Bioinformatician, BASE Facility (AIBN)

• BASE Facility at Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN)

• Full-time (100%), fixed-term professional research position for up to 12 months

• Base salary will be in the range $89,861.38 - $96,402.32 + 17% Superannuation (HEW Level 6)

• Based at our vibrant St Lucia Campus

About This Opportunity 

The BASE facility at the University of Queensland is seeking a Bioinformatician to advance our mRNA design capabilities. Here, you will contribute to the development and testing of our mRNA design software. You will use this software to design mRNA vaccines and therapeutics, based on the specifications of BASE clients, and the laboratory and sales and marketing teams. Additionally, you will perform bioinformatic analyses of mRNA vaccine quality using established and custom analytical pipelines, which you will develop.

You will be provided with access to world-class facilities and the opportunity to work on a project that has the potential to revolutionise the design of mRNA vaccines.

Key responsibilities will include: 

• Optimise and test in-house developed mRNA design software.

• Design novel mRNAs, based on the requirements of BASE clients and the laboratory and sales and marketing teams.

• Develop and maintain bioinformatic pipelines for the analysis of mRNA quality.

• In silico quality analysis of mRNAs prepared by the BASE facility, including routine testing and batch failure analyses.

• Bioinformatic data management, ensuring secure storage and efficient retrieval of large NGS datasets.

• Contribute to the preparation of manuscripts for publication, technical reports, and other research-related documents.

• Stay informed of advances in computational genomics methods, as well as building and maintaining biological domain expertise.

• Present results in internal meetings and conferences.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world.

Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you will have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting impact on our community.

Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:

• 26 weeks paid parental leave or 14 weeks paid primary caregiver leave

• 17% superannuation contributions

• 17.5% annual leave loading

• Access to flexible working arrangements

• Health and wellness discounts – fitness passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance, and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family

• UQ Study for Staff

• On campus childcare options

• Affordable parking (from just $5.75 a day)

• Salary packaging options

About You

• An honours degree or MSc in a relevant field such as bioinformatics, computer science, biology, statistics or other relevant areas, or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education/training.

• Experience with programming languages such as bash, R or Python.

• Exposure to Unix or HPC environments.

• Exposure to using version control for code development and curation.

• An interest in genomics or cell biology.

• Good communication skills, and ability to work collaboratively.

• Ability to produce high-quality results and meet deadlines, without compromising accuracy and attention to detail.

Desirable:

• Experience in the analysis of large genomic datasets, (e.g. RNA-seq).

• Knowledge or interest in mRNA vaccine manufacturing

The successful candidate may be required to complete a number of pre-employment checks, including: right to work in Australia, criminal check, education check, mandatory immunisations etc. 

Work Rights: 

You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

Questions? 

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Dr. Helen Gunter at h.gunter@uq.edu.au

For application queries, please contact talent@uq.edu.au stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line. 
 

Want to Apply? 

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Cover letter summarising how your background aligns to the ‘About You’ section  

• Resume 

Other Information 

UQ is committed to a fair, equitable and inclusive selection process, which recognises that some applicants may face additional barriers and challenges which have impacted and/or continue to impact their career trajectory. Candidates who don’t meet all criteria are encouraged to apply and demonstrate their potential. The selection panel considers both potential and performance relative to opportunities when assessing suitability for the role.

We know one of our strengths as an institution lies in our diverse colleagues. We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion, fostering an environment that mirrors our wider community. We're committed to attracting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent. Reach out to talent@uq.edu.au for accessibility support or adjustments.

Applications close 1 December 2024 at 11.00pm AEST (R-45474). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for early December.