Lab Manager - Cellular Responses to Disease and Vaccination

The Chance An exciting opportunity is available for a Lab Manager to join the Cellular Responses to Disease and Vaccination Working Group at Burnet!

The Working Group is focused on understanding the development of protective immunity to malaria and other infectious diseases in humans.

In this role, you will lead general laboratory management and logistics for a large research team, including the management of core equipment, staff and student onboarding, training, and ethics and governance requirements. You will also independently generate data and undertake research on the human immune response to malaria to inform vaccine development, according to agreed research plans.

You will also

- Lead laboratory management and group logistics under the direction of the Working Group Head.
- Oversee laboratory operations, including procurement of supplies and consumables, equipment maintenance, management and calibration schedules.
- Manage specimen data banks and support staff and student onboarding.
- Support the planning, execution and troubleshooting of data generation and analysis according to agreed research plans.
- Prepare SOPs, safety documentation, project and ethics reports, and contribute to scientific presentations and communication with internal and external collaborators.
- Provide training and indirect supervision to junior staff and students across specific projects and activities.
- Assist the Working Group Head with budgeting and financial management.

Refer to the attached Position Description for full details. This is a full-time, 24-month fixed-term position with flexible working hours

Let's talk about you The following criteria are essential requirements:

- BSc (Hons) in a relevant field.
- Experience in laboratory-based biomedical research.
- Technical skills across a combination of areas such as molecular biology, parasite culture and immunology.




- Experience training individuals within diverse teams.

The following are preferable/desirable but not essential:
- Experience working in a human-focused or malaria-focused research laboratory.
- Experience working with international teams in resource-limited settings.

The Burnet experience…

We want you to have a successful and meaningful career at Burnet and are committed to providing a supportive workplace environment for all our people. You will be part of a collaborative culture where progressive leadership, innovation, respect, and excellence are valued. Join a team of talented individuals who are passionate about what they do – achieving a more equitable world through better health.

We offer

- A monthly accrued day off for full-time staff
- 14 weeks paid parental leave – no qualifying period
- Study leave
- Flexible working arrangements
- Generous salary packaging
- Opportunities for career and professional development

Who are we?

Burnet Institute is a leading Australian, unaligned, not-for-profit organisation passionate about social justice, equality and evidence-based research.

Burnet Institute brings together a highly diverse skill base, with more than 600 staff and students working across cutting-edge research and projects to address some of the most relevant global health issues. Institute-wide interdisciplinary health programs Disease Elimination, Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness, and Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health are at the heart of our daily decision making. Harnessing our international and local field presence, our laboratories,



and our mixed development and research cultures drives a greater focus on the most relevant health issues and achieves a greater impact as a result.

Whilst our headquarters is in Melbourne, Australia, we also have offices in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Myanmar and are actively involved in research and public health programs throughout Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and Africa. Burnet is the only unaligned organisation in Australia that has dual accreditation with both the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Bring your whole self to work

At Burnet, we foster a diverse and inclusive culture. We want our people to feel like they belong and are free to be themselves at work. We have an active Gender Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (GEDI) Council that works to promote and improve gender equity, diversity and inclusion across the Institute, by developing and implementing strategies informed by both national and international best practice and staff input.

Burnet holds an Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Award from Science in Gender Equity (SAGE).

If you have a reasonable adjustment, support, or access requirement at any stage of the recruitment process, we encourage you to let us know by emailing [email protected].

Sounds great! How do I apply?

Apply below and attach the following documents:

- Resume
- Cover Letter

Applications close at 11:59pm AEDT on Thursday, 17 September 2026

As part of our commitment to gender equity, we have included a question in the application process on gender. This will allow us to monitor and report on gender in relation to our recruitment process.

Burnet is a child safe organisation. The successful applicant will be required to apply for a National Police Check and/or Working with Children Check. Current Australian working rights are required for all applicants.

📌 Lab Manager (Melbourne)
🏢 Burnet Institute
📍 Melbourne