Postdoctoral Research Fellow

**Job no**: 0053518
**Location**:Parkville
**Role type**: Full-time (Part-time considered); Fixed-term for up to 3 years
**Faculty**:Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
**Department/School**:School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
**Salary**:Academic Level A - $83,468 - $113,262 (PhD entry Level A.6 - $105,518) p.a. plus 17% super
- Conduct research into downstream processing operations for pharmaceutical protein production with a focus on mathematical modelling
- Join a team of engineers, scientists and computing specialists to develop digitally integrated advanced manufacturing processes and a platform for industry adoption
- Salary packaging, subsidised health and wellbeing services, fitness and cultural clubs, Myki discounts, and a 25% discount on graduate courses to our staff and their immediate families

**About the Role**
The ARC Hub for Digital Bioprocess Development is part of the Industrial Transformation Research Hub grant scheme (ITRH Scheme) and aims to assist the Biopharma industry by increasing digital innovation, productivity and competitiveness. The Hub engages an interdisciplinary team of engineers, scientists and computing specialists to develop digitally integrated advanced manufacturing processes and a platform for industry adoption. The program addresses key bioprocessing research challenges and develops new process and digital models that can predict and optimise manufacturing processes, resulting in greater yields, faster and more flexible processes and enhanced product stability. The Hub will transform biopharmaceutical manufacturing and unlock growth opportunities to forge an internationally competitive Australian Biopharma sector.

The ARC Hub for Digital Bioprocess Development is a collaborative program of significant scope and scale. It draws together expertise from The University of Melbourne, University of Technology Sydney and RMIT University, together with CSL Innovation, Patheon and Cytiva and three leading international universities, forming a substantial team.

Your focus of work will be on downstream processing operations for pharmaceutical protein production. These operations consist of a number of operations including depth filtration, affinity (Protein A) chromatography, orthogonal processes for virus removal (low pH incubation and virus filtration), anion exchange (AEX) and cation exchange (CEX) chromatography and a ultrafiltration/diafiltration for buffer exchange and concentration.

As Research Fellow, you will develop and validate mechanistic models of these operations, integrated into software programs such as GoSilico and CADET. You will consider membrane adsorbers and other devices to replace process steps that currently use packed bed systems, with the specific objective maintaining recovery and quality whilst reducing processing times and decreasing cost of goods. You will also providing strong mentorship through the co-supervision of PhD students.

**Your responsibilities will include**:

- Planning and carrying out research on the research project
- Developing effective timelines and milestones based on goals of the research program
- Liaising with collaborators and a variety of internal and external stakeholders to foster collaborative partnerships and working with teams to achieve joint outputs and outcomes
- Participating in Hub meetings and workshops and contributions to the broader Hub program
- Preparing and publish research outcomes in conferences and journals and other scholarly outputs to a high academic standard
- **Who We Are Looking For**
We are looking for a Research Fellow with a sound understanding of the fundamentals of engineering including mass transfer, packed bed operations, process control and mathematical model development. You will work well with industry partners to achieve applied outcomes and work with others across the sector to achieve industry impact and sector transformation. Your ability to work independently, effectively engaging with stakeholders will be key to your success in this role.

**You will also have**:

- A postgraduate research degree at PhD level (or near completion) in chemical or biochemical engineering, mathematical process modelling or biotechnology
- High proficiency in mathematics, preferably related to mechanistic models
- A record of high-quality research as evidenced by publications in leading journals and at conferences commensurate with opportunity
- An understanding of bioprocessing and cell culture will be highly regarded, as will be experience working with Python.

For further information regarding responsibilities and requirements, please refer to the attached PD.

**Please note: Visa sponsorship is available for this position**.

**Your New Team - School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering**
The School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering encompasses both the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. This fusion of engineering discip