Research Officer

Role Type: 12-month part time contract
Salary: $109,334 p.a plus superannuation (pro rata)

• Use cutting-edge AI to transform cancer care for children


• Unlock insights from genomic and clinical data to predict treatment outcomes


• Work with world-leading researchers on global precision medicine initiatives

The opportunity:

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow in Bioinformatics and Artificial Intelligence to join a leading paediatric cancer research program at MCRI on a 12-month contract. The role focuses on integrating large-scale genomic and clinical datasets to develop machine learning models that predict adverse drug reactions and disease trajectories. You will work across multidisciplinary teams spanning cancer biology, pharmacogenomics, and computational science. This position offers strong opportunities for publications, international collaboration, and contribution to major precision medicine initiatives.

This position offers the opportunity to contribute to national infrastructure in pharmacogenomics and to engage in international collaborations with partners such as EMBL-EBI. To support this international engagement, the successful applicant will have the opportunity to undertake placements at EMBL-EBI, UK, providing dedicated time to develop collaborative research relationships and build expertise in EBI’s genomic data infrastructure and resources. The successful applicant will work under the guidance of the Group Leader / Clinician-Scientist Fellow and a network of senior investigators in bioinformatics and clinical genomics.

What you’ll do  

• Integrate and analyse large-scale clinical and genomic datasets, developing robust bioinformatics pipelines for pharmacogenomics and transcriptomics


• Apply advanced machine learning approaches to predict adverse drug reactions and disease trajectories in paediatric cancer patients


• Contribute to high-impact research outputs including lead authorship of publications, grant writing, and peer review activities


• Build an independent research profile through competitive fellowship applications, external funding, and international collaboration


• Supervise and mentor students while actively contributing to multidisciplinary research teams and dissemination of findings

What you’ll bring

• PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, AI, or related field with strong research output in genomics or machine learning


• Expertise in analysing high-throughput sequencing data (WGS, RNA-seq, pharmacogenomics) using established bioinformatics approaches


• Strong programming skills in Python and R, with experience building reproducible, scalable workflows and pipelines


• Experience working with large-scale datasets in HPC or cloud computing environments, ensuring robust and efficient analysis


• Excellent collaborator and communicator with strong problem-solving skills and a commitment to ethical, inclusive research practice

Please view the position description here.

Any questions? Reach out to Prof Rachel Conyers [email protected].

What you’ll enjoy

• Join Australia’s largest child health research institute, driving real impact in paediatric cancer research.


• Work in a dynamic, collaborative environment alongside world-leading researchers and clinicians.


• Access generous salary packaging, paid parental leave, and additional leave purchase options.


• Benefit from excellent onsite facilities, discounted parking, transport access, and café perks.


• Be part of a purpose-driven community where your research directly contributes to improving children’s lives.

Who we are

Murdoch Children’s Research Institute envisions a transformative future for child health. Our institute is a hub of impactful scientific breakthroughs, particularly in early interventions, enhanced diagnosis, prevention, and potential cures. We thrive on collaborative, multidisciplinary problem-solving to address challenging queries in child health. Committed to inclusivity and respect, we foster a positive working environment that values diverse backgrounds and experiences. As a proud member of the Australian Network on Disability and a dedicated supporter of Science Australia Gender Equity (SAGE), we uphold principles of equal opportunity and diverse representation.

We are committed to the safety of children and young people and takes a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of child abuse, exploitation and harm. Child safety is prioritised in our decision-making at all levels of the Institute.   

Apply now!

If you believe this role is a good fit for you, please apply by submitting:

• Your resume


• A cover letter addressing the selection criteria

Ensure these documents are combined into a single PDF file.

We welcome individuals of diverse genders, ages, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, abilities, religions, and sexual orientations in our workplace. We actively encourage talented individuals from all walks of life to apply for our job openings. Our commitment lies in fostering a workplace that is barrier-free and inclusive, aiming to attract the most skilled candidates.

For any questions related to the recruitment process, feel free to reach out to our Recruitment Team at [email protected]. Ensure that you include the position number and job title in the subject line. Please refrain from sharing your application to this email address.

Please note, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

No recruitment agencies please.

Applications close: Friday 10 July 2026