For over 40 years, our shared commitment to curing childhood cancer has united us. Together, we continue to accelerate the answers to make that possible.
To accomplish our vision, we’re seeking someone who lives our values: owning and delivering meaningful work, collaborating to drive impact, challenging the status quo to create a better future, and balancing logic with empathy. Shape a future every child deserves.
The Sarcoma Biology and Therapeutics (SBT) group at Children’s Cancer Institute is Australia’s first and only research laboratory solely focussed on sarcomas affecting the young. Our mission: finding better and kinder treatments for these young patients and make new drugs a treatment reality.
We have an exciting opportunity for a Research/Technical Assistant to join our team and contribute to this important research. The main purpose of this role is to assist our sarcoma team with in vivo patient-derived xenograft (PDX) work. Sarcomas are an incredibly difficult to treat type of cancer that disproportionally affect children and teenagers. We have a wide range of in vivo experiments planned to help pinpoint the best treatments for children with sarcomas, which include drug dosing, experimental monitoring, tumour growth measurements, tumour implantations (mostly subcutaneous), harvesting of tumours and other in vivo-related work. Depending on the experimental schedule, assisting with in vitro studies, such as maintaining cell cultures or some molecular work may be part of your role as well, though the main focus will be on in vivo studies. It is also expected that labbooks and digital forms are kept up to date and that you have excellent communication and presentation skills to keep us well-informed on the status of the experiments.
Because of the nature of this work, it is critical to have experience with in vivo (PDX) modelling/animal work and the vast majority of the techniques mentioned above. It is also essential to have the confidence and proven capability to perform these handlings autonomously.
To succeed you will have…
- Bachelor of Science or equivalent
- Prior experience in in vivo/animal work is required
- Excellent and independent skills in in vivo PDX work, including expertise in the majority of the following techniques:
- Subcutaneous surgery and/or subcutaneous injection of cells
- Preparing and administering drugs including IP, PO, IV routes
- Biochemical and haematological testing
- General handling and monitoring of in vivo PDX experiments
- Tumour harvesting
- Processing of tumour xenografts (incl. cryopreservation, snap-freezing and FFPE storage)
- Demonstrated good organisational capability and data management
- In vitro cell culture experience is desirable
We will support you to be your best with benefits that include but are not limited to:
- Access to our ‘FlexBEST’ program – true flexibility from day 1
- Focus on employee wellbeing, including up to 5 gifted wellbeing days off (paid) per year
Join a group of dedicated people in a purpose-driven environment to achieve success and discover what it's like to look forward to coming to work every day and make a real difference.
Additional information about Children's Cancer Institute can be found on our website at: Careers and study | Children’s Cancer Institute . We embrace diversity and encourage applications from people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
To apply, please click the 'APPLY' link and forward both your resume AND cover letter (mandatory) clearly addressing the qualifications, experience and skills required.
