Research Specialist D

Research Specialist D

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 D

Job Profile Title

Research Specialist D

Job Description Summary

The Breast Cancer Translational Research Group seeks a Research
Specialist D to lead our translational research program involving
bench to bedside investigations. This scientist will serve as the
Laboratory Manager and Quantitative Imaging Lead. They will
independently design experiments, analyze and interpret data, and
write scientific manuscripts while overseeing daily laboratory
operations and mentoring all laboratory personnel.

A major component of this position is hands-on quantitative
analysis of small-animal imaging studies evaluating novel
radiotracers, including image processing, kinetic modeling, and
longitudinal assessment of treatment response. The individual will
manage large research datasets, perform statistical analyses, and
develop reproducible computational workflows. They must be able to
interact with the EHR. Working directly with the principal
investigator, this person will coordinate research activities
across the laboratory and meet weekly with each laboratory member
to review raw data, assess progress, troubleshoot problems, and
establish next steps.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Independent Experimental Design and Scientific Writing
• Independently develop experimental designs and detailed study

protocols, including hypotheses, appropriate controls, quantitative
endpoints, and analysis plans for animal imaging, radiotracer
characterization, and translational breast cancer studies.

• Independently analyze and interpret experimental findings,

select and validate analytical methods, evaluate statistical and
biological significance, and design follow-up experiments.

• Independently prepare complete scientific manuscript drafts,

including methods, results, discussion, figures, and tables;
coordinate coauthor input and prepare revisions and responses to
peer reviewers.

• Prepare abstracts, presentations, and research summaries, and

contribute scientific content and preliminary data to grant
applications and progress reports.

• Animal Image Analysis, Radiotracer Kinetics, and

Computational Modeling

• Lead quantitative analysis of