Director of Translational Research Operations

Director of Translational Research Operations

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

Director of Translational Research Operations

Job Profile Title

Director D, Research

Job Description Summary

The Institute for Immunology and Immune Health (I3H) at the
University of Pennsylvania aims to translate immune data into
clinically actionable measurements, drive new discoveries, and
shift paradigms of clinical care. I3H is seeking a Director for the
Translational Research Unit who bridges scientific research with
business and commercial goals.

This position serves as a senior leader responsible for developing
operational workflows for routine scientific outputs, managing
budgets, overseeing projects from conception to completion, and
collaborating with cross-functional teams. The Director will
translate complex scientific deliverables into robust operational
pipelines to ensure financial sustainability, scientific integrity,
and professionalism.

The Director will manage the Translational Research Unit staff,
develop and implement strategic objectives aligned with the larger
goals of Immune Health, and support financial management and growth
of the service center. This includes identifying and proposing
improvements to enhance robustness, quality, and efficiency
throughout the sample lifecycle; collaborating on service rate
development and billing oversight; establishing QA/QC protocols;
establishing and ensuring digital chain of custody for samples; and
serving as the primary point-of-contact for internal and external
investigators. and serving as the primary point-of-contact for
internal and external investigators. The individual should have
proven experience in organizational growth, change leadership, and
building high-functioning teams, preferably in a biomedical science
environment. The individual should have exceptional communication
and relationship-building skills with the ability to represent the
organization effectively at local, national, and global
levels.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Manage a team of operations and scientific professionals,

setting and monitoring goals, addressing performance challenges,
and overseeing hiring and onboarding for Translational Research
Unit staff.

• Develop business and product strategies; work with the Director

of Immune Health to align goals and strategy of the Translational
Unit with overall goals of Immune Health.

• Collaborate with the Director of Finance to develop updated

service rates, oversee billing for services, and provide quarterly
reports capturing itemized expenditures and revenue.

• Serve as point-of-contact for internal and external

investigators interested in using Translational Research Unit
services; ensure seamless communication for new study planning and
onboarding.

• Establish and oversee QA and QC protocols for each service in

the Translational Research Unit, ensuring data is routinely
recorded, organized, and stored; create and oversee project
trackers.

• Identify and propose improvements to enhance robustness,

quality, and efficiency throughout the sample lifecycle, working
with the Assistant Directors of Processing and Platforms.

• Lead conceptual development and maintenance of client-facing

website; develop internal- and external-facing tracking system for
clinical cohorts and services in collaboration with the data
infrastructure team.

• Work collaboratively with the Director of R&D to develop

and implement new services; partner with communications staff to
develop marketing materials; draft and negotiate MOUs for external
partners.

• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science and 7 to 10 years or Master of Science and

5 to 7 years of experience or equivalent combination of education
and experience is required.The individual should have proven
experience in organizational growth, change leadership, and
building high-functioning teams in a biomedical science
environment. Experience in immunology is strongly preferred. The
individual should have exceptional communication and
relationship-building skills with the ability to represent the
organization effectively at local, national, and global
levels.

Position contingent upon funding.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Perelman School of Medicine

Pay Range

$112,433.00 - $120,000.00 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, and in alignment with salary ranges
based on external market data for the job's level. Internal
organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

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, 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

Equal Employment 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.

To apply, visit https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/upenn/careers-at-penn/job/3600-Civic-Center-Boulevard/Director-of-Translational-Research-Operations_JR00129198-1

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