Research Specialist A/B - Epidemiology Division

About the role

The Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics (DBEI) and the Antimicrobial Resistance, Healthcare Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship (ARES) Research Collaborative at the University of Pennsylvania seek a full-time Clinical Research Specialist (RS-A/B).

Responsibilities

• Specimen Processing: Perform techniques for sample processing (plating bacterial cultures, pipetting, vortexing, aliquot, and centrifugation) of human and environmental samples for identification of bacterial colonies; specimens can include anatomic samples (e.g., stool, urine, skin, respiratory) as well as environmental samples.
• Bacterial Storage & Library: Use LabVantage lab inventory system to maintain organization of isolates and DNA collections. Prepare cell lysate cultures and organize them for submission for whole genome sequencing.
• General laboratory duties including: recording results and methods in a daily lab notebook, data collection forms, REDCap database, and an Excel spreadsheet; reagent preparation, ordering supplies, basic lab cleaning, quality control, and maintenance.
• Bacterial Culturing Methods: Maintain bacteria, prepare culture liquid and solid culture media, isolate pure colonies from mixed cultures, subculture, freeze isolates for storage.
• Attend regular meetings with Penn team and collaborators and provide regular status reports.
• Perform bacterial growth rate and phenotypic assays using an automated plate reader.
• Biobanking: Organize and collect isolates from the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory weekly or oversee/assist a student employee in this task. Maintain list of biobanked isolates.
• Potentially perform molecular techniques including: PCR, DNA isolation from bacteria, restriction enzyme digestion, gel electrophoresis, DNA amplification by the polymerase chain reaction, and DNA preps.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree with related experience working in biology or microbiology research; ability to communicate & teach, strong organizational skills, time management, proficiency in microbiological techniques (obtaining pure culture, subculturing, freezing isolates); familiarity with Microsoft Office applications; REDCap and LabVantage experience preferred.

Benefits

The University of Pennsylvania 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.