ACC CRU Biospecimen Coordinator (Abramson Cancer Center)

$20 - $25/Yr

University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA

Full-time

Philadelphia, PA

Educational Services

About the position

The Biospecimen Coordinator supports the operations of the Biospecimen Lab for the Abramson Cancer Center Clinical Research Unit, under the direction of the Biospecimen Lab Manager. This role coordinates specimen collection, processing, shipment, storage, management, and communicating between clinical research project teams, the clinical lab, the clinical research unit, sponsors, and the research labs.

Responsibilities

• Primary responsibilities include the collection, tracking, processing, and shipping of patient specimens for cancer clinical research trials. Specimen types include blood, bone marrow, urine, stool, and tissue biopsies.
• Central role in coordinating specimen collection, processing, shipment, storage, management, and communicating between clinical project teams, the clinical lab, the clinical research unit, sponsors, and the research labs.
• Develop/manage schedules for sample collection on studies as appropriate.
• Process samples as required by each protocol.
• Coordinate transport of samples from the clinic to the research laboratory, or research laboratory to outside laboratory/sponsor.
• Ship samples per protocol requirements.
• Communication within the biospecimen team and with research teams (responding to email queries, keeping track of status updates on patient visits, informing study teams when there are questions or obstacles in sample workflow, keeping team members updated).
• Laboratory and inventory management (unpacking and accessioning research kits and laboratory supplies, monitoring inventory, recycling expired kits, placing unused research kits back into circulation, keeping laboratory workspaces and storage spaces organized, maintaining freezers and refrigerators).
• Data management tasks: maintain specimen inventory system(s) to ensure that the status of each sample is known, and documented including entering kit prep and processing data in LabVantage LIMS system, recording sample processing and shipping information in Microsoft Excel, retrieving research study information from EPIC and Sharepoint.

Requirements

• Associate degree required.
• 3 to 5 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Clinical research experience and/or experience working as a laboratory technician are highly desirable.
• Must have effective communication skills as well as strong organizational skills.
• Flexible scheduling may be required.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits.
• Tuition assistance for employees, spouses, and dependent children.
• Generous retirement plans including Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans.
• Substantial time away from work for personal needs.
• Long-term care insurance for faculty and staff and eligible family members.
• Wellness and work-life resources.
• Professional and personal development resources.
• Access to University resources and cultural activities.
• Discounts and special services for faculty and staff.
• Flexible work hours.
• Forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home in West Philadelphia.
• Adoption assistance for qualified expenses.