Job location: Translational Research Laboratories

Employment Type: Full-time
Posted data: 2020-01-02
Req: JR00011423
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.

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

Senior Research Investigator

Job Profile Title

Research Investigator, Senior

Job Description Summary

The Senior Research Investigator (SRI) will take a leadership role in designing, overseeing, executing and interpreting advanced experiments whose end goal is the development of novel genetic therapies for neuromuscular diseases. Experimentation will include cutting-edge AAV-based gene therapy, pathological and state-of the-art physiological assessments of muscle and cardiorespiratory dysfunction in rodent and large animal models of neuromuscular disease.

The SRI will play crucial roles in all aspects of gene therapy product development and implementation including overseeing workflow and supervising and training lab personnel as necessary. The successful candidate will also be responsible for packaging research findings into publications, grants and presentations for academic and non-academic forums. The SRI will report to Research Director (Dr. Justin Percival) to assist the Principal Investigator (Dr. Jim Wilson) in developing new gene therapies for neuromuscular diseases.

Job Description

The Gene Therapy Program (GTP) is entering a new era of unprecedented growth and opportunity with great potential to reshape the face of medicine as we know it. Our discoveries have already set the stage for successful treatments and possibly even cures for devastating genetic diseases, once considered incurable.

The GTP of the University of Pennsylvania, is headed by Dr. Jim Wilson, a leader in the development of innovative vector technology for close to three decades. The GTP has emerged as the ‘go-to’ organization for public and private partners, who want to participate in the gene therapy space. Currently, we are positioned to lead another round of vector innovation and establish pre-clinical and clinical proof-of-concept in therapeutic applications of in-vivo genome editing.

We are currently looking for a Senior Research Investigator (SRI) to advance our neuromuscular disease gene therapy portfolio.

As an SRI, Translational Research, you will be involved in translational research projects in one or more therapeutic areas. In each case, you will be working in the setting of large interdisciplinary teams, where you will function independently in the execution of the experiments and collaboratively with members of other teams. Working independently, you will design, perform, optimize and implement complex in vitro and in vivo experiments in rodents, dogs, and nonhuman primates within specified timelines; provide cross-organizational support for essential laboratory functions; write and review protocols and standard operating procedures; prepare manuscripts and presentations and establish key collaborations.

This position offers the opportunity to interface broadly internally and externally with diverse scientific specialties as well as academic and industry partners. Joining GTP offers scientific professionals the unique opportunity of making discoveries that could progress from bench to bedside and ultimately lead to cures for devastating diseases.

Qualifications:

A minimum of 5 years’ experience after completion of the Ph.D. degree in the field of any of the following: small or large animal models of neuromuscular or muscle disease, cardio-respiratory physiology, molecular physiology, gene therapy, or related field. Experience in methodologies of molecular and cellular biology preferred. The successful candidate must thrive in a multi-disciplinary team environment, have excellent analytical, written and oral communication skills, and the ability to prioritize in a fast-paced environment.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Perelman School of Medicine

Pay Range

$32,000.00 - $204,000.00

Affirmative Action Statement 
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.

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