Molecular Biology Technician

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The opportunity

• Enhance your laboratory and molecular biology experience
• Be a valued part of CSIRO Agriculture and Food’s Genome to Phenome team
• Three year fixed term opportunity based in Black Mountain, ACT

The Genome to Phenome team within CSIRO Agriculture and Food is seeking a motivated Research Technician to join the team at Black Mountain, ACT. You will join a GRDC-funded project investigating the genetics of reproductive frost tolerance in wheat. Late season frosts when wheat is entering the flowering stage lead to yield losses estimated to cost the industry hundreds of millions of dollars each year. In this project we are using modern genomic analysis methods to identify genes and markers for frost tolerance in wheat as well as engineering wheat to improve its performance in frost.

You will have a central role in the project, including analysing gene edited wheat lines (tracking the presence of edits and assessing performance under frost conditions), preparation of libraries for transcriptome sequencing and assisting with controlled environment experiments being conducted at Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga.

This role is suited to someone who has qualifications and experience in using molecular techniques (nucleic acid extraction, PCR, Next-Gen Sequencing (NGS) library preparation) and working with plants; skills in managing and analysing genomic datasets would also be desirable.

Your duties will include:

• Genotyping of gene-edited wheat lines
• Assessment of frost tolerance of gene edited wheat plants in controlled environments
• Preparation of NGS transcriptome libraries
• Maintenance of edited wheat lines (plant growth, crossing, seed collection).
• Assisting with assessment of frost response of a large wheat diversity panel in controlled environments in collaboration with CSU
• Planning and executing analysis, interpreting and communicating research, presenting at project meetings, and working with other team members & collaborators to achieve objectives, including contributing to reports or scientific publications.
• Participating in planning experiments and accepting responsibility for scheduling and completing parts of the project, including experimental design, data collection and analysis, and delivery.
• Other duties as directed.

Location:  Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT
Salary:  $73k to $93k pa + 15.4% super
Tenure:  Specified term of 3 years
Reference:  98293

To be considered you will need:

Essential:

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant work experience in Molecular Biology.
• Experience in working with DNA and RNA.
• Practical experience in general molecular biology lab techniques, such as PCR.

Desirable:

• Experience working with plants (ie wheat) and general glasshouse maintenance skills
• Experience in preparation of NGS libraries

For full details about this role please review the Position Description

Eligibility

Applications to this position are open to Australian/ New Zealand Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents and Australian Temporary Residents who hold a valid working visa for the duration of the specified term without the requirement of sponsorship by CSIRO.

The successful applicant will be required to obtain and provide a National Police Check or equivalent.

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

12 December 2024, 11:00 pm AEST