Research Specialist A - Computational - Cremins Lab

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.

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

Research Specialist A - Computational - Cremins Lab

Job Profile Title

Research Specialist A

Job Description Summary

The Cremins lab works at the spatial biology-technology interface to understand chromatin-to-synapse communication during neural circuit activation in the mammalian brain. We aim to understand how chromatin works through long-range physical folding mechanisms to encode neuronal specification and long-term synaptic plasticity in healthy and diseased neural circuits. We pursue a multi-disciplinary approach integrating data across biological scales in the brain, including molecular Chromosome-Conformation-Capture sequencing technologies, single-cell imaging, optogenetics, genome engineering, induced pluripotent stem cell differentiation to neurons/organoids, and in vitro and in vivo electrophysiological measurements.
Our long-term scientific goal is to dissect the fundamental mechanisms by which chromatin architecture causally governs genome function and, ultimately, long-term synaptic plasticity and neural circuit features in healthy mammalian brains as well as during the onset and progression of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disease states.
Our long-term mentorship goal is to develop a diverse cohort of next-generation scientific thinkers and leaders cross-trained in molecular and computational approaches. We seek to create a positive, high-energy environment with open and honest communication to empower individuals to discover and refine their purpose and grow into the best versions of themselves.
The computational analyst in the Cremins Lab will organize, manage, and curate big data on the cluster and find biological patterns in a wide range of genetic and epigenetic sequencing and imaging data to facilitate the paper figures of lab members. Candidate will train on the lab’s fundamental algorithms and run them in a collaborative manner with other team members to generate paper figures and make discoveries. Collaborative code building for team member papers will involve mastery and application of existing algorithms and tools for understanding and detecting TADs, subTADs, loops, and compartments in Hi-C and MicroC data and integrating the 3D genome features with underlying chromatin marks. As the candidate advances in training, they will develop new algorithms to find TADs and loops in single cell genomics data, as well as to analyze in situ DNA FISH and merFISH data. This role is ideal for you if you have a strong interest and motivation toward publishing results and will contribute to the preparation of multiple manuscripts, including making figures and writing methods and results. This role is ideal for you if you enjoy the excitement of a bleeding-edge scientific laboratory and welcome the challenge of a fast-paced environment and working collaboratively according to a community-focused scientific culture. Ideal for post-baccalaureate students eager to do PhD level research.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

Scientific

• Perform computational tasks under direction and collaboration with other graduate students, postdocs, and scientists in the laboratory.
• Train to achieve mastery and excellence in code to call compartments, TADs, subTADs, loops in Hi-C/Micro-C data, as well as in peak calling of Cut&Run and Cut&Tag data.
• Given concepts/ ideas, and/ or data from individual lab members, create algorithms to analyze data generated by their projects to create paper figures and make discoveries.
• In collaboration with lab members, write methods sections and figures for research papers where the analysis is used in the manuscript.
• As the position advances, begin to develop new code to find patterns in single-cell genomics and single-cell imaging data.

Daily leadership tasks

• Organize the lab cluster according to lab protocols and standards every week. 
• Lead the movement of data from basespace to the cluster and the keeping of careful records for sequencing runs and sample names for each project.
• Run established codes for read mapping and peak calling for lab’s foundational data across projects.
• Train on and oversee the creation of GEO portals and the movement and crosschecking of all data associated with a given scientific paper submission.

Scientific Writing

• Write methods, results, and make figures for papers.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree and related experience, including Python coding experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Strong verbal and written communication skills and a strong orientation to detail with exceptional organizational skills. Must be able to work collaboratively in a bleeding-edge fast-paced scientific laboratory. ​

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Pay Range

$36,368.00 - $50,000.00 Annual 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 grade profile. 

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.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• 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.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• 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.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

​

To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay