Clinical Perfusionist Trainee

The Hospital:

The Royal Children’s Hospital’s (RCH) Vision is “A world where all kids thrive”.

RCH is a cornerstone member of the Melbourne Children’s Campus, partnering with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics and The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

RCH has cared for the children and young people of Victoria for more than 150 years since it was founded in 1870. A full range of paediatrics and adolescent health services are provided plus tertiary and quaternary care for the most critically ill and medically complex patients in Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW and other states around Australia and overseas. The Hospital has more than 6,000 staff, a budget of $850M, 12 wards and 350 beds. Annually, the RCH has 300,000+ Specialist Clinic appointments, 90,000+ Emergency Department presentations and 20,000 elective surgeries.

The RCH is committed to the Child Safe Standards. 

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact.

For further Information on RCH is available here.

About the Role:

This is a full-time, Fixed Term (3 year) Trainee Clinical Perfusionist position at 76 hours per fortnight within the Cardiac Surgery (Perfusion) Department.  

As a Trainee, you will acquire the skills necessary to provide for the management of patients undergoing medical procedures which support the heart and lungs. Primarily you will be responsible for operation of the heart lung machine which maintains a safe circulation during open heart surgical procedures and the management of patients placed on ECMO.

Classification for this position will be Medical Scientist, RCH Clinical Perfusionist, Grade 1 Yr. 1 -3 (FTE Base salary $83,902 - $97,843 per annum, plus superannuation). 

What you’ll achieve: 

• Deliver and take responsibility for perfusion services supporting advanced life support during cardiac surgery and ECMO.
• Participate in a 24-hour on-call perfusion roster.
• Contribute to research in extracorporeal life support and related technologies.
• Engage in ongoing professional development to maintain best-practice clinical standards.
• Provide education and training to allied health, medical, and nursing staff.

Your skills and experience:

• Trainees must enrol in The Master of Cardiovascular Perfusion at Monash University and begin study in the July 2026 academic period (details of the Masters course can be found at: Cardiovascular Perfusion - M6050 - Study at Monash).

• The ability to balance full time Masters level study with supervised clinical training concurrently
• The ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary team in an often challenging, patient facing environment.

• The trainee position is for a three-year period.  

If this sounds like you, click here to view the position description. 

About the Department:

The Perfusion Units sits within the Cardiac Surgery Department.  The Cardiac Surgery Department at the RCH is the sole provider of care for paediatric cardiac surgery for Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Northern Territory.  The Cardiac Surgery Department performs over five hundred and thirty open heart surgeries a year. It holds the Nationally Funded Centre for paediatric cardiac transplantation and this includes a large program for LVAD and ECMO. As one of the leading paediatric cardiac surgery programs in the world, our care relies on and includes clinical and technical excellence, innovation, clinical and experimental research and teaching of younger generations of surgeons. We have extensive experience in cardiopulmonary transplantation, circulatory support (VAD and ECMO), minimally invasive techniques, and reconstructive valve surgery. Our surgical team is supported by excellent Intensive Care, cardiology, anaesthetic, nursing, and other paediatric specialty services.

What we offer: 

• Salary packaging option with our partner, SmartSalary – Increase your take home pay by up to $11,500 per annum!
• Looking for a new set of wheels to get you to the office? We offer Novated Leases through our partnership with SmartSalary
• Workplace culture of continuous improvement, support and training
• Discounted Private Health Insurance
• Support for working mothers including two on-site Early Learning Centres, flexible working arrangements, breast feeding and pumping facilities 
• Help when you need it most! Staff counselling, financial coaching, legal support, nutritional support and specialist helpline services, and more through our EAP partner, Converge
• Unlimited access to select fitness facilities in your local area via Fitness Passport
• Retail discounts & more!

Other requirements: 

• Current National Criminal Record Check, or willing to obtain 
• Valid Working with Children Check 
• Compliance with RCHs “Staff Immunisation - Prevention of Vaccine Preventable Diseases” procedure 

Application process:

To apply, you will need a resume and a tailored cover letter outlining your skills, experience, and suitability for the position in line with the requirements of the position description. 

Shortlisting for this position will commence immediately, we encourage you to apply promptly!  

For more information about this position please contact the Cardiac Surgery Unit via phone on 03 9345 5200.

Why work at the RCH?

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact. We offer the opportunity to work in world-class facilities, surrounded by Royal Park and only a short tram trip from the heart of Melbourne city.

We also offer staff benefits such as discounted staff parking, salary packaging, and an award-winning health and wellbeing program.

The RCH is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse background, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with disability.

It is a requirement of your employment that you be vaccinated against Influenza annually for Category A and B roles, in compliance with any public health orders in place at the relevant time, unless you have a medical exception in line with those public health orders, which has been accepted by The Royal Children’s Hospital.  Applicants will be required to provide their Australian Government Immunisation History Statement, it is a requirement of the RCH to collect, record and hold vaccination information.

It is also a requirement of your employment that you comply with any direction given by The Royal Children’s Hospital that you be vaccinated against, or prove immunity to, any other disease, unless you have a relevant exemption, and offers of employment are conditional on successful completion of background checks including reference checks. 

Are you ready to join our team?

Apply online by clicking on the “Apply” button

Applications close 14 May 2026.