Population Genomics Program Lead

The Centre for Population Genomics (CPG) is a joint initiative of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI). Our mission is to harness large‑scale genomic and multi‑omic data to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease for all Australians. We work at the intersection of academic discovery and translational genomics and focus on projects with direct pathways to clinical adoption. We operate under a long‑term remote‑first model, with a fifty‑person team distributed across Australia and New Zealand, and a culture that optimises for technical excellence and equitable real‑world impact.The Centre has already generated several of the largest sets of genomic and clinical data ever assembled in Australia, and has built a team of software engineers, data scientists, and specialists in community engagement and project management to drive projects focused on generating real-world scientific and clinical impact. CPG operates at the interface of cutting-edge academic research and industry translation. We have highly productive research partnerships with technology companies (Microsoft, Google), global pharma/biotech consortia (Open Targets, Genes & Health), and healthcare providers (e.g. the Victorian Clinical Genetics Service), with over AU$7M in industry support to date.Our work spans three major programs:Rare Disease: CPG applies novel genomic and analysis methods to improve diagnosis for a national cohort of >8,000 individuals from families affected by undiagnosed genetic conditions, and has returned >450 diagnoses to date.OurDNA: Community-led and grounded in deep community engagement, we are recruiting 8,000+ participants from Pacific, Southeast Asian, Middle‑Eastern and East‑African ancestries, collecting DNA, blood cells, and clinical data to build a diverse biobank and a range of large-scale, representative genomics resources.Population Genomics: In addition to analysis of OurDNA, we drive genetic analysis for the TenK10K project, the world's largest cohort with both whole‑genome equencing and single‑cell data, which will grow to ~10,000 individuals in 2026.THE OPPORTUNITYWe are seeking an established scientific leader to head our Population Genomics Program. You will drive the analysis of multi‑omic datasets from nearly 20,000 individuals (TenK10K and OurDNA) and contribute to scientific design and fund-raising for a proposed National Genomic Medicine Cohort spanning >100,000 participants. As part of CPG's leadership team you will shape strategy, influence national policy and build a high‑performing, impact‑focused culture. This is an opportunity to take on an organisational leadership role and manage a high-performing scientific team. Further, the role is uniquely positioned to enable integration of our community engagement approach and scientific work, a critical factor to our success. You will contribute to developing, publishing, and presenting world-class genomic research while enjoying freedom from teaching loads and chasing your own grants.This role reports directly to CPG Director Daniel MacArthur, who previously led a research team at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in Boston, USA. This team built the largest accessible dataset of human genetic variation, the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD), which is now used by clinical labs around the world to improve the diagnosis of families affected by severe genetic disease.Salary: Up to $220, % superannuation + salary packaging (depending on experience)Employment Type: 2-year fixed-term SNAPSHOT OF BENEFITSGenerous 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 developmentStimulating, diverse and highly international research environmentFlexible work arrangements e.g. start / finish times18 weeks paid parental leave for both parents including paid superannuationA range of additional leave types to meet your personal needs including cultural leave, conference leave, community service and study leaveDiscounted Health InsuranceLifestyle discounts with our community partnersWHAT YOU WILL DOESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESSet the scientific vision and roadmap for population‑scale genomic and multi‑omic analyses across CPG programs, including the OurDNA program led by CPG, and the TenK10K collaboration with Joseph Powell's team.Lead and mentor a distributed computational team, starting with 7–10 senior computational biologists, bioinformaticians, and data managers; champion professional growth and an inclusive team culture.Own delivery of the genetic component of the TenK10K project (10 K genomes + 10 K matched single cell transcriptomes) and multiple OurDNA multi-omic datasets, ensuring robust pipelines, QC, variant interpretation, and publication‑ready results.Work with the OurDNA program team to integrate community priorities into scientific planning and delivery, ensuring the impact of OurDNA reflects a participatory, and co-designed approach centred around equitable partnerships. Contribute to design, fund-raising, and launch of a new Australian National Genomic Medicine Cohort in partnership with research teams, healthcare groups, community representatives, industry partners, and national funding bodies.Forge external collaborations with academic, clinical, industry and Indigenous partners; represent CPG at national and international fora.Contribute to organisational leadership through the leadership team, contributing to strategy, budgeting, hiring, and culture‑setting.Ensure best‑practice governance for data security, privacy, ethics, Indigenous data sovereignty, and work health and safety.Comply with Garvan's and MCRI's Work Health & Safety (WHS) Policy and work in accordance with the WHS management system at all times.Perform other duties aligned with the scope and classification of the role as required.ABOUT YOUKNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREDThe key skills and experience include:10+ years of experience in population genetics, statistical genetics, large‑scale genomics or a related field, including a PhD or equivalent years of experience in academia or industry.5+ years leadership experience managing scientific or technical teams; able to inspire, delegate and develop talent in a remote setting.A genuine passion and enthusiasm for the Centre's mission.Proven track record delivering high‑impact analyses of large genomic or multi‑omic datasets (>10,000 samples).Proven experience bridging academic and industry environments, e.g. leading multi-partner consortia, CDx/biomarker programs, or public-private partnerships.Deep familiarity with modern cloud genomics workflows, open‑source tools (e.g. Hail, Nextflow, Pangeo) and reproducible research practices.Outstanding written and verbal communication skills; able to translate complex genomic insights for clinicians, policymakers and lay audiences.Ability to thrive in an interdisciplinary team setting including biologists, data scientists, software engineers, community engagement specialists, operations and project management staff.Ability to make strategic decisions and operate with substantial autonomy in complex, fast‑moving environments.Comfort operating in a long-term remote-first working model, requiring a strong emphasis on strategic clarity and proactive written communication.EXCITING PROGRAMS AND PLANS AHEADTenK10K: leading the genetic analysis of a landmark dataset integrating whole‑genome, whole‑transcriptome, epigenomic and deep phenotype data from 10,000 Australians.OurDNA: building the largest nationally representative genomic cohort in Australia, spanning >8,000 individuals from under-represented Australian communities, driving new scientific discovery and contributing to more equitable genomic medicine.Rare Disease: our Rare Disease Program has assembled the largest collection of genomic data from undiagnosed genetic disease patients in Australia, and has applied novel genomic and analysis approaches to return more than 450 diagnoses to date. We recently secured an $8M grant to develop AI approaches to improve the accuracy and efficiency of genomic diagnosis.National Genomic Medicine Cohort: (pending funding) designing and building a comprehensive resource of linked genetic, multi-omic, and clinical data spanning >100,000 diverse Australians.Ongoing methods development in rare variant discovery, multi‑omic data integration, AI-based variant interpretation, and large-scale data sharing.CPG CULTUREThe more these values sound like you, the more likely you are to thrive at CPG:We remember that our data comes from people.We do things that matter, even if they are hard.We celebrate our differences.We support each other.We share accountability.We also embrace the values of the Garvan Institute and MCRI, including innovation, collaboration, integrity, and bravery.HOW TO APPLYTo apply for this position, please submit your application with a CV and cover letter as one document, stating why you are interested in this role including examples of impactful projects and leadership roles. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Short-listed candidates will be invited to an initial video interview.We strongly encourage applications from candidates of all genders, cultures, abilities, sexual orientations and career paths. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Māori and Pasifika candidates are especially encouraged to apply.