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The opportunity

• Be part of the award-winning CSIRO Molecular Diagnostics Solutions team
• Work alongside molecular biologists, bioinformaticians, statisticians and clinicians
• Great opportunity if you have a PhD in molecular biology, (epi)genetics, bioinformatics or a related discipline

CSIRO Early Research Career(CERC) Postdoctoral Fellowships provide opportunities to scientists and engineers who have completed their doctorateand have less than three years of relevant postdoctoral work experience. These fellowships aim to develop the next generation of future leaders of the innovation system.

The CERC Fellow will be part of the Integrated Diagnostics team, to undertake the development of a novel liquid biopsy assay and build software for real-time data analysis. The team is currently developing novel diagnostic approaches and ex vivo technologies for cancer, metabolic disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and acute trauma. The Integrated Diagnostics team has previous translation success, including the co-development of the Colvera™ and Colostat™ blood tests with our commercial partners.

Across this CERC Fellowship you will work on the development of a blood test useful for diagnosing tissue/organ damage. This cutting-edge precision medicine technology makes use of DNA sequencing to inspect DNA fragments in the bloodstream released from dying cells.

The CERC Fellow will be part of a project team consisting of molecular biologists, bioinformaticians, statisticians, and clinicians. Your role will be to lead the development of the liquid biopsy assay. This will involve the establishment of optimal lab processes for sequencing cell-free DNA, the creation of a bioinformatics pipeline to process streaming data, and the development of software for a web browser-based user interface.

Your duties will include:

• Utilisingmolecular biology and bioinformatics skills for biomarker and classifier development for a liquid biopsy test.
• Engaging with clinical collaborators to understand unmet diagnostic needs and exemplifying the classification method in several proof-of principle clinical areas.
• Working with the project team to architect and build software for processing sequencing data in real-time.
• Carrying out innovative, impactful research of strategic importance to CSIRO that will, where possible, lead to novel and important scientific outcomes.

Location:Westmead, Sydney, NSW

Salary: AU$96k - AU$105k plus up to 15.4% superannuation

Tenure: Specified term of 3 years

Reference:97269

To be considered you will need:

• A doctorate (or will shortly satisfy the requirements of a PhD) in a relevant discipline area, such as molecular biology, (epi)genetics orbioinformatics. Please note: To beeligible for this role you must have no more than 3 years (full-time equivalent) of postdoctoral research experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of molecular biology, genomics, and associated laboratory methods. Highly proficient in the generation and quality assessment of second and/or third generation sequencing libraries.
• Demonstrated proficiency in at least one programming language for statistical computing (R orPython preferred).
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in bioinformatics for the analysis and interpretation of genomics datasets.
• High level written and oral communication skills with the ability to represent the research team effectively internally and externally, including the presentation of research outcomes at national and international conferences.

For full details about this role please view the Position Description

Eligibility

Applications for this position are open to Australian/New Zealand Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents and Australian temporary residents currently residing in Australia. Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

The successful candidate will need to be able to commence by 30 November 2024.

Flexible working arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work.

Diversity and inclusion

We are working hard to recruit people representing the diversity across our society, and ensure that all our people feel supported to do their best work and feel empowered to let their ideas flourish.

About CSIRO

At CSIRO Australia's national science agency, we solve the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. We put the safety and wellbeing of our people above all else and earn trust everywhere because we only deal in facts. We collaborate widely and generously and deliver solutions with real impact.

CSIRO is committed to values-based leadership to inspire performance and unlock the potential of our people.

Join us and start creating tomorrow today!

How to apply

Please apply on-line and provide a cover letter and CV that best demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the requirements of this role.

Applications close

18 August 2024, 11:00pm AEST