Job no: 0063694
Location: Parkville
Role type: Full-time; Fixed-term for 24 months
Faculty: Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
Department/School: Department of Infectious Diseases
Salary: Academic Level A – $83,468 – $113,262 p.a. plus 17% super

• Conduct laboratory research focusing on the development and optimisation of CRISPR-Cas13 based antiviral therapeutics for respiratory viruses, as part of a collaborative team at the Doherty Institute.
• Join a cutting-edge project within the renowned Lewin Lab, leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration and philanthropic funding to advance novel gene-editing technologies aimed at combating pandemic-level pathogens.
• 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 Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity is looking to appoint a Research Fellow within the Department of Infectious Diseases to join the Lewin Laboratory.

This role involves developing innovative antiviral therapeutics using gene editing tools and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), particularly focusing on respiratory pathogens with pandemic potential.

The successful candidate will contribute to the in vitro and in vivo delivery of mRNA-LNPs to model systems and mice, aiming to optimize and evaluate the antiviral efficacy of these formulations. This position is supported by the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics and collaborates closely with cross-disciplinary supervisory teams.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Contribute to the development of the laboratory’s research program.
• Assess mRNA expression in vitro.
• Troubleshoot challenges, optimise and develop protocols associated with in vivo mRNA-LNP delivery.
• Effective contribution to the quality and impact of research teams, projects and publications.

Who We Are Looking For
You will be a recent PhD graduate or junior post-doc with a background in virology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, CRISPR, or related fields, and have up to two years of work experience.

Your expertise will include in vivo mouse work, proficiency in basic molecular biology techniques such as cloning and PCR, and experience with cell culture and experimental design.

You will demonstrate the ability to work independently and as part of a research team, maintaining detailed records and analysing data effectively.

You will also have:

• A PhD in virology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, CRISPR, or related fields.
• Proficiency in basic virology or molecular biology techniques
• Demonstrated experience in cell culture and passage of multiple mammalian cell lines together with cell transfection and validation by multiple methods.
• Excellent communication skills are essential, evidenced by your experience presenting research and writing manuscripts.

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

This role requires that the successful candidate must undergo and maintain an up-to-date Working with Children Check. This is essential to guarantee a secure environment for all individuals at the University. In the case the selected candidate doesn't have a valid Working with Children Check, they will be able to apply for the WWCC as part of the initial onboarding procedures.

Please note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. This role requires current valid work rights for Australia.

Your New Team – Department of Infectious Diseases
The Department of Infectious Diseases at the Peter Doherty Institute conducts impactful research on global health challenges, including antimicrobial resistance, HIV, tuberculosis, and emerging infectious diseases. Join our collaborative team of diverse researchers, make a difference in patient outcomes, and contribute to shaping public health policies. Together, we strive for excellence, innovation, and integrity in advancing our understanding and combatting infectious diseases. 

What We Offer You!
In addition, we offer the opportunity to be part of a vibrant community and enjoy a range of benefits, including generous leave provisions, salary packaging, health and well-being services and discounts on graduate courses. For more information, check out our benefits page!

About the University of Melbourne
We’re tightly connected with the community, both at home and abroad. We take pride in our people, who all contribute to our mission to benefit society through the transformative impact of education and research. Discover more via our website and stay connected with our stories and people on LinkedIn.   

Be Yourself
The University of Melbourne values the unique backgrounds, experiences and contributions that each person brings to our community and welcomes and celebrates diversity.  First Nations people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, parents, carers, people of all ages, abilities and genders, and people of diverse ethnicity, nationality and faith are encouraged to apply. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community in which we live. For more information please visit our Diversity and Inclusion page.

We are dedicated to ensuring barrier free and inclusive practices to recruit the most talented candidates. If you require reasonable adjustments, please contact the employee listed on the first page of the Position Description found below, with an email containing your name and contact details for a confidential discussion. Please ensure your email is titled "Reasonable Adjustments Request".

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Applicants
We aspire to be the University of choice for Indigenous Australians, with unprecedented investment to attract, nurture and retain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff. Tangible support through a range of programs and initiatives will ensure that you personally succeed and flourish while at the University of Melbourne.

For further information, including our 2023-2027 Indigenous strategy please visit -https://about.unimelb.edu.au/reconciliation/murmuk-djerring

Join Us!
If you feel this role is right for you, please apply with the following documents: 

• Resume
• Cover Letter outlining your interest and experience
• The responses against the Selection Criteria^ (found in the Position Description)

^For information to help you with compiling short statements to answer the selection criteria and competencies, please go to http://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/selection-criteria

Please ensure that you apply through the Apply Now button at the bottom of this advertisement. However, if you have any questions regarding the recruitment process, please feel free to contact Lachlan Bryce via email at hr-careers@unimelb.edu.au, ensuring that you include the Position Number and the Job Title as the subject. Please do not share your application to this email address.

If you have any particular questions regarding the job please follow the details listed on the Position Description.