Research Specialist A

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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 A

Job Profile Title

Research Specialist A

Job Description Summary

The Lee Laboratory in the Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division is seeking a Research Specialist who will assist in conducting
translational research studies to develop biomarkers in patients with kidney disease and other patient populations. The Research
Specialist will interact directly with patients to discuss informed consent for translational studies, coordinate specimen collections
with them, administering questionnaires to them, and inputting data into databases. The Research Specialist will also process stool,
blood, urine, and other biological specimens for storage and perform molecular biology experiments and biochemistry/protein
experiments on the biological specimens. The Research Specialist will analyze generated data and will provide training and mentorship to students and other research staff.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

The Lee Laboratory in the Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division is seeking a Research Specialist who will assist in conducting translational research studies to develop biomarkers in patients with kidney disease and other patient populations. The Lee Laboratory has a particular research focus on developing biomarkers in the stool, blood, urine, and other biological specimens in order to predict
and diagnose complications in patients with kidney disease. Dr. Lee has published on the relationship of the gut microbiota to urinary tract infections in kidney transplant recipients (Magruder et al., Nat Commun 2019) and the relationship of the gut microbiota to post-transplant diarrhea in kidney transplant recipients (Lee et al., Am J Transplant 2018).

We are looking for a highly motivated Research Specialist who would like to participate in translational research studies with patients.
The Research Specialist will interact directly with patients to discuss informed consent for translational studies, coordinate specimen collections with them, administering questionnaires to them, and inputting data into databases. The Research Specialist will also process stool, blood, urine, and other biological specimens for storage and perform molecular biology experiments and
biochemistry/protein experiments on the biological specimens.

The Research Specialist will analyze generated data and will provide
training and mentorship to students and other research staff.

DUTIES:
• Interacting with patients to discuss informed consent and to consent them into translational studies
• Coordinating specimen collections with patients and collecting their specimens in outpatient and inpatient settings
• Administering questionnaires to patients enrolled in the translational studies
• Processing stool, blood, urine, and other biological specimens for storage in the laboratory
• Performing molecular biology experiments (such as PCR and DNA sequencing) and biochemistry/protein experiments (such
as ELISA) on the biological specimens
• Inputting demographical, clinical, and specimen characteristics into databases
• Analyzing generated data and summarizing work for manuscript submission
• Providing training and mentorship to students and other research staff
• General lab management and ordering lab supplies
• Perform additional experiments/duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor’s Degree with 0 to 1 years of related experience in research
• Preferred: Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or related fields
• Preferred: Some prior experience in biomedical research
• Preferred: Should have a strong work ethic and good communication skills

CONTINGENT UPON FUNDING

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Perelman School of Medicine

Pay Range

$45,278.00 - $50,000.00 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 protectedunder 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.

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• 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.

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