Senior Postdoctoral Researcher in Genomics and Computational Biology

The Garvan Institute of Medical Research brings together world leading researchers and clinicians, collaborating locally and globally, to improve human health. Our mission is to harness all the information encoded in our genome to better diagnose, treat, predict and prevent disease. From the individual patient with rare disease, to the many thousands affected by complex, widespread illness, we are pioneering discoveries across diseases that have the deepest impact on our community. 

THE OPPORTUNITY 

We have a position available for an outstanding and motivated researcher who desires to lead cutting-edge  research  into  the  cellular/metabolic/microbial mechanisms  of  human  intestinal disease.  The  candidate  will  hold  a  Ph.D, be  proficient  in  spoken  and  written  English,  and ideally hold postdoctoral experience with single-cell RNA sequencing analysis and expertise in immunology or intestinal biology.  

This  position  is  within  the  laboratory  of  Dr  Kylie  James  at  the  Garvan  Institute  of  Medical Research. The laboratory specialises in single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics and computational pipelines applied to patient biospecimens to understand the complexity of intestinal  inflammation. We have  demonstrated  the  cellular  and  microbial  diversity  of  the human  colon at steady-state  and  during  IBD,  providing  unprecedented  insights  into  the complex interactions contributing to disease onset and progression. Our research is published in Nature, Nature Immunology and in preprint .  

Salary: Up to $120,100 + 14% super + salary packaging (depending on experience) 

Employment Type: 2 year fixed term contract with possibility to extend 

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 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

The Senior Research Officer will be making significant contributions in the following areas  accompanied by an increasing level of performance within the criteria for progression from  SRO1 to SRO6. 

Research excellence 

• Successful  leadership  of  research  projects  resulting  in  first  or  senior  authorship  of published  articles  in  refereed  journals,  books,  conference  papers  /  reports  and  other research publications 

• Contribution to productive research outcomes in team and collaborative projects resulting in mid-authorships on scientific publications 

• National  and  international  recognition  by  invited  seminar  presentations  and oral/poster presentations at national and international meetings 

• Role as a named Investigator on research proposal submissions to external funding bodies 

Team effort 

• Supervision and mentoring of research students and junior research staff 

• Collaboration with other research staff to develop research projects 

• Administrative  functions  to  assist  efficient  day-to-day  operations  of  research  labs  and facilities 

Institute contributions 

• Contribution to Garvan’s organisation and management through membership of committees, participation in training and mentoring programs and other activities to promote a culture of research excellence and collegiality 

• Promotion of research links with external partners 

• Involvement in professional service through active participation in scientific societies 

• Participation in Garvan promotion and fundraising events, including Young Garvan, public 

ABOUT YOU 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED 

• The key skills and experience of a Senior Research Officer include: 

• Shall possess an MD or PhD degree in immunology, gastroenterology, genomics or another related field 

• Experience with computational analysis of genomics data, including in R or Python. 

• Strong project management skills 

• Ability to develop, manage and maintain internal and external working relationships 

• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills 

• Strong problem-solving, analytical skills, and strategic thinking  

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work well and flexibly in small teams and with a wide range of varying stakeholders 

• Experience leading and managing teams (desirable) 

• Experience working with clinical pathology services (desirable) 

• Strong leadership and mentoring skills (desirable) 

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.  

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 

To 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. We are reviewing applications as they are received. If you think you’re the right person for this role, we’d love to hear how your capabilities, achievements and experience set you apart. We encourage national and international applicants to apply for this role.