Full-time Research Associate, Department of Oral Medicine

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Open Date: August 20, 2026

About the role

The Department of Oral Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine invites applications for a Research Associate position within the Academic Support Staff. The Research Associate will report to Dr. Cagla Akay‑Espinoza and will participate in a research program that uses state‑of‑the‑art technologies and experimental models to identify and characterize discrete cell subtypes within complex multicellular environments.

Responsibilities

• Conduct laboratory studies involving molecular biology, next‑generation sequencing, mammalian cell culture, and mouse models.
• Design experiments and interpret data.
• Prepare manuscripts and contribute to grant applications.
• Develop an independent research project aligned with the laboratory’s scientific program.
• Pursue external research funding.

Qualifications

• Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent doctoral degree.
• Approximately five years of relevant postdoctoral research experience.
• Extensive expertise in molecular and cellular biology.
• Experience with next‑generation sequencing technologies.
• Proficiency in mammalian cell culture and mouse models.
• Strong publication record.
• Excellent scientific writing and communication skills.
• Ability to contribute to manuscript preparation and grant writing.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.
• Desirable (but not required): experience with electrophysiological recording, multielectrode array recording, computational analysis, or next‑generation sequencing data analysis.