Job and Study Opportunities

Head of Biobank (f/m/d)

Other job position

Application deadline: 31 Jul 2026

Institute: St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute
Country: Austria
More information: https://ccri.at/working-at-the-ccri/job-openings/?jh=5l0wg213rq9lr6zl66uyam8phu8ougy

Lead the next chapter of an established biobank shaping the future of pediatric cancer research!

At the St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute (St. Anna CCRI), science and clinical care are inseparably linked by a shared mission: improving the lives of children with cancer. This open role builds on an existing, actively used biobank infrastructure, embedded in routine diagnostics and numerous ongoing clinical trials.

We are now seeking an exceptional Head of Biobank to strategically modernize, consolidate, and further integrate this long‑standing biobank into a state‑of‑the‑art, certified infrastructure, including a sustainable digital database linked to clinical, diagnostic, and research data. This position is open to candidates at different career stages.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a state-of-the-art biobank that directly fuels precision oncology, cutting edge multi-omics research, and clinical innovation, turning high quality biospecimens into tangible breakthroughs for patients.

Key responsibilities
- Lead and further develop a certified biobank: Consolidate and modernize a long‑standing biospecimen collection, covering collection, processing, storage, and governance, and integrate it into a modern, database‑driven infrastructure linked to clinical, diagnostic, and research data.

- Strategic development & quality excellence: Define the biobank’s long‑term strategy, infrastructure, and workflows, ensuring compliance with regulatory, ethical, biosafety, and ISO quality standards.

- Clinical trial‑embedded biobanking: Oversee biospecimen acquisition, processing, and storage within numerous ongoing national and international clinical trials, respecting study‑specific regulatory requirements, material types, and defined time points.

- Robust governance & lifecycle management: Ensure full sample lifecycle governance, including consent, traceability, documentation, data integrity, and transparent access processes for researchers.

- Digital & infrastructural innovation: Lead the integration of existing biobank collections into a modern database environment, including metadata harmonization, linkage to clinical, diagnostic, and research data, and implementation of query interfaces for internal and external scientific users.

- Institutional & translational collaboration: Act as a central interface to the clinical diagnostics laboratory Labdia (St. Anna CCRI subsidiary), Precision Oncology, the St. Anna CCRI Clinical Trials Unit, pathology partners, and research groups to support translational research pipelines.

- Leadership, visibility & sustainability: Build and lead a high‑performing team, represent the biobank in national and international networks, and secure funding to ensure long‑term sustainability.

Required Qualifications
- PhD, MD/PhD, or equivalent degree in biology, biomedical sciences, pathology, or a related discipline.
- Several years of experience in biobanking, biospecimen management, laboratory quality systems, and ISO accreditation processes.
- Experience in establishing, optimizing, or managing laboratory infrastructures or service platforms is an advantage.
- Expertise in digital pathology, database systems, metadata structures, and modern sample lifecycle management platforms.
- Strong leadership capabilities with demonstrated team management, problem‑solving strengths, and scientific judgement.
- Experience collaborating with pathology, clinical teams, IT, clinical trials units, and diagnostic partners.
- Familiarity with ethical, legal, and regulatory frameworks for human biospecimen handling.
- Excellent communication and documentation skills within interdisciplinary scientific environments.
- Ability to thrive in a dynamic, collaborative, and technology‑driven setting.
- Fluent German and English required.