Postdoctoral Research Associate

About the opportunity

The School of Medical Sciences is recognised as one of the leading centres for medical science education and research. With over 100 years of excellence, the school is committed to advancing knowledge, training future leaders, and delivering impactful research across a range of disciplines.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Herpesvirus and Viral Immunology group to apply and develop their expertise in conducting high-quality research that advances the research agenda of the faculty or school. The role involves contributing to research activities independently or as part of a team, developing scholarly outputs, and supporting collaborative research initiatives within the discipline.

We are seeking to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Associate to provide technical knowledge and expertise in support of the Chief Investigator and other senior investigators to expand the research program on human herpesviruses. The main focus of this role is performing laboratory-based research predominantly working with Varicella zoster virus (VZV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), mammalian cell culture and molecular biology and immunological based techniques to further our understanding of the complex interplay between these viruses and the human host.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• conduct research, scholarly or professional activity independently or as part of a team, contributing to discipline knowledge
• develop and refine independent research skills under the supervision of senior academic staff with increasing autonomy
• play a supervisory role for Honours and PhD students within the research group
• ensure quality, standards and excellence are maintained in research activities and outputs
• provide informal mentoring and advice to students within the discipline where appropriate
• carry out administrative tasks and contribute to faculty or school meetings
• contribute to a positive workplace culture in which diversity of thought, collaboration, excellence and achieving outcomes are valued and enabled
• interact with students, staff and members of the university community in a professional, collegial and respectful manner
• maintain an understanding of the university's strategic agenda and contribute to furthering that agenda
• contribute to the strategic direction of the faculty or school as articulated through relevant strategic plans
• undertake other duties and contribute to projects appropriate within the classification level as required.

About you

• PhD in immunology and/or virology
• demonstrated understanding of the subject matter within the discipline
• experience conducting original research and engaging in scholarly activity in immunology and/or virology
• significant experience with mammalian cell culture and techniques such as flow cytometry, microscopy and image analysis, molecular and cell biology techniques, immunology-based assays and analysis of associated data sets
• developing research profile in the discipline or area of expertise
• developing network of academic partners
• strong skills in research, planning and organisation, computer literacy, effective presentations, communication and customer service