Senior Research Officer

The Garvan Institute of Medical Research brings together world leading researchers and clinicians, collaborating locally and globally, to improve human health. Our mission is to harness all the information encoded in our genome to better diagnose, treat, predict and prevent disease. From the individual patient with rare disease, to the many thousands affected by complex, widespread illness, we are pioneering discoveries across diseases that have the deepest impact on our community.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We’re seeking a highly accomplished Senior Postdoctoral Researcher (2-year position) with deep expertise in functional genomics and molecular mechanisms to lead the next phase of our causal target validation program. This role sits at the interface of cutting-edge genomic discovery, mechanistic biology, and translational therapeutic development. It is ideally suited to a scientist who is excited to turn large-scale genomic insights into new biological understanding and actionable therapeutic opportunities.

This position builds directly on the substantial computational foundation generated through our TenK10K initiative, the world’s largest single-cell multi-omics resource. With single-cell multi-omic profiles from 10,000 donors, matched genotypes, and rich clinical phenotyping, our team has already produced a significant body of computational work (multiple senior-author papers under review at high-impact journals) and comprehensive maps of how genetic variation perturbs genome regulation across circulating immune cell populations.

The successful candidate will take these discoveries from statistical association to mechanistic validation, designing and executing experimental strategies, including CRISPR perturbations, single-cell functional assays, and high-throughput molecular readouts, to define causal genes, pathways, and regulatory mechanisms. The work requires a strong command of functional genomics, genome engineering, single-cell technologies, and immunological, as well as the ability to collaborate closely with computational biologists who have built the underlying discovery pipeline.

This is a well-resourced, high-momentum program with dedicated technical staff, access to state-of-the-art cellular genomics platforms, and substantial collaborative and industry support. As part of our broader translational genomics strategy, the role offers an exceptional opportunity to uncover novel biology, generate IP, and contribute to therapeutic target discovery in close partnership with industry and clinical collaborators.

The postdoc joining this program will have the opportunity to:

• Drive high-impact discoveries in gene regulation, immune variation, disease mechanisms, and functional cell states.

• Lead work that directly enables first-author publications, with multiple manuscripts already under review from Phase 1 of the study.

• Build and lead increasing functional capacity within the Powell Lab and broader Garvan ecosystem.

• Work closely with molecular research assistants and staff scientists to support experimental work.

• Work within a project that is heavily resourced and with substantial collaborations, including industry partners and Prof Daniel MacArthur’s Centre for Population Genomics and Immunologist collaborators.

More broadly, the Powell Lab’s research focused on how human genetic variation shapes cellular function and disease, with the long-term vision of building a cell-resolved, causal map of human biology. We seek to understand, at scale, how DNA variation rewires regulatory networks, shifts cell states, and drives human disease, and to translate these insights into better diagnostics and therapeutics.

To achieve this, we develop and integrate cutting-edge experimental and computational

platforms:

• Large-cohort single-cell genomics (e.g., TenK10K) generating millions of profiles to map regulatory architecture across diverse individuals.

• iPSC “Village” systems and CRISPR perturbation to experimentally dissect and validate gene function in controlled, scalable cellular models.

• Advanced computational genomics, machine learning, and causal inference frameworks that link genetic variants to cellular mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities.

Our research spans immune biology, cardiac disease, neurodegeneration, and cancer, unified by a central question: Which genes, cell states, and molecular pathways are causally driving human traits and disease, and how can we intervene?

Why join us?

We have built a team that thrives at the intersection of genomics, AI, and cellular biology. Lab members gain access to unique population-scale datasets, advanced wet- and dry-lab technologies, and pathways to meaningful collaborations with clinicians, industry partners, and international consortia.

We offer an environment that values:

• Scientific independence and creativity,

• Rigorous, reproducible research,

• Collaboration and mentorship, and

• Ambition to tackle big, long-term scientific problems.

Salary: AU$124,300 – AU$131,900 + 14% super + salary packaging (depending on experience)

Employment Type: 2-year fixed-term contract

SNAPSHOT OF BENEFITS

• Generous salary packaging to save you income tax on your wages thereby boosting your monthly take home pay (max. $15,900 general expenses + $2,650 meals/accom)

• Ample opportunities for on-going training and development

• Stimulating, diverse and highly international research environment

• Flexible work arrangements e.g. start / finish times

• 18 weeks paid parental leave for both parents including paid superannuation

• A range of additional leave types to meet your personal needs including cultural leave, conference leave, community service and study leave

• Discounted Health Insurance

• Lifestyle discounts with our community partners

WHAT YOU WILL DO

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The key responsibilities include:

• Research & Development: Implement and develop advanced molecular functional techniques to understand the mechanisms and biological consequences of disease loci at cellular resolution.

• Experimental Analysis: Process, analyse, and interpret functional genomic data to derive biologically meaningful insights.

• Collaboration: Work closely with researchers, bioinformaticians, immunologists, and other stakeholders to integrate findings into actionable strategies.

