Rhett completed his BSc at the University of Adelaide, majoring in Anatomy and Zoology. He then went onto do an honours project with Bill Breed in marsupial reproductive biology. This stimulated his interest in working on the conservation of Australian native animals using reproductive technologies.

For his PhD project, he investigated the cryopreservation of kangaroo spermatozoa.

Dr McClean joined CSU in 2010 as an Associate Lecturer in Physiology and Anatomy in the School of Biomedical Sciences.