Research Specialist A (Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

About The Position

The Research Specialist will be part of a cooperative and enthusiastic group focused on neurodegenerative disease research. Responsibilities include extracting, purifying, and characterizing proteins from human brain tissue. Daily tasks will involve cell culture (primary cultures and cell lines), Western blot, immunofluorescence, and ELISA. Additional duties may include equipment maintenance, preparation of stock laboratory reagents, and maintaining an organized laboratory notebook. We seek a candidate who is enthusiastic, highly motivated, organized, capable of multitasking, and able to work independently. Essential qualifications include experience/knowledge of biochemistry. Additional experience in molecular biology (such as mRNA isolation and qPCR) and animal handling is a plus. The candidate will be expected to attend regular laboratory meetings and participate in Center activities. Position contingent upon funding.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science and 0 to 1 year of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
Enthusiastic, highly motivated, organized, able to multi-task, and work independently.
Experience/knowledge of biochemistry.
Must have strong organizational skills, good written and oral communication skills, and must be reliable.
The ability to coordinate several projects concurrently is essential.
Candidate must be able to work in a team environment and must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point.
Position contingent upon funding

Nice To Haves

BA/BS in Biology/Biochemistry/Neuroscience (or related field), preferably with prior lab experience.
Experience with standard techniques in biochemistry, cell culture, and immunochemistry are highly desirable.
Additional experience in molecular biology (such as mRNA isolation and qPCR) and animal handling is a plus.
Willingness to learn new techniques is an asset.

Responsibilities

Extracting, purifying, and characterizing proteins from human brain tissue
Cell culture (primary cultures and cell lines)
Western blot
Immunofluorescence
ELISA
Equipment maintenance
Preparation of stock laboratory reagents
Maintaining an organized laboratory notebook
Attend regular laboratory meetings and activities of the Center

Benefits

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
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.
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 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 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.
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.