• Publication & Dissemination: lead research papers, presentations at national and international conferences, and engage in other scholarly activities to share findings with the broader scientific community. Act as an Investigator on project and grant applications.

• Continuous Learning: Stay updated with the latest advancements in computational biology, statistical genetics, and single-cell genomics.

• Be involved in the recruitment and supervision of research assistants and students.

ABOUT YOU

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

Highly motivated individuals with a strong attention to detail, multi-tasking skills, and a willingness to learn new technologies are also encouraged to apply.

The key skills and experience of a Senior Research Officer include:

Essential criteria

• PhD in immunology, functional genomics, molecular biology, or a related discipline, with a publication record demonstrating strong experimental and conceptual expertise.

• Deep knowledge of human immune cell biology, including cellular differentiation, activation pathways, cytokine signalling, and immune effector functions.

• Hands-on experience with immune functional assays, such as stimulation/activation assays, cytokine profiling, co-culture systems, flow cytometry, intracellular staining, and readouts of immune cell state and function.

• Experience isolating and working with primary human immune cells (e.g., PBMCs, T cells, B cells, monocytes, NK cells), including culture, perturbation, and phenotyping.

• Ability to design mechanistic experiments that link genetic variation to immune regulatory pathways, integrating computational predictions with biological models.

• Familiarity with single-cell genomics (scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq), genome engineering (CRISPR), or high-throughput molecular profiling, and the ability to apply these tools in targeted, hypothesis-driven ways.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with computational biologists, interpret statistical genetics and single-cell discovery outputs, and translate them into functional follow-up.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to independently drive multi-step mechanistic studies from concept through to validation.

• Exceptional attention to detail and rigorous experimental discipline, ensuring reproducibility across complex cell-based experiments.

• Strong organisational skills, including the ability to manage multiple immune-focused projects and experimental timelines.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present immunology-focused findings to multidisciplinary scientific teams.

• Motivation to learn new technologies, including emerging single-cell, multi-omic, and genome engineering methods relevant to immune function and therapeutic discovery.

Desirable criteria

• Familiarity with disease-relevant immune models, such as autoimmune T cell activation, chronic inflammation, infection-mimicking stimuli, or dysfunctional myeloid states.

• Experience with high-parameter flow cytometry, spectral flow, mass cytometry, or advanced immune phenotyping platforms.

• Experience integrating computational predictions into experimental strategy, including working with eQTL/caQTL data, target nomination lists, or genotype-linked cellular
  phenotypes.

• Expertise in cell signalling and intracellular pathway analysis, including phospho-flow, reporter assays, or multiplex protein readouts.

• Understanding of drug target biology, therapeutic mechanisms, or early-stage translational discovery workflows.

• Experience working in multidisciplinary teams, especially across computational biology, genomics, immunology, and clinical collaborators.

• Prior involvement in IP generation, technology development, or industry-facing research partnerships, particularly in immunology or functional genomics.

• Experience supervising junior researchers or technical staff, supporting experimental planning, troubleshooting, and analytical interpretation.

• Familiarity with regulatory considerations around human samples, including ethics, biobanking, and data governance.

Key Personal Attributes

• Collaborative mindset – enjoys working closely with postdocs and researchers,
  contributing to shared goals and supporting team-based science.

• Strong communication skills – able to explain analytical approaches clearly to both
  computational and experimental colleagues.

• Problem-solving orientation – proactive in identifying issues in data, pipelines, or
  analyses and driving solutions independently.

• Attention to detail – committed to producing high-quality, reproducible work across
  large and complex datasets.

• Adaptability – comfortable working across multiple projects and adjusting to the
  evolving needs of fast-moving research programs.

• Organised and reliable – can manage competing priorities, maintain well-structured
  code and documentation, and meet project timelines.

• Curiosity and initiative – motivated to learn new methods, improve workflows, and
  contribute ideas to enhance the lab’s computational capabilities.

• Commitment to scientific excellence – values rigour, transparency, and continuous
  improvement.

ABOUT GARVAN

Garvan Institute of Medical Research is an independent Medical Research Institute (MRI) in Sydney, delivering scientific and clinical impact on a global basis and in partnership with organisations that share our vision. We are proud to be one of Australia’s largest and most highly regarded MRI’s.

Our vision is global leadership in discoveries to impact and our enduring purpose is to impact human health, by harnessing information encoded in our genome.

We seek to see our world-class discovery research achieve life-changing impacts, not only for individual patients with rare diseases, but for the many thousands affected by complex, common disease.

Garvan promotes a diverse workplace and is committed to the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. We are always looking for culture ‘add’, not culture ‘fit’ and are building diverse teams with great sets of complementary styles and skills to help deliver our important work effectively.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for this position, please submit your application with a CV and cover letter as one document, stating why you are interested in this role. We are reviewing applications as they are received. If you think you’re the right person for this role, we’d love to hear how your capabilities, achievements and experience set you apart. Sponsorship is available for the right candidate.