Microbiology Scientist

Queensland Health; City of Brisbane; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 90,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Superannuation

Leave loading

Employee support

Flexible leave

Career progression

Training opportunities

Job summary

Queensland Health's Princess Alexandra Hospital Microbiology Department is seeking a Microbiology Scientist for two part-time positions (53.2 and 38 hours per fortnight). You will perform molecular testing for respiratory viruses, routine culture reading, microscopy, and related serology and mycology work, with after-hours and weekend shifts as required.

You will uphold quality standards, participate in training and professional development, and rotate across all sections to support

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Laboratory Science) or equivalent.
• Knowledge and skill in microbiology scientific judgment.
• Ability to prioritise specimens and perform tests independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to read bacterial culture plates and perform organism identification.
• Ability to perform microscopy (Gram stain, cell counts) and provide clinical advice.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to high-quality pathology service in Microbiology.
• Perform molecular testing for respiratory viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2).
• Carry out routine culture reading, microscopy, serology and mycology testing as required.
• Rotate across all Microbiology sections following training.
• Maintain compliance with NATA/ISO accreditation and quality control.

Skills

Scientific judgement

Specimen prioritisation

Bacterial culture reading

Microscopy

Organism identification

Clinical advice

Quality improvement

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Laboratory Science)

Job description

Take the next step in your career with this exciting opportunity within Queensland Health! There are two part-time opportunities available (53.2 and 38 hours per fortnight).

What you'll do

As the Microbiology Scientist, you will contribute to the delivery of a high-quality, efficient and client-focused pathology service within the Microbiology Department at Princess Alexandra Hospital. You will exercise sound judgement and discretion in managing workloads, prioritising tasks and ensuring the quality of your work while performing a range of diagnostic activities, including molecular testing for respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, routine bacteriology culture reading and microscopy, and, where required, serology and mycology testing. The role involves participation in an after-hours roster, including weekends and afternoon/evening shifts, and requires rotation across all sections of the Microbiology Department following appropriate training and in line with operational requirements. You will maintain compliance with NATA/ISO accreditation and certification standards through quality control activities and statistical reporting, while actively participating in professional development and educational initiatives to support continuous improvement and excellence in service delivery.

About you

We are searching for someone who has:

• a Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Laboratory Science) degree, or an equivalent qualification.
• Knowledge, expertise and skill in the delivery of scientific judgement within the discipline of Microbiology.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritise specimens, to perform tests accurately and efficiently without direct supervision and to work independently towards the logical solution of scientific and technical problems.
• Demonstrated ability (or ability to rapidly acquire the skill) to read bacterial culture plates, determine antimicrobial susceptibility and perform organism identification.
• Demonstrated ability (or ability to rapidly acquire the skill) to perform microscopy (including Gram stain and cell counts) of all sample types received in the Microbiology laboratory.
• Ability to apply established principles to a Microbiology service with provision of results and clinical advice in a client focused manner.
• Ability to build and maintain appropriate relationships with team members, clients and stakeholders.
• Ability (or ability to rapidly acquire the skill) to identify, develop and implement quality and service improvement activities in accordance with National Association of Testing Authorities and International Organisation of Standardisation (NATA/ISO) accreditation/certification.

Why work with us?

Work alongside passionate professionals in a supportive and inclusive environment that values people and prioritises employee success and wellbeing. This includes

• 12.75% superannuation
• 17.5% leave loading
• Access to 24/7 confidential employee support providers and counsellors including for immediate family members
• Additional flexibility to support your work life balance including access to generous leave entitlements, such as purchased leave, domestic violence leave, reproductive health leave, cultural leave, study and examination leave.
• Career progression with more than 300 diverse career pathways and career support to take you further!
• Access to a variety of programs and initiatives to support training and career growth.
• Grow your skills through hands-on experience and access to internal training opportunities and additional financial and leave benefits for approved external training and development.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

At Queensland Health, our work environment is inclusive and supportive, and we value our employees. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from people of all cultures, abilities and backgrounds.

Our commitment to cultural safety, equity, diversity and inclusion means we understand some people may need changes to the recruitment process. If you need support during the recruitment process, such as meeting with the panel virtually instead of in person, please reach out to the hiring manager. We value diverse candidates and your need for adjustments will not affect our hiring decisions.