Medical Oncology Clinical Research Fellow - Te Pūriri o Te Ora Cancer and Blood Service

• Auckland City Hospital | Full-time Fixed Term for 12 months (starting January 2026, with flexibility to start earlier or later)
• Gain valuable research and clinical trial experience in Medical Oncology
• Work within a collaborative, high-profile academic and clinical research environment

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

The Te Pūriri o Te Ora Cancer and Blood Service at Te Toka Tumai Auckland Hospital and the Department of Oncology at the University of Auckland collectively aim to transform care and improve patient outcomes by being a leader in health care delivery, research and education. Together these two units strive to increase research opportunities across all aspects of patient care and are recognised for their academia and close collaboration. We are pleased to offer the following clinical research fellow positions for 2026.

Our Medical Oncology Unit delivers care to patients with a wide variety of malignancies, with an emphasis on evidence-based medicine and the importance of the multi-disciplinary teams. We serve a patient population of close to 2 million people, with over 2500 new patient appointments each year. Research is an integral part of practice and reflects the teams aim to provide the best care possible.

Embedded within our research unit is Auckland Cancer Trials Centre - the largest phase I unit in New Zealand. The unit has experienced exponential growth with a strong focus on small molecule inhibitors, next-generation chemotherapy trials, immunotherapy agents, combination/multi-modality Phase I trials and molecular characterisation/translational studies. The Auckland Hospital team is involved in numerous clinical and translational research projects and closely collaborates with a number of research programs underway at the University of Auckland. There will be the opportunity to develop research projects from concept to commencement

We are offering Medical Oncology Clinical Research Fellow positions for 2026.

As part of the fellowship you will be exposed to clinical research spanning the spectrum of patient care. The fellow will be involved in managing all aspects of trial patients, through new patient consultation, consent and screening patients and reviewing patients at follow-up appointments. Clinical responsibilities will involve both clinical trial work and medical oncology care. As part of these fellowships, there will be the opportunity to be part of the molecular tumour board and cutting edge research led by the University.

We are also offering a Clinical Molecular Fellow position for 2026

The Medical Oncology Clinical Research Fellowship can be split 50:50 with the Clinical Molecular Fellowship. The Clinical Molecular Fellow supports the Molecular Tumour Board to interpret molecular testing of cancers. The successful applicant will work with variant curators, biologists and Medical Oncologists, to make clinical decisions for patients, and drive genomically-enabled clinical trial recruitment.

There will be the opportunity to also develop expertise in specific tumour streams of your interest. We have fellow opportunities in the early phase unit, lung cancer team, genitourinary cancers and melanoma.

These positions are suitable for enthusiastic and research-motivated applicants, who are pursuing a career in Medical Oncology and have an interest in gaining further research and clinical trial experience. Clinical responsibilities will occupy approximately 50% - 60% of the Fellow’s time. These roles have the key responsibility for co-ordinating the management of oncology patients eligible for or enrolled on clinical trials within the Oncology Unit of Te Toka Tumai. This includes overseeing trial patients, their treatments and protocol specified reviews. Engagement of individual research projects during the placement will be expected. There will be the opportunity to develop your own research ideas and also the potential work towards a higher research degree with support and mentorship.

For all aspects of this role and experience/knowledge required please see the position description 

Key Contacts for the Fellowship Programme:

• Dr Michelle Wilson – SCD, Cancer and Blood Research: miwilson@adhb.govt.nz
• Dr Laird Cameron – Medical Oncologist: lairdc@adhb.govt.nz
• Dr Sanjeev Deva – Medical Director, Auckland Cancer Trials Centre: sanjeevd@adhb.govt.nz
• Dr Benjamin Lawrence – Clinical Lead, Medical Oncology; Head of Oncology, University of Auckland: b.lawrence@auckland.ac.nz

For more information on living and working in Auckland, click here.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• A medical qualification and eligibility for registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand – visit www.mcnz.org.nz for information
• A strong interest in research and clinical trials
• Excellent communication, organisation and collaboration skills
• Motivation to contribute to individual or team research projects
• A desire to pursue a career in Medical Oncology

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to providing excellent healthcare to all New Zealanders. We embrace diversity and inclusion and are committed to equity across our workforce. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To apply, please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Jade Cowley, Recruitment Consultant at jade.cowley@tewhatuora.govt.nz.

We will review applications as they are received and may proceed with interviews before the closing date.

#healthnzfellows