Job Details

Research Specialist D

Position Number: 6404644
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Position Type: Laboratory and Research

Research Specialist D

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title
Research Specialist D

Job Profile Title
Research Specialist D

Job Description Summary
The Translational and Correlative Studies Laboratory (TCSL) Spatial Biology Research Specialist D (RSD) will serve as the dedicated technical lead for the Nanostring GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP), CosMx Spatial Molecular Imager (SMI), and nCounter platforms. These cutting-edge technologies enable the generation of high-plex protein and RNA expression data in a spatial or single-cell context from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. These assays pipelines will be used to interrogate human tissue samples from trials of cellular immunotherapy for cancer, infectious disease and autoimmune disease, and possibly tissues from animal models of disease. The RSD will be responsible for executing spatial biology assays on tissue samples provided by CCI investigators, collaborators, and other research partners. To successfully carry out this work, the RSD will request tissue blocks from biospecimen banks, coordinate their transfer to the appropriate facility for sectioning and slide preparation in alignment with the required technology specifications, and ensure their timely delivery to the TCSL for staining and analysis. This role also involves organizing meetings with the pathologist to jointly review the H&E-stained tissue and, upon completion of RNAscope, selecting appropriate regions of interest (ROIs), a critical step for generating meaningful and accurate spatial transcriptomic or proteomic data. Following this and when appropriate, the RSD will coordinate the transfer of resulting libraries to the designated sequencing core for analysis and collaborate with the bioinformatician to interpret the sequencing data. Additionally, the role includes oversight of the instrument's operation, routine calibration, and preventative maintenance of the three instruments as well as validating assays, developing and refining protocols, generating report templates, preparing documentation, and writing standard operating procedures (SOPs). This individual will also collaborate with the vendor to extend and customize assay panels, markers, and applications to align with the evolving scientific needs of investigators as the technology continues to advance.
Finally, this individual will contribute to the daily operation of the laboratory, including the processing and bio-banking of human samples from numerous clinical trials supported by the TCSL.

Might be required to work Holidays and weekends.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

Train in the use of the Nanostring GeoMx DSP instrument and the nCounter instrument. Ongoing training and education as more applications are developed
Develop procedures for the use of these instruments in TCSL, including report forms, documentation and writing SOPS
Process samples for analysis and conduct Nanostring DSP and nCounter assays for CCI investigators and other clients
Execute further assay development and validation of custom panels in collaboration with CCI investigators, including literature research and experimental design.
Assist in the analysis of data from the Nanostring instruments
When not engaged in the above activities, serve as a backup resource for molecular and cellular sample processing and biobanking and laboratory operations.

Qualifications

Master of Science and 3 to 5 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
Master's degree in the biological sciences
3-5 years academic or clinical or industry laboratory work (required)
>2 years' expertise with immunohistochemistry/in situ hybridization/microscopy techniques (required).
Human and/or animal sample handling: blood, bone marrow aspirate, tissues, fluids (required)
Experience with processing pathological specimens for analysis (preferred)
Familarity with biostatistics and/or bioinformatics (preferred)

Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School
Perelman School of Medicine

Pay Range
$66,000.00 - $76,973.25 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job's level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family-whatever your personal needs may be.
Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, you won't have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on at Penn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you're right in the middle of the excitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.
To apply, visit https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/upenn/careers-at-penn/job/Translational-Research-Laboratories/Research-Specialist-D_JR00107459-1