Garvan's Higher Degree Research programme supports approximately 90 PhD students who are advancing discoveries in cancer biology, immunology, genomics, and clinical translation, and in doing so are tackling some of medicine's greatest challenges.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The HDR Program Coordinator works collaboratively with the HDR Manager and Higher Degrees Committee Chair and plays a pivotal role ensuring seamless coordination and support of student candidatures, scholarships, training activities, and committee functions.
This position sits at the intersection of operational excellence and research culture. The incumbent works alongside the HDR Manager to strengthen systems and processes that underpin successful PhD candidatures at Garvan. The partnership with the HDR Manager is essential in fostering a culture of continuous improvement whilst maintaining the highest standards of student experience and research training excellence.
Salary: $87,000 (Prorated $43,500) + 12% super + salary packaging
Employment Type: 2-year max term contract. Part time. 19 hours per week
SNAPSHOT OF BENEFITS
Generous salary packaging to save you income tax on your wages thereby boosting your monthly take home pay (max. $15,900 general expenses + $2,650 meals/accom)
Ample opportunities for on-going training and development
Stimulating, diverse and highly international research environment
Flexible work arrangements e.g. start / finish times
18 weeks paid parental leave for both parents including paid superannuation
A range of additional leave types to meet your personal needs including cultural leave, conference leave, community service and study leave
Discounted Health Insurance
Lifestyle discounts with our community partners
WHAT YOU WILL DO
The key responsibilities include:
Scholarship and Candidature Administration
Coordinate student placement and allowance processes with the HDR Manager, ensuring smooth communication between all parties
Advise students and supervisors on candidature policies, procedures, and requirements
Maintain accurate records to support tracking of student progress and candidature variations
Oral Examination Coordination
Work with the HDR Manager to establish and coordinate the PhD oral examination process across Garvan's HDR cohort
Liaise with UNSW Faculty of Medicine regarding examination chair and coordinate on-site logistics for examinations for Garvan students to ensure high-quality examination experiences
Develop and maintain documentation and resources to support consistent, efficient examination processes
Higher Degree Committee and Research Progress Review Support
Collaborate with the HDR Manager in providing secretariat support for HDC meetings (preparing agendas, minutes, tracking actions) and coordinating sub-committee meetings as required
Work alongside the HDR Manager to schedule and coordinate Research Progress review panels (confirmations, annual progress reviews, and enhanced support reviews), managing logistics, Zoom facilitation, and documentation
Seminar Programme Coordination
Partner with the HDR Manager to deliver Garvan's HDR seminar programme (~60 student presentations annually across ~15 sessions), including speaker scheduling, room bookings, communications with students and supervisors, and Institute-wide promotion
Ensure seamless integration of seminar presentations with same-day Research Progress review panels
Student Experience and Communications
Serve as welcoming, approachable point of contact for HDR student queries, providing guidance on policies, procedures, and resources
Handle sensitive issues and challenging situations with tact, discretion and empathy, escalating matters where appropriate
Work with the HDR Manager to coordinate development of HDR program communications, including website and intranet, as well as representing Garvan at UNSW HDR events.
UNSW Liaison and Cross-Institute Collaboration
Support the HDR Manager in liaison with UNSW Graduate Research School, including attending meetings as required to ensure alignment with university requirements
Support coordination and communication with other affiliated Medical Research Institutes who supervise HDR candidates through UNSW Medicine & Health
Assist the HDR Manager in building and maintaining effective relationships across Garvan Research Programs, Professional Teams, UNSW faculties, and external stakeholders
Systems Development and Special Projects
Partner with HDR Manager on continuous improvement initiatives including development of internal tracking systems and dashboards to enhance program oversight and student support
Support the HDR Manager and HDC Chair in coordinating special projects related to the HDR program including workshops, events, and other initiatives that enhance the student experience
ABOUT YOU
Qualifications and Experience
PhD qualification (desirable) OR demonstrated experience in a Higher Degree Research Coordinator, Postgraduate Coordinator, or similar research support role
Experience working in an academic or research environment with understanding of research culture, supervisor-student dynamics, and the HDR student lifecycle
Familiarity with Australian research governance frameworks, including the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (desirable)
Experience in committee secretariat support and coordination of events or programmes involving multiple stakeholders (desirable)
Grant or scholarship administration experience (desirable)
Technical Skills
Proficiency with standard office software (Microsoft Office/Google Workspace) and ability to quickly learn new systems and databases, and UNSW enterprise systems
Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, with ability to prepare clear documentation and correspond professionally with diverse stakeholders
Excellent time management and organisational skills, with demonstrated ability to respond to changing priorities, manage multiple concurrent tasks and meet competing deadlines through sound judgement and initiative
Personal Attributes and Capabilities
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and productively within a partnership, taking initiative whilst also supporting collective goals
Proactive and self-directed, with strong initiative to identify and address needs without prompting
Highly developed interpersonal skills with patience and emotional intelligence when working with students who may be experiencing stress or challenges
Genuine care for student welfare and authentic commitment to delivering an outstanding HDR student experience
Ability to build effective relationships with students, supervisors, and professional staff across the Institute at all levels
Capacity to work independently and collaboratively, exercising sound judgement and maintaining confidentiality when handling sensitive matters
Motivation
Passion for enabling research excellence through high-quality, thoughtful operational support
Desire to be part of a culture of continuous improvement in research training coordination
Alignment with Garvan's values and genuine commitment to supporting the next generation of medical researchers
Appreciation for the importance of creating systems and processes that genuinely serve student welfare and research outcomes
ABOUT GARVAN
Garvan Institute of Medical Research is an independent Medical Research Institute (MRI) in Sydney, delivering scientific and clinical impact on a global basis and in partnership with organisations that share our vision. We are proud to be one of Australia’s largest and most highly regarded MRI’s.
Our vision is global leadership in discoveries to impact and our enduring purpose is to impact human health, by harnessing information encoded in our genome.
We seek to see our world-class discovery research achieve life-changing impacts, not only for individual patients with rare diseases, but for the many thousands affected by complex, common disease.
Garvan promotes a diverse workplace and is committed to the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. We are always looking for culture ‘add’, not culture ‘fit’ and are building diverse teams with great sets of complementary styles and skills to help deliver our important work effectively.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply for this position, please submit your application with a CV and cover letter as one document, stating why you are interested in this role. If you think you’re the right person for this role, we’d love to hear how your capabilities, achievements and experience set you apart. Only applicants with full working rights in Australia are eligible to apply for this role.