Research Officer

Job Title

Research Officer

Job Description

An excellent opportunity is available for a Research Officer to join the Immunology Division at Australia’s pre-eminent biomedical research institute.

About the Position
An exciting opportunity is available for a Research Officer to the join the Immunology Division for an MRFF-funded translational project to help bring personalised Dendritic Cell (DC) immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer to the clinic. The Immunology Division has developed ground-breaking approaches to generate specialised DCs at a scale necessary for clinical trials, and methods to arm them to specifically react against the tumour. Our goal - in conjunction with collaborators at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Monash University and Mater Research - is to convert our research findings to a GMP-ready protocol for use in a clinical trial within 3 years.

 

The Research Officer will be responsible for identifying, constructing and testing new approaches to arm human DCs using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology. These new CARs will be tested for functionality in in vitro and or in vivo models of DC function, to generate a lead candidate for clinical development.

 

The candidate will ideally have a background in immuno-oncology, and/or cell therapy manufacturing. Skills should encompass one or more of DC development and/or functional assays, expertise in the design, construction and delivery of complex DNA constructs, tumour models, and flow cytometry. The candidate will be part of an 8-person research-based team reporting to Immunology Division Group Leaders, and interact with clinicians, consumers and business development personnel with the goal of bringing this therapy to the clinic and to enable commercial development of the therapy.

Selection Criteria
Essential Knowledge and Skills:

• Molecular biology skills including the design, construction and production of complex gene expression vectors

• Experience with lentiviral, retroviral and/or lipid nanoparticle gene delivery systems, including production and transduction.

• Experience with independent design and flexible setup of multi-parameter (>12) flow cytometry

• Proven track record of publications or delivery of project milestones

Desirable Knowledge and Skills:

• Experience with long-term human cell culture systems

• Knowledge of DC biology and functional assays

• Murine solid tumour models

Personal Qualities:

• PhD or equivalent experience

• Excellent communication and collaboration with colleagues, working as part of a large team with a common goal

• Impeccable record-keeping skills on Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELNs)

• Self-motivation to meet and exceed the project’s milestones

• Intrinsically curious and driven to improve the science

Terms of Appointment
This position is 2 years in a full time capacity. Salary is Research Employee Level A ($104,071 - $111,707). Up to 17% superannuation and very attractive salary packaging options are available.

General enquiries can be directed to Prof. Stephen Nutt (nutt@wehi.edu.au)

A position description is available here.

How to Apply
Please apply by uploading your CV, cover letter and a document addressing the key selection criteria in pdf format.

Application Closing Date:  Wednesday 20 August 2025