Technical Assistant

Children's Cancer Institute

Full-Time Permanent

ZERO Core Management 2 (ZCM2)

24 Jun 2026

For 40 years, our shared commitment to curing childhood cancer has united us. Together, we continue to accelerate the answers to make that possible.

To accomplish our vision, we’re seeking someone who lives our values: owning and delivering meaningful work, collaborating to drive impact, challenging the status quo to create a better future, and balancing logic with empathy. Let’s achieve more, together.

As a technical assistant within the ZERO Preclinical Testing team, you will be responsible for processing patient specimens and generating patient-derived cell cultures and xenograft models in mice for in vitro drug screening, molecular profiling and biobanking purposes. This position requires excellent teamwork and communication skills, adaptability, meticulous attention to detail, and strong time management skills so that test results can be provided in a timely manner.

This role is located in our new building the Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre, part of the Health Translation Hub in Randwick. The salary for this position will be between $73,000-$77,000 per annum.

As our Technical Assistant your purpose will be to:

Handle clinical patient samples and meticulously record all aspects of laboratory operations whilst ensuring patient confidentiality.
Establish and maintain primary cultures derived from patient tumour material and conduct high-throughput drug testing.
Work with animal models to establish, maintain, and process patient-derived xenografts for downstream analysis or biobanking.
Preparation of samples, liaising with couriers and external laboratory collaborators for validation, authentication and distribution of preclinical models.
Accurate record-keeping of patient and research materials in electronic laboratory notes (ELN) and the laboratory information management system (LIMS).
Collect and analyse experimental data.
Compliance with OH&S requirements for handling of human samples and according to Institute policies.
Compliance with privacy legislation, ethics guidelines and the legal requirements for research involving human material.
Compliance with relevant legislation and Australian standards.
Contribute to the establishment and maintenance of quality systems to ensure appropriate quality assurance, quality and risk management.
Ability to deliver Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Safe Work Procedures (SWPs) for all laboratory operations in a timely manner.
Assist with Data access requests and transfer as required.

To succeed you will have…

Tertiary qualifications in science and relevant PC2 laboratory processing experience
Experience with handling patient samples and tissue culture.
Highly developed communications and interpersonal skills and ability to interact with all tiers of the organisation
Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively to meet set targets.
Excellent attention to detail and demonstrated high level of organisational skills.
Experience with PC2 and WHS standards and behaviour is highly desirable.

We will support you to be your best with benefits that include but are not limited to:

Working in a world-class, purpose-built facility, the only one in Australia dedicated to curing childhood cancer

Focus on employee wellbeing, including up to 5 gifted wellbeing days off (paid) per year
Access to Fitness Passport, with access to an extensive choice of fitness facilities across Sydney at discounted rates
Corporate discounts and discounts on education through UNSW

Join us to shape a future every child deserves and to find meaning in your own. Because together, we can cure every child of cancer. It’s not if, it’s when.

Additional information about Children's Cancer Institute can be found on our website at: https://www.ccia.org.au/careers-study . We make hiring decisions based on your experience, skills and passion, as well as how you can enhance Children’s Cancer Institute and our culture. We embrace diversity and encourage you to advise of any reasonable adjustments you may need during the recruitment process.