Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Fellow - Radiochemistry

• Institute for Molecular Bioscience

• Broaden your career within one of QLD’s largest employers 

• Partner with people educating future generations & solving the world’s problems 

• Plan for your future with a generous 17% superannuation allowance 

• Based at our vibrant and picturesque St Lucia Campus

As part of the UQ community, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world, and within an environment where interdisciplinary collaborations are encouraged.

At the core of our teaching remains our students, and their experience with us sets a foundation for success far beyond graduation. UQ has made a commitment to making education opportunities available for all Queenslanders, regardless of personal, financial, or geographical barriers.

As part of our commitment to excellence in research and professional practice in academic contexts, we are proud to provide our staff with access to world-class facilities and equipment, grant writing support, greater research funding opportunities, and other forms of staff support and development.

This is an exciting opportunity for a Postdoctoral Fellow / Research Fellow to engage in research to further their expertise and growing research profile to achieve national recognition in their discipline. At this level it is expected that you will efficiently manage service and engagement roles and activities.

The key purpose of this role is to support the development of synthesis pipelines for novel radiopharmaceuticals of interest in clinical neuroscience research. This position will be considered at Level A or B.

Key responsibilities will include: 

1. Research
Level A Research responsibilities

• Produces quality research outputs consistent with discipline norms by publishing or exhibiting in high quality outlets.

• Participate in applications for competitive research funding to support projects and activities.

• Work with colleagues in the development of joint research projects and applications for competitive research funding support.

• Contribute to progressing towards transfer of knowledge, technology and practices to research end users through translation, specifically in the use of radiotracers in translational research.

• Review and draw upon best practice research methodologies in radiochemistry.

Level B (in addition to Level A Research responsibilities)

• Develop an independent and/or team research program to achieve national recognition and impact in the research area.

• Participate in or contribute as chief investigator role (often in conjunction with more experienced researchers) in applications for competitive research funding to support projects and activities, which includes actively seeking, obtaining and managing research

2. Teaching

• Where undergraduate and postgraduate teaching is undertaken achieve teaching quality as indicated by approved surveys and outcomes for students and improve or innovate where appropriate in response to feedback.

3. Supervision and Researcher Development
Level A Supervision and Researcher Development responsibilities

• Contribute to the effective supervision of Honours and Higher Degree by Research students (as appropriate).

• Demonstrates personal effectiveness in supervision and the management of researcher development.

• Effective lead and develop supervisee performance and conduct by providing feedback, coaching, and professional development.

• As appropriate, manage research support staff effectively throughout the employee lifecycle in accordance with University policy and procedures.

• Working to promptly resolve conflict and grievances when they arise in accordance with University policy and procedures.

Level B (in addition to Level A Supervision and Researcher Development responsibilities)

• Demonstrate a track record of the effective supervision of Honours and Higher Degree by Research students.

• Demonstrates personal effectiveness in supervision and management and development of researcher capability and skill.

• Facilitate engagement opportunities for Higher Degree by Research supervisees

4. Citizenship and Service

• Demonstrate citizenship behaviours that align to the UQ values.

• Shows leadership of self through collaboration and active participation in priority activities for the unit

• Provide support to other academic positions and unit operations as needed during other team members absences.

• Contribute to internal service roles and administrative processes as required, including participation in decision-making and service on relevant committees.

• Collaborate in service activities external to the immediate organisation unit, especially in the provision of radiotracers through collaboration.

• Begin to develop external links and partnerships by cultivating relationships with industry, government departments, professional bodies and the wider community.

5. Other

Ensure you are aware of and comply with legislation and University policy relevant to the duties undertaken, including but not exclusive to:

This is a research focused position. Further information can be found by viewing UQ’s Criteria for Academic Performance.

Organisational Relationships

The post holder will become part of the Translational Neuroscience group in the Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease in the Institute for Molecular Bioscience. The primary supervisor is Prof Michael O’Sullivan. Laboratory supervision and professional reporting will be provided by the Principal Radiochemist at Q-TRaCE, Dr Melissa Latter.

This is a full-time (100%), fixed-term position through to 30 June 2025. At Academic level A or B.

The full-time level A equivalent base salary will be in the range $77,324.85 - $102,945.12, plus a generous super allowance of up to 17%. The total FTE package will be up to $90,470.08 - $120,445.79 annually.

The full-time level B equivalent base salary will be in the range $108,201.26 - $128,201.75, plus a generous super allowance of up to 17%. The total FTE package will be up to $126,595.47 - $149,996.05 annually.

As these roles are covered by an Enterprise Agreement, you will also receive regular remuneration increases in line with the Enterprise Agreement.

The greater benefits of joining the UQ community are broad:  from being part of a Group of Eight university, to recognition of prior service with other Australian universities, up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave, 17.5% annual leave loading, flexible working arrangements including hybrid on site/WFH options and flexible start/finish times, and genuine career progression opportunities via the academic promotions process.

• A PhD/DPhil in Chemistry, Radiochemistry or related discipline,

• Demonstrated high-level knowledge of and compliance with Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) relevant to a radiochemistry laboratory

• Effective communication and ability to work productively and collaboratively, often under time pressures, to deliver high quality work that complements project timelines

• Demonstrated ability to document procedures and outcomes with high level of accuracy and unambiguity

• Commitment to upholding the University’s values, and with the outstanding personal qualities of openness, respectfulness and integrity

Desirable

• Practical experience in radiochemistry/radiopharmaceutical science

• Experience of automation of radiopharmaceuticals (particularly automation of fluorine-18 radiochemistry processes)

• Expertise in development and validation of quality control methods for radiotracers (e.g. radio-HPLC and radio-TLC)

• Capable of identifying radiolabelling strategies for radiopharmaceutical design

• Experience working in a clean room environment, aseptic technique and operating according to Good Manufacturing Procedures (GMP) practices

• Experience authoring documentation relevant to a Pharmaceutical Quality System for the production of radiotracers

In addition, the following mandatory requirements apply:

• Work Rights: Visa sponsorship may be available for this appointment. 

• Background Checks: All final applicants for this position may be asked to consent to a criminal record check. Please note that people with criminal records are not automatically barred from applying for this position. Each application will be considered on its merits.

Relocating from interstate or overseas? We will support you with the visa sponsorship process and a relocation support package. You can find out more about life in Australia’s Sunshine State here.

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Professor Michael O'Sullivan ************@uq.edu.au. For application queries, please contact ******@uq.edu.au stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line.

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Resume

• Cover letter addressing the ‘About You’ section

At UQ we know that our greatest strengths come from our diverse mix of colleagues, this is reflected in our ongoing commitment to creating an environment focused on equity, diversity and inclusion.  We ensure that we are always attracting, retaining and promoting colleagues who are representative of the diversity in the broader community, whether that be gender identity, LGBTQIA+, cultural and/or linguistic, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with a disability, or age. Accessibility requirements and/or adjustments can be directed to ******@uq.edu.au.

If you are a current employee (including casual staff and HDR scholars) or hold an unpaid/affiliate appointment, please login to your staff Workday account and visit the internal careers board to apply for this opportunity. Please do NOT apply via the external job board.

Applications close Friday 19 July at 11.00pm AEST (R-39413).