Research Technician IV

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia•Philadelphia, PA

8d•$53,000 - $66,300

About The Position

The Research Technician IV will participate in a planned research project by performing research protocols independently and with self-direction, while providing oversight and technical training to other research staff. The role requires specialized education in biological or chemical sciences and the consistent use of discretion and judgment in executing and interpreting experiments and data. The position is in the Mossé Laboratory at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, a multidisciplinary translational pediatric oncology research program focused on translating fundamental discoveries into more effective therapies for children with cancer, particularly neuroblastoma and other pediatric malignancies with substantial unmet clinical need. The laboratory integrates research on cancer predisposition, tumor genomics and clonal evolution, therapeutic resistance, drug development, and clinical translation. The technician will contribute to preclinical work evaluating targeted protein degraders, ALK-directed therapeutics, immunotherapies, and related approaches for childhood cancers. The technician will independently conduct and optimize experiments; collect, analyze, interpret, and present data; maintain rigorous experimental documentation; and support projects with translational potential. The role includes advanced and complex laboratory procedures, protocol planning and modification with minimal direction, assay development and troubleshooting, reagent preparation, inventory and equipment maintenance, and training and mentoring junior staff. The technician will collaborate with laboratory members and institutional collaborators and contribute to scientific communication, including presentations, manuscripts, grant applications, and reports. The role offers exposure to discovery science, preclinical therapeutic development, biomarker studies, and clinical translation, including approaches in targeted therapy, protein degradation, cancer genomics, and immunotherapy. Opportunities include professional growth, scientific presentation, authorship, and development of increasingly independent projects. The position is a day-shift role. The posted annual salary range is $53,000–$66,300 for full-time work.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
At least three years of classroom and directly relevant, progressive (increasingly complex or advanced) laboratory experience required.
Advanced understanding of laboratory procedures, protocols, and equipment.
Advanced proficiency in various research and/or analytical techniques.
Basic proficiency in experiment design and troubleshooting.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Excellent organizational skills.
Excellent critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
Excellent analytical skills.

Nice To Haves

Previous lead or supervisory experience in a research laboratory environment.
Experience with mammalian cell culture, including adherent and suspension cell lines.
Experience with PCR, qPCR, RT-qPCR, DNA/RNA extraction, and related molecular-biology methods.
Experience with flow cytometry and flow-cytometry-based functional assays.
Experience with Western blotting, ELISA, immunoprecipitation, and other protein-analysis techniques.
Experience with cloning, plasmid preparation, lentiviral or retroviral vector production, and cell transduction.
Experience with CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing and validation of engineered cell models.
Experience with immunologic assays, including characterization of immune-cell function or tumor–immune interactions.
Experience with drug-response, viability, apoptosis, proliferation, and mechanism-of-action assays.
Experience with protein engineering, targeted-protein-degradation platforms, or pharmacology studies.
Experience with next-generation sequencing workflows, single-cell technologies, or genomic dataset analysis.
Experience with mass spectrometry, proteomics, or biomarker-development approaches.
Basic bioinformatics, data visualization, and quantitative analysis.

Responsibilities

Independently plan, perform, troubleshoot, and document routine and complex laboratory experiments under the guidance of the principal investigator and senior laboratory staff.
Develop, optimize, and validate assays to assess therapeutic activity, mechanism of action, target engagement, and biomarkers of response.
Culture and maintain mammalian cell lines and perform molecular, biochemical, cellular, and immunologic assays.
Collect, analyze, interpret, and communicate experimental data in laboratory meetings and other scientific forums.
Maintain accurate, organized, and timely laboratory notebooks, electronic records, and experimental datasets.
Perform calculations, prepare figures and summaries, and contribute to data quality control and reproducibility.
Assist with experimental design, project planning, and prioritization of laboratory activities.
Prepare laboratory reagents and maintain shared equipment, supplies, inventories, and laboratory records.
Collaborate with laboratory members and institutional collaborators, including investigators with expertise in genomics, immunotherapy, pharmacology, proteomics, and clinical translation.
Contribute to scientific communication, including abstracts, posters, oral presentations, manuscripts, grant applications, and progress reports, as appropriate.
Participate in laboratory meetings, seminars, training activities, and professional-development opportunities.
Follow institutional policies and procedures related to laboratory safety, biosafety, data integrity, and research compliance.
Independently perform advanced, complex research procedures on experimental samples.
Formulate and perform complex laboratory experiments, analyze and report data, and interpret methodologies.
Independently perform tasks requiring knowledge of advanced techniques and laboratory equipment.
Perform advanced calculations and maintain appropriate logs and laboratory notebooks.
Plan and modify research protocols and procedures with minimal direction from the principal investigator, supervisor, or designee.
Assist in developing and troubleshooting new techniques and ideas.
Supervise, train, and mentor junior and new staff members.
Determine staff work assignments, schedules, and laboratory priorities as directed.
Present and discuss work at weekly laboratory meetings and national symposia.
Attend courses, seminars, and laboratory meetings to expand knowledge of research and laboratory techniques.
Assist in writing grants, journal articles, posters, and oral presentations.