Research Technician II

Research Technician

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) offers countless ways to change lives. Our diverse community of more than 20,000 Breakthrough Makers will inspire you to pursue passions, develop expertise, and drive innovation. At CHOP, your experience is valued; your voice is heard; and your contributions make a difference for patients and families. Join us as we build on our promise to advance pediatric care—and your career.

CHOP does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, or any other legally protected categories in any employment, training, or vendor decisions or programs. CHOP recognizes the critical importance of a workforce rich in varied backgrounds and experiences and engages in ongoing efforts to achieve that through equally varied and non-discriminatory means.

A Brief Overview

This entry-level research technical role participates in a planned research projects by performing research protocols, experimental procedures and other laboratory tasks under direct supervision. May occasionally exercise minimal discretion and judgement in execution and interpretation of experiments, and of data derived.

The research technician position is in the laboratory of Dr. Stella Chou, a Principal Investigator in the Hematology Division. Her research focuses on pediatric blood diseases, mechanisms of normal and pathologic hematopoietic development, and the study of vitro generation of red blood cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for transfusion medicine.

This research position is to support work focused on:

• Enhancement of in vitro generation of red blood cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for transfusion medicine
• Creation of customized pluripotent stem cells with rare blood cell phenotypes to generate red cells that would improve antibody identification in transfused patients with sickle cell disease.
• Identifying novel methods to expand pluripotent stem cell derived hematopoietic progenitors.

Research technician duties include significant tissue culture including culture of human induced pluripotent stem cells, primary human blood cells, and cell lines, as well as molecular biology procedures including DNA, RNA, and protein extraction; PCR, RT-PCR, and western blotting. The research technician will also assist in general laboratory duties including maintenance of the laboratory, autoclaving, and ordering supplies. You will become well versed in topics and procedures pertaining to hematopoiesis, directed differentiation into blood cells, and gene editing.

What You Will Do

• Performs research procedures on experimental samples with minimal supervision
• Formulates and performs complex lab experiments and analyzes & reports the data
• Performs tasks that require knowledge of advanced techniques and equipment
• Performs advanced calculations and maintains appropriate logbooks and lab notebooks
• Assists with planning specific research protocols and procedures
• Assists in development & troubleshooting of new techniques and ideas
• May be required to modify scientific methods and protocols (in conjunction with PI)
• Checks others results for completeness and accuracy
• May be responsible for training and mentoring new staff
• Assists in the preparing of grants journal articles, poster and oral presentations
• May perform routine and non-routine tests / experiments as needed
• Performs routine tests / experiments under the direction of principal investigator, supervisor or other designee
• Performs research procedures on experimental samples as directed
• Records and checks experiments/ results for completeness and accuracy
• Performs calculations and maintains appropriate log and lab notebooks
• Performs tasks that require familiarity with fundamental techniques and lab equipment
• May assist with planning specific research protocols and procedures
• Maintains office, lab area, solutions, reagents, supplies and equipment, disposes of specimens, media and other materials (using appropriate procedures)
• Assists in care and maintenance of lab equipment
• May coordinate schedules of tests and procedures
• Attends courses, seminars, and lab meetings to expand knowledge of research and laboratory techniques
• Records results, organizes data and maintains lab notebook in an organized manner
• Compiles and helps analyze data, prepares charts, graphs, and results of studies as directed
• Conducts literary searches as directed

Education Qualifications

• High School Diploma / GED - Required
• Associate's Degree - Preferred
• Bachelor's Degree - Preferred

Experience Qualifications

• At least one (1) year of related classroom experience or successful completion of a technical training program (eg. Wistar, WPSI) and research laboratory experience - Required
• At least two (2) years of related classroom experience or successful completion of a technical training program (eg. Wistar, WPSI) and research laboratory experience - Preferred

Skills and Abilities

• Intermediate understanding of lab procedures, protocols, and equipment.
• Basic exposure to lab specific experiments / techniques and scientific analysis
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Solid critical thinking / problem-solving skills
• Solid analytical skills

To carry out its mission, CHOP is committed to supporting the health of our patients, families, workforce, and global community. As a condition of employment, CHOP employees who work in patient care buildings or who have patient facing responsibilities must receive an annual influenza vaccine.

SALARY RANGE: $43,900.00 - $53,440.00 Annually

Salary ranges are shown for full-time jobs. If you're working part-time, your pay will be adjusted accordingly. At CHOP, we are committed to fair and transparent pay practices. Factors such as skills and experience could result in an offer above the salary range noted in this job posting. Click here for more information regarding CHOP's Compensation and Benefits.