Garvan Institute of Medical Research brings together world leading scientists and clinicians, collaborating locally and globally, to advance our understanding of disease, particularly cancer, autoimmunity and genetic disorders. Garvan is a global leader in fundamental biomedical research and its translation. Our mission is to make discoveries that will improve health for all. The Deveson Lab aims to develop, adopt, optimise and validate new technologies and methods that may shed new light on the genome; show how these can be used to address unsolved challenges in genomic medicine; and facilitate their translation into clinical practice. We also provide a high-quality long-read sequencing service to the broader scientific community via our Long-read Hub. THE OPPORTUNITY We’re looking for a Research Assistant to be part of our team, either a recent graduate with a strong molecular biology background or an experienced Research Assistant with prior experience in modern DNA sequencing technologies. This will be a hands-on laboratory position handling long-read sequencing projects for external customers, collaborators, and internal research projects, with the aid of our experienced staff. The role will become familiar with the latest cutting-edge technologies from Oxford Nanopore and PacBio. Research Assistants are appointed on a salary scale depending on level of experience, performance and requirements of the role required within the lab/group. For further information, refer to Garvan’s Research Assistant & Senior Research Assistant Criteria. Salary: Up to $79,900 - $102,500 (depending on experience) 14% super salary packaging Employment Type: 1 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 Depending on level of experience and requirements of the role, a Research Assistant is typically expected to: 1. Scientific Excellence Prepare biological samples for sequencing on long-read technologies (Oxford Nanopore and PacBio), including extraction, sample QC, library preparation and operation of the device. Record and maintain detailed experimental logs. Specialist Advice: Provide technical advice to researchers within the group regarding specific research methods, instruments, and analysis tools. Data integrity: Ensure all research data is accurate, high-quality, and conforms to good scientific practice, ensuring it is accessible to other researchers as required. Scientific Communication: Communicate experimental results to researchers and collaborators through written reports and effective visual formats. Scholarly Contribution: Assist In the preparation of research papers and contribute content to grant applications and research proposals. 2. Team Leadership Mentorship & Training: Train students, postdocs, and peers on data collection, specialised instruments, and laboratory safety protocols. Personal Growth: Take responsibility for own professional development by attending workshops and seeking to learn new techniques to support the group’s evolving research needs. Team Collaboration: Work effectively as a reliable and approachable member of the research team, fostering a collaborative environment. 3 . Resources & Planning Operational Management: Manage the group’s daily operations, including the coordination of consumables, samples, and equipment maintenance. Lab Coordination: Manage internal communications, such as scheduling team meetings and research presentations. Compliance & Outputs: Manage research data and outputs to ensure compliance with open access requirements of funding bodies and publishers. Project Delivery: Balance the competing needs and timelines of multiple research projects within the lab and with external collaborators to meet deadlines. 4 . Institute Contributions Values & Integrity: Demonstrate scientific and professional integrity at all times, acting as a role model for ethical behaviour. Active Participation: Contribute to the wider institute community by participating in committees, outreach projects, or donor activities. Compliance: Comply with Garvan’s workplace polices (as amended from time to time) and especially Garvan’s Work Health & Safety (WHS) Policy, including working in accordance with the WHS management system at all times, as safety is Garvan’s number one priority. ABOUT YOU The key skills and experience include: Essential Bachelor’s degree in molecular biology or related sciences (preferably with Honours or Masters) Competent computer skills (Excel, Word & PowerPoint) Strong attention to detail, level of accuracy and ability to follow protocols. Knowledge of molecular biology and/or experience in a molecular biology laboratory environment. Excellent organisational, record-keeping, and time management skills. Competent report writing and communication skills. Desirable Three or more years’ experience in a molecular biology laboratory environment. Experience in long-read sequencing or next-generation sequencing methods or genomics would be desirable. Basic bioinformatic skills (Bash, python, R, etc). 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. Our vision is global leadership in discoveries to impact and our enduring purpose is to impact human health, by harnessing information encoded in our genome. We seek to see our world-class discovery research achieve life-changing impacts, not only for individual patients with rare diseases, but for the many thousands affected by complex, common disease. 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. Only applicants with full working rights in Australia are eligible to apply for this role.
