Research Officer Full-time NEW

Research Officer

World-class infectious disease and vaccine research at the Doherty Institute / cross-species studies from mouse models to human cohorts / opportunity to influence next-generation vaccines with potential for an ongoing role

Join a collaborative team decoding protective immunity to major viral pathogens and help drive smarter vaccine design.

Investing in you – 17% superannuation, benefits package including salary packaging, health and wellbeing programs, discounted services, and professional development opportunities.

In this role, you will investigate B and T cell responses to viral infection and vaccination. You will gain hands-on experience across mouse models and human studies, while contributing to next-generation vaccine strategies. You will also develop your research independence within a supportive, highly collaborative laboratory at the Doherty Institute.

What you will deliver:

• Design, perform and analyse immunological experiments on B and T cell responses to key viral pathogens.
• Maintain accurate experimental records, manage data analysis in FlowJo and GraphPad Prism, and prepare publication-quality figures.
• Contribute to manuscripts, grant applications and conference presentations, clearly communicating findings to investigators and collaborators.
• Support training and day-to-day supervision of honours students, graduate researchers and newer laboratory staff.
• Assist with laboratory organisation, ordering, equipment maintenance and compliance with biosafety, ethics and OHS requirements.

You may be a great fit if you:

• Hold a PhD in Immunology or related discipline, with deep knowledge of adaptive immune responses.
• Demonstrate experience handling experimental mice and human blood or tissue samples in biomedical research settings.
• Bring hands-on expertise in flow cytometry and in vitro immunological assays such as ELISA or ELISPOT.
• Apply strong quantitative skills, including experience with FlowJo, GraphPad Prism and standard office software packages.
• Design, troubleshoot and optimise experiments independently or with minimal supervision, showing initiative and problem-solving focus.
• Value infectious disease immunology, with experience in germinal centre biology, transcriptional profiling or mentoring junior researchers.

For more information check out our benefits page!

At the Doherty Institute, you will join the Department of Microbiology and Immunology's vibrant research community. Together with colleagues across the School of Biomedical Sciences, researchers tackle critical questions in infection, immunity and vaccines. You will collaborate with leading clinicians, epidemiologists and basic scientists, supported by modern facilities and a collegial culture.

The University of Melbourne is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a child-safe organisation. The diversity of our community enriches us all, and we are committed to creating an inclusive and fair workplace where everyone is valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. Discover more about Diversity and Inclusion at UniMelb.

We're committed to a barrier-free recruitment process and ongoing workplace support, providing adjustments throughout. We warmly encourage applications from people with disabilities. Learn more about how we support an accessible recruitment process.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Applicants We aspire to be the University of choice for Indigenous Australians. Visit our Indigenous staff page to learn more about our investment and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff. Indigenous applicants are encouraged to connect with Korin Korin, our Indigenous Employment and Development team, via korin-korin@unimelb.edu.au

Application essentials:

• Visit “apply with us” to learn more about the process, including tips and FAQs.
• You must have current valid work rights for Australia. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
• A Working with Children Check is required for all positions. If successful, we will guide you through the process and reimburse you.
• Please upload your resume, a cover letter outlining your interest and experience, and your responses to points 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 of the Selection Criteria found in the Position Description as part of the application process.

For queries related to this specific position, contact Adam Wheatley via email at a.wheatley@unimelb.edu.au

For questions related to our recruitment process email Corey Menadue at hr-careers@unimelb.edu.au

For recruitment adjustments contact Kim Groizard on +61 3 9035 3218 or at hr-careers@unimelb.edu.au (subject: 'Recruitment Adjustments').

Apply today, and join a community that's shaping the future.

Applications close: 14 May 2026. 11:55 PM; Melbourne time zone.