Bioinformatician / Molecular Diagnostics Scientist Molecular Infectious Diseases, LabPlus Auckland

• Permanent full-time role (40 hours/week)
• Based at LabPLUS Auckland City Hospital

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

We are seeking a highly motivated and innovative Bioinformatician / Molecular Scientist to join our Molecular Infectious Diseases Department. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge infectious disease diagnostics by combining advanced bioinformatics with practical involvement in molecular diagnostic testing, assay validation, and implementation of new technologies.

This position works alongside a team of Medical Laboratory Scientists, with support from the Section leader, Scientist Unit Manager, Microbiologist and Virologist.

Key responsibilities

Bioinformatics

• Develop, optimise, validate and  maintain bioinformatics pipelines for genomic and molecular diagnostic applications.
• Analyse, interpret, and report next-generation sequencing (NGS) and other molecular diagnostic data.
• Support Molecular Infectious Diseases testing services through data analysis and laboratory-based activities.
• Interpret and communicate complex genomic findings to laboratory and clinical stakeholders.
• Monitor emerging bioinformatics tools, databases, and technologies relevant to infectious disease diagnostics.
• Ensure bioinformatics pipelines, associated workflows and documentation meet quality assurance, accreditation, and regulatory requirements.

Diagnostic Testing and Assay Verification

• Participate in hands on routine and specialised  molecular diagnostic testing as required.
• Assist in the verification, validation, and implementation of new molecular and genomic diagnostic assays.
• Contribute to method development, performance evaluation, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Prepare verification and validation reports and documentation to support accreditation requirements.
• Support troubleshooting and optimisation of laboratory workflows and testing methodologies.
• Assist in developing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and quality management documentation.

About the service

LabPLUS is an IANZ accredited medical laboratory and is one of New Zealand's premier laboratories. LabPlus offers a comprehensive pathology service for Auckland City Hospital, Starship Childrens Hospital, National Women's Health, and the Greenlane Clinical Centre. LabPLUS is also a major referral laboratory for specialised laboratory tests for clinicians and laboratories across New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Visit our website www.labplus.co.nz for more information. 

About you

You must have a registration as a Medical Laboratory scientist with the Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand or deemed registrable by the MSC at the time of appointment, as a required scope. For details, visit www.mscouncil.org.nz/

You will have:

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• Master's degree or PhD in Bioinformatics, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in the analysis of NGS data.
• Proficiency in Linux environments and scripting languages such as Python, R, Bash, or similar.
• Experience developing and maintaining bioinformatics workflows and data analysis pipelines.
• Strong understanding of molecular biology and infectious disease genomics.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and within a multidisciplinary team.

Desirable Experience

• Experience within a clinical diagnostic or accredited laboratory environment.
• Familiarity with molecular diagnostic techniques
• Experience with assay validation, verification, and quality management systems.
• Knowledge of laboratory accreditation standards such as ISO 15189.
• Understanding of pathogen genomics, antimicrobial resistance, and genomic epidemiology.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to apply

Well be reviewing applications and conducting interviews as they come in, so the position may close before the listed deadline. If you're interested, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

To apply please click on the `Apply tab below, outlining your experience and motivation to apply to this role and attaching your updated CV and Covering Letter.