Scientist Grade 1 - Anatomical Pathology

Date: 25 Jun 2025

Site: VCCC (Parkville)

Location:

MELBOURNE, VIC, AU, 3000

Company: Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Unit: Histology

Division: Business Ventures

Department: Pathology Operations

Enterprise Agreement: Medical Scientists, Pharmacists and Psychologists

Histology

At Peter Mac we aim to continuously improve cancer care, research and education across all cancers and for all people affected by cancer: changing lives, breaking new ground. Everything we do is underpinned by our core values, Excellence, Compassion and Innovation. Welcoming people from a wide variety of different backgrounds and experiences is critical to fostering innovation, cultivating compassion, attracting and retaining top talent and providing the best possible cancer care for our patients.

YOUR ROLE IN OUR FUTURE
Medical Laboratory Scientist – Grade 1
Ongoing Full Time Role

• 80 Hours / Fortnight with ADO.
• Parkville Location
• Salary Range $63K-$91K, depending on experience.

We are seeking a skilled and motivated Grade 1 Medical Laboratory Scientist to join our dissection team in the Anatomical Pathology department in a full-time, ongoing position. You will play a key role in supporting histological diagnosis through the preparation and dissection of human tissue samples in a NATA-accredited setting, aligned with ISO 15189 and NPAAC standards.

This role is ideal for a detail-oriented professional who thrives in a fast-paced, high-quality, and collaborative laboratory environment and must hold a relevant degree in Medical Laboratory Science or equivalent, with at least two years of experience in specimen dissection / grossing.
Victorian Department of Health has endorsed the initiative to restructure existing public pathology by bringing together laboratories into pathology networks operating under a lead health service.

Pathology services from the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the Royal Women’s Hospital and the Royal Children’s Hospital will transition to a single pathology service. This creates an exciting opportunity to strengthen the scope, scale and reach of pathology services across the Parkville precinct to benefit all Victorians.

This role will transition to the new lead health service for pathology services once determined.

Peter Mac is a child safe organisation, and we do not tolerate child abuse. We support and value all children and young people. We promote and prioritise the safety of children who are in our care or visiting our campuses

Applicants to this role should provide a covering letter outlining relative key skills and experience to assist us with our assessment.

For further information about this opportunity, click Apply to be redirected to the Peter Mac Careers page where you can review the position summary. Alternatively, please contact us using the information below for a confidential discussion.

Hiring Manager: Darrin Siiankoski
Contact Number: 03 8559 7397
Email: Darrin.Siiankoski@petermac.org

Application Close: 11:59pm Wednesday 09 July 2025

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Position Summary

Position Summary

The Grade 1 Medical Laboratory Scientist in Anatomical Pathology will play a key role in preparing human tissue samples for histological diagnosis, performing a wide range of histological techniques including grossing (specimen dissection), embedding, microtomy, handout, molecular, frozen sections, quality control and special stains.

The role demands a comprehensive understanding of both practical and theoretical knowledge in anatomical pathology, combined with a strong commitment to quality and safety standards, ensuring compliance with ISO15189, NPACC guidelines, and the pathology quality management system.

Enterprise Agreement

Medical Scientists, Pharmacists and Psychologists (Victorian Public Sector) (Single Interest Employers) Enterprise Agreement 2021-2025

Classification or Salary Range

Med Scientist Grade 1 (RX3 to RX7)

Immunisation Risk Category

Immunisation Category A

Key Relationships

Position Directly Reports to -

Grade 2 Scientists
Grade 3 Scientists (Team Leads)
Grade 4 Scientist (2IC)
Principal Scientist in Anatomical Pathology

Indirect Reports to –

Head of Department of Anatomical Pathology
Director of Pathology Operations
Director of Pathology
Director of Business
Clinicians and clients
Other pathology scientific, technical, and administrative staff
All other hospital employees & service providers

Education

Bachelor of Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Science or Laboratory Medicine

Selection Criteria

Essential:

Bachelor of Laboratory Medicine, Bachelor of Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Science, or equivalent qualification in Anatomical Pathology.
Minimum of 2 year’s dissection experience in a NATA registered diagnostic Anatomical Pathology laboratory.
Experience in anatomical pathology techniques, including (but not limited to) embedding, microtomy, special stains, frozen sections.
Knowledge and application of ISO15189 standards, NPACC guidelines, quality management, quality control and RCPA quality assurance programs.
Compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) and document all laboratory processes, results, and activities in accordance with accreditation requirements.
Participate in internal audits and inspections to maintain laboratory certification.
Act as a role model in laboratory best practices, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
Demonstrated continuing professional development (CPD) and ongoing commitment to keeping up to date with advances in anatomical pathology.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with staff, clinicians, and researchers.
Able to problem-solve, with the ability to make informed decisions in a clinical laboratory environment.
Excellent organisational and time management abilities, able to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines under pressure.
Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and ensuring professional, patient-centred care.
Proactive approach to meeting high standards of quality, efficiency, and safety

Desirable:

Relevant postgraduate qualifications in management, leadership, quality, health & safety, training, or information technology (IT)
Specialised knowledge in surgical cut-up/grossing, IHC, FISH, and / or cytology would be advantageous
Prior experience with clinical trials and research, demonstrating the ability to contribute to evidence-based practices

Key Accountabilities

Key Accountabilities	Demonstrated by / Key Performance Indicators
Ensuring Anatomical Pathology services meet the clinical needs of Peter Mac patients	Maintain service performance targets to ensure compliance with Peter Mac, NPAAC, and NATA requirements. Ensure adherence to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) requirements. Ensure that all services provided are continuously and completely compliant with relevant regulatory, credentialing, and quality requirements. Maintain efficient and streamlined diagnostic workflows. Work in collaboration with pathologists and haematologists to deliver high-quality, specialised diagnostic services. Ensure all services meet key performance indicators (KPIs) and report on performance regularly to management. Ensure that results are effectively and appropriately communicated to all relevant stakeholders, including clinicians, pathologists, and external service providers. Maintain equipment, consumables, and reagent supplies to ensure that the laboratory is fully equipped for continuous service delivery. Ensure strict adherence to patient confidentiality standards in all aspects of laboratory operations and patient care.
Laboratory staff are suitable trained and supervised	Participate in departmental training and mentoring programs, ensuring all laboratory staff are formally assessed as competent in their roles, with relevant training records completed and maintained. Actively participate and ensure that annual competencies for laboratory staff are managed and completed on time, in compliance with departmental guidelines. Ensure that staff training is appropriate, complete, and compliant with departmental requirements, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Motivate staff to meet the service demands of the laboratory, ensuring high-quality results and outcomes.

Key Accountabilities (Contd..)

Key Accountabilities	Demonstrated by / Key Performance Indicators
Supports a workplace culture that encourages change, learning, innovation, and a team-based approach	Foster and support a workplace culture that encourages change, learning, and innovation while promoting a team-based approach to achieving departmental goals. Encourage collaboration, open communication, and problem-solving across all teams to create a supportive and dynamic work environment. Ability to troubleshoot issues as they arise, ensuring that problems are addressed promptly and do not impact the quality of results. Work collaboratively with staff and stakeholders to identify root causes of issues and implement solutions that enhance reproducibility and reliability of results. Maintain a record of CPD activities and encourage staff to develop and expand their professional knowledge and expertise
Maintains safe working practises and a safe working environment	Implement protocols and safety procedures designed to minimise accidents and injuries, ensuring a safe working environment for all staff. Report hazards or incidents promptly. Ensure laboratory operations comply with all relevant occupational health and safety (OHS) legislative and regulatory requirements, including risk assessments and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Conduct regular reviews and audits of laboratory processes to ensure continuous compliance with safety standards and identify areas for improvement. Implement preventative safety measures to reduce risks related to laboratory equipment, chemicals, biological materials, and general laboratory practices.
Manages continuous improvement and quality program	Actively participate in quality assurance programs to maintain high standards of performance and reliability. Implement and monitor quality systems as outlined in NPACC and ISO standards. Contribute to investigations into incidents and procedural breakdowns, documenting and reporting findings via the quality management system. Ensure all documentation meets NPACC and NATA standards, maintaining consistency and compliance. Contributed to continuous improvement processes by identifying workflow efficiencies and implementing operational enhancements.

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For further information about this opportunity, click Apply to be redirected to the Peter Mac Careers page where you can review the position profile. Alternatively, please contact us for a confidential discussion.

Peter Mac is a child safe organisation and has a commitment to child safety and wellbeing.

WHY WORK FOR PETER MAC

Peter Mac offer a range of benefits which support our people both personally and professionally.
Our staff benefits include award winning facilities, professional development and events, a health and wellbeing program, flexible work practices and policies and financial benefits such as salary packaging.
We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with a disability.