Medical Scientist - Point of Care Coordinator

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.

The Role:

This is a Part Time Fixed Term position until 30.06.2026 due to an internal secondment 40 hours (5 shifts) per fortnight within the Laboratory Services Biochemistry department.

You will be responsible for performing Point of Care services, laboratory duties and ward liaison during business hours, as directed by the Principal and Senior Scientists.

What You’ll Achieve:

• Manage all aspects of the Point of Care Coordinator’s duties for the RCH and RWH POC tests, including validation and reporting, QC surveillance, QAP management and non-conformances with assistance from scientific staff and ward managers (ANUM), after appropriate training.
• Perform routine maintenance and basic troubleshooting on POC instrumentation and equipment within Biochemistry and across both RCH and RWH hospitals.
• Liaison to the POC suppliers and the emergency, theatre and ward staff using POC devices for registration and training and super user training of all instruments and software used to manage and control these instruments.
• Liaise with the Quality Manager to manage periodic review and audits of POC policies and procedures. Adherence to standard operating techniques and procedures documented in laboratory manuals as required by the International Quality System Standard (ISO 15189-2009), NATA and NPAAC requirements.
• Participate in Departmental continuing education, ongoing competency program/s and external quality assurance programs.
• Report opportunities for improvement and/or implement initiatives in consultation with the Principal Scientist/ Scientist in Charge to provide continuous workflow improvement for the laboratory.
• Constantly strive to improve and enhance the ever expanding filed of Point of Care within the hospitals

Classification for this position will range from 3.1-3.4 (RY9-RZ3) (base salary pro-rata $108,820.40-$123.905.60 per annum, plus superannuation)- refer to the "MEDICAL SCIENTISTS, PHARMACISTS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS VICTORIAN PUBLIC SECTOR (SINGLE INTEREST EMPLOYERS) ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2021-2025" for wages, superannuation and conditions

Your Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Laboratory Science) or Bachelor of Science or equivalent as per the enterprise agreement.
• Previous experience of employment in a clinical biochemistry pathology laboratory.
• Experience in point of care devices like BGAS, iSTAT, Coagulometers, Glucometers etc and software that controls and monitors these devices. 
• Maintaining enrolment and training and competencies of all users across both RCH and RWH
• Maintaining our POC-related quality system (Qpulse) for all documentation including validated methods, procedures and policies
• Managing the QAP material, results and submissions each month to the RCPA or equivalent
• Monitoring QC for signs of instability or out of range devices and troubleshooting these instruments together with assistance from the RCH team and vendors engineers
• Instrument control softwares like Siemens POCellerator (or equivalent) and the Microsoft suite of softwares and statistical techniques
• Good knowledge of quality control systems and EQA enrolment/submissions experience and managing non-conformances
• Demonstrated knowledge of or experience within a paediatric diagnostic laboratory is advantageous.
• Knowledge of ISO15189 and its application to diagnostic pathology laboratory and medical testing is highly desirable including working knowledge of related POC NATA and NPAAC requirements that the RCH must abide by to maintain our accreditation.
• Previous experience with pathology Laboratory Information Systems (e.g Medipath/Beaker) and hospital electronic medical records (e.g. EPIC) and/or clinical viewers (e.g. IBA) is advantageous.

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

About the Department

The Biochemistry Laboratory, within the department of Laboratory Services, provides a comprehensive, high quality diagnostic chemical pathology service to both the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Royal Women’s Hospital 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

What we offer:

• Salary Packaging – Increase your take home pay!
• Parkville location and close to public transport

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 Steven Ramsay Ph:03 9345 9882 Email: steven.ramsay@rch.org.au

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 be part of the new centre of excellence that will be led by Melbourne Health.

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 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

Are you ready to join our team? 

 Apply online by clicking on the “Apply” button

Applications close 4 July 2025