R&D Officer (Life Scientist)

About Lixa

Lixa is a Perth-based biotechnology company developing novel, universal, antimicrobial resistance breaking technologies for human, animal, environmental and industrial applications.

About the Role

The R&D Officer is responsible for supporting the development, implementation and reporting of Lixa’s resistance breaking research and development projects.

The role will contribute to the development and validation of laboratory models used to evaluate Lixa’s resistance breaking technologies against multidrug resistant bacterial pathogens.

The R&D Officer will combine strong microbiology and antimicrobial resistance expertise with pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry experience, scientific documentation capability and a practical understanding of translating laboratory research into product-development outcomes. It suits someone who has worked in both academic discovery and regulated industry R&D and is comfortable moving between them.

This is a senior, hands-on scientific role sitting at the centre of our discovery-to-clinic transition. You will lead laboratory programs establishing the mechanism of action and in vitro/ex vivo efficacy of our lead compounds and you will translate that work into internal scientific reports and publications.

Employment type: Full-time

Location: Perth, Western Australia

Reports to: R&D Manager

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The Research Officer will:

• Design, execute and interpret microbiological studies characterising the activity of Lixa's compounds against priority Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens, including MDR clinical isolates

• Prepare high-quality technical reports, study summaries, scientific presentations, publications and other documentation for internal and external stakeholders.

• Maintain complete, accurate and traceable laboratory records in accordance with company procedures, Good Documentation Practices and data-integrity requirements.

• Develop, review and maintain laboratory methods, standard operating procedures, risk assessments, pathogen safety documentation and other quality-controlled documents.

• Execute mechanism-of-action investigations using proteomic, genomic and bioinformatic approaches, including resistance-emergence and adaptive laboratory evolution studies

• Develop and validate susceptibility, potentiation and checkerboard/MIC-shift assays for combination therapies

• Establish and run bacterial infection models in primary human cell and murine systems

• Supervise, train and mentor junior scientists, students and placement researchers

• Contribute to competitive grant applications and represent Lixa's science at conferences and to partners

Essential Qualifications and Experience

The successful candidate will have:

• A PhD in microbiology, biotechnology, infectious diseases, pharmaceutical sciences, biological sciences or a closely related discipline.

• Minimum three years' post-qualification experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry research and development, including efficacy, safety and stability study design, SOP development, and preparation of documentation for regulatory registration or inspection.

• Demonstrated research experience involving multi-drug resistant bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.

• Experience developing resistance-reversing or potentiator therapeutics.

• Hands-on experience culturing and characterising fastidious Gram-negative pathogens, including MDR clinical isolates, in a containment laboratory setting.

• Experience establishing bacterial infection models in human cell and/or murine systems, and developing, optimising or validating antimicrobial-testing assays.

• Experience establishing high-throughput drug screening platforms targeting MDR clinical isolates.

• Practical capability in proteomics, bacterial genomics and associated bioinformatic analysis applied to resistance characterisation.

• Experience contributing to the development or improvement of pharmaceutical products, medical devices or drug-delivery systems.

• Demonstrated ability to translate academic microbiology research into practical pharmaceutical or biotechnology development outcomes.

• Strong data analysis, interpretation and scientific-reporting skills, including preparation of technical documentation for research, product development and quality purposes.

• Strong organisational and project-management skills, with demonstrated attention to detail and commitment to scientific integrity, confidentiality and data quality.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

• Experience developing treatments or technologies for bacterial infections.

• Experience leading research projects or small scientific teams.

• Experience working within a biotechnology startup or commercially focused research environment.

• Specific research experience with Neisseria gonorrhoeae or other WHO priority pathogens, including work with clinical isolates from reference or public health laboratories.

• Experience with cationic antimicrobial peptide and innate immune killing assays

• Experience in an ISO-accredited or GMP environment, including inspection or audit responsibility

• Track record of competitive grant capture as lead or co-investigator

• Experience with drug delivery and formulation development

Working Conditions

The role is primarily laboratory-based and will involve work with bacterial pathogens, antimicrobial compounds and biological materials. The employee must comply with all applicable laboratory safety, biosafety, quality and risk-management requirements.

Some flexibility in working hours may be required to accommodate time-sensitive experiments and project deadlines.

Physical Requirements

The role requires routine laboratory work and the handling of standard laboratory equipment and materials. No unusual physical requirements apply.