"Research Fellow"

• Salary Package: From $113,194 (LEVEL A.6) to $123,435 (Level B.1) p.a. plus 17% employer's superannuation and annual leave loading
• Appointment Type: Full-time, 2 years fixed term
• Location: Macquarie University, Wallumattagal Campus (North Ryde)

Join a multi-disciplinary team pushing the boundaries of microbial membrane transport protein structure & function.

• Collaborate with world leading researchers in membrane transport
• Generous employee benefits and access to flexible work arrangements
• Work with a multi-disciplinary team within the Australian Genome Foundry
• Opportunity to collaborate with researchers at the Diamond Light Source, University of Oxford, and the University of Leeds

The Role

The School of Natural Sciences is currently seeking a suitably qualified Research Fellow to join a multi-disciplinary team within the Australian Genome Foundry. This multifaceted role involves showcasing high throughput biofoundry technology in the engineering and characterisation of membrane transporters. The primary role of the position is to help coordinate and lead research in the Australian Genome Foundry alongside the Scientific Director.

The successful applicant will work with Distinguished Professor Ian Paulsen and Dr Bhumika Shah to:

• Develop and characterise a library of microbial transporters
• Undertake biochemical and biophysical analyses of specific transporters
• Establish and showcase cutting edge biofoundry workflows, including ultra-high-throughput screens for desired phenotypes
• Co-supervise HDR students and work with biofoundry staff on the above areas of research
• Initiate and maintain academic and industry collaborations, and apply for research funding
• Communicate research findings in scientific journals and at conferences

About You

You will have completed a PhD in biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, structural biology, synthetic biology, or a closely related discipline. You will enjoy contributing to impactful research outcomes and working effectively as part of an international research team. Your collaborative approach to working with others will ensure you perform effectively within a multi-disciplinary environment. If you are an excellent communicator with a proactive nature and are flexible and resilient in your approach, then this is a role you will thrive in and a team you will enjoy working with.

About Us

Located at Macquarie University and within the Faculty of Science and Engineering, the Australian Genome Foundry is a high-throughput strain engineering facility with a highly automated workflow. This means rather than having a researcher building one strain at a time manually, the same researcher could build hundreds or thousands of strains in parallel using our robotic platforms. The Australian Genome Foundry is capable of synthesizing complete eukaryotic chromosomes and consists of modular robotic platforms capable of automated construction and analysis of synthetic microbial strains.

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How To Apply

To be considered for this position, please apply online by submitting your CV and a separate cover letter that demonstrates how you meet the following selection criteria:

Selection Criteria:

• PhD in biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, structural biology, synthetic biology, or a closely related discipline
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively and work independently without close supervision Experience with protein expression and purification, especially in E. coli and/or yeast
• Experience with molecular and microbiology protocols

Desirable

• Experience with membrane transport assays
• Experience supervising higher degree research students
• Understanding of the fundamentals of biofoundry automation

We welcome applications from international applicants.

*Please note that applications will be reviewed as they are received on a rolling basis, and we reserve the right to progress or decline an application prior to the application closing date.*

Role Enquiries: Ian Paulsen, Scientific Director, Australian Genome Foundry via e-mail ian.paulsen@mq.edu.au

Applications Close: Sunday 15th of February 2026 at 11:55pm AEST