Advanced Laboratory Technician

About the role

The Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) at the University of Queensland's St Lucia campus is recruiting an Advanced Laboratory Technician for a full-time, fixed-term position through December 2027. The role sits within the Chappell research group, supporting an industry-linked vaccine development program and providing specialist technical expertise in mammalian cell culture, protein production and aseptic laboratory practice.

Key responsibilities

• Provide technical laboratory support across methods and equipment, troubleshoot issues, maintain specialist knowledge of techniques and help develop and improve testing procedures.
• Manage CHO cell culture activities, including coordination of transfections, maintenance of CHO cell line banks and support for experiments and reporting.
• Maintain laboratory operations and compliance: equipment servicing, repair and calibration, quality assurance, risk assessments, waste management, housekeeping, stock and chemical inventory, sample storage and record management.
• Support field-based research by preparing for external site work and keeping laboratories operational, safe and research-ready.
• Ensure safe and compliant operations: occupational health and safety systems, risk assessments, inductions, training records, incident reporting and investigation.
• Maintain compliance with university, regulatory and quarantine requirements through audits, inspections and safe design of plant and equipment.
• Coordinate laboratory resources, equipment requests, consumables, procurement, maintenance scheduling and contribute to equipment and service contract budgets.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders and assist in supervising casual laboratory support staff.
• Develop and maintain undergraduate laboratory experiments with academic staff, handle teaching materials, and support outreach activities for schools and external organisations.

Required profile

• Degree in microbiology, molecular biology, biotechnology or a related discipline, with relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training and professional experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in mammalian cell culture, including CHO cell methodologies and aseptic techniques.
• Strong practical knowledge of molecular biology or vaccine-development laboratory methods and equipment.
• Experience maintaining laboratory records, sample storage systems, inventories and consumables, and high standards of housekeeping.
• Ability to analyse technical problems, improve testing procedures and communicate findings clearly.
• Strong interpersonal and organisational skills and collaboration with researchers, professional staff and clients.

Required skills

• Cleaning, maintaining, servicing, troubleshooting and calibrating laboratory equipment.
• Detailed knowledge of laboratory safety, risk assessment, quarantine, waste disposal, chemical labelling and incident reporting.

What we offer

• Base salary of $97,268.85 - $104,348.98 plus 17% superannuation (HEW Level 6).
• Up to 26 weeks paid parental and primary care leave, 17.5% leave loading and flexible working options.
• Health and wellbeing programs, a heavily discounted Study for Staff program, on-campus childcare and affordable parking.

Applications close 11 November 2026. Candidates must upload a resume and cover letter; pre-employment checks may include right to work, qualifications and immunisation verification, and unrestricted work rights in Australia are required.