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. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

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.

Posted Job Title

Research Specialist A-01 (Biomedical Sciences) Part-Time

Job Profile Title

Research Specialist A-01

Job Description Summary

We are seeking a highly motivated part-time Research Specialist A (34 hours/week) who shares enthusiasm with us and plays an integral role in our stem cell research project. The project is directed towards recreating human gonads and adrenal glands in a dish, which has broad and long-lasting impacts on human reproduction and endocrinology and opens up the new avenues for treatment of infertility and endocrine diseases.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sasaki_kotaro

Website: www.vet.upenn.edu/sasaki-lab

Specifically, the candidate will be immersed in our cell culture and animal experiments, including but not limited to culture of human pluripotent stem cells, animal husbandry, and multiomics analyses. They will also participate in generating scientific hypotheses, experimental design, data analysis and troubleshooting under the guidance of the PI and senior members of the laboratory. The candidate may also help with other experiments, including genotyping, QPCR, immunohistochemistry, and microscopy. Will assists senior level researchers on various supervised research projects within the lab. The Research Specialist A will carry out routine tasks, such as preparation of media and reagents, place orders for supplies, help maintain inventory and place lab equipment in their designated areas at the end of the day. He/she will gather data from experiments, complete data entry and analyze data in collaboration with Principal Investigators and postdoctoral researchers - with the intent of presenting research results in laboratory meetings.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Planning, performing, and interpreting experiments
• Research Protocol Development
• Animal Husbandry
• Presenting data
• Other duties assigned

This position is contingent upon grant funding.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science and 0 to 1 year of laboratory research experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Research experience with a background in stem cell biology, developmental biology and/or bioinformatics work is desirable.

The candidate must be proficient in cell culture, histologic analysis and handling research animals. A sound understanding of molecular biology techniques is also preferred. The applicant should be detail oriented and skilled at prioritizing tasks and working efficiently with sound scientific reasoning. Familiarity with Microsoft Office, statistics and graphics packages and database/literature software is highly desirable. The individual must be proactive in daily tasks/duties and equipped with strong written and verbal communication skills. Must have excellent organizational skills to manage multiple responsibilities and competent to work independently as needed.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

School of Veterinary Medicine

Pay Range

$19.98 - $20.00 Hourly 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, as well as internal and market factors and

the pay range assigned to the job profile.

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 protected under 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 and Life: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare.

• 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.

• Time Away from Work: 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.

• 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.

• 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.