university - to bring their exceptional teaching to our region, and to take their research impact to the world with us.

As one of the top 200 universities in the world and number one university in the world for partnering for a sustainable future, we are proud educators grounded by the needs of our community. We are driven by our inclusive focus and are proud of our five-star rating for social equity.

**Be part of something bigger**

The College of Engineering, Science, and Environment is a world-class centre for scientific and technology research and innovation. The School of Environmental and Life Sciences (SELS) is the College’s largest School, offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The School maintains numerous internationally significant research activities with substantial numbers of research higher degree students, as well as excellent research facilities.

The Discipline of Biology embedded within the School of Environmental and Life Sciences, has performed exceptionally well in the Australian Research Council’s ERA assessments, scoring 5 (well above world standard) for every Biological Sciences field of research theme assessed. This included ‘Biochemistry and Cell Biology’ (awarded a score of 5 in 2012, 2015 and 2018), ‘Microbiology’, ‘Genetics’, ‘Physiology’, and ‘Plant Biology’ achieving 5 in all four assessments undertaken between 2010-2018.

Our discipline has international reputation in 3 main research strengths, reproductive biology, microbiology, and animal/plant biology/agri-biotech. Given these strengths, each research group is well supported by the University, including PC2 greenhouse facilities, refurbished PC2 Laboratories and a Central Analytical Facilities support unit. The discipline is responsible for 2 undergraduate programs, B. Science (Biology) and B. Biotechnology comprised of ~100 students, as well as postgraduate research programs that supports ~20 students each year.

**The Role**

Your role within the animal and plant molecular biology team will be to build links across the University, outside the immediate biology discipline, for instance with researchers working in the areas of climate change, conservation science, food and beverage/wine science and human nutrition and soils and nutrient enhancement. Aligning to the University of Newcastle’s research and education goals in this area of production, is the opportunity to incorporate your complementary expertise and capabilities into existing programs within the larger School of Environmental & Life Sciences, while establishing linkages with external industry stakeholders.

You will be working with the animal reproduction group on a variety of translational projects aimed at improving reproductive efficiency and sustainability for Australian livestock breeders. Essential skills include: experience working with gametes and seminal plasma in a laboratory setting, molecular analyses (proteomics and transcriptomics) and an understanding of bioinformatics platforms and pipelines, along with demonstrated successful RHD student supervision and excellent interpersonal skills for maintaining industry stakeholder relationships.

Your role will contribute to undergraduate teaching in key areas such as agricultural and environmental biotechnology, as well as first year courses, supporting students to understand and appreciate general biology. You will have demonstrated ability to undertake course development and coordination and will also take advantage of new teaching methods (blended and active learning) that will focus on improving student experience. You will be able to add value by contributing your academic knowledge in Animal Molecular Biology and deliver impact to our curriculum for this field.

This fixed-term position is full time and will be located at the Callaghan Campus (Awabakal and Worimi Country).

**How will you become part of our community?**

**You will have**:

- Demonstrated leadership in research and the ability to foster increased cooperation between the University and allied research affiliates.
- A track record in attracting competitive external grant funding, including industry-based research support, in animal molecular biology.
- The ability to build an independent research program to attract undergraduate and higher degree students to the Discipline of Biology.
- An interest in embracing new teaching pedagogies (included blended and active learning) with a view to enhancing student experience.
- A desire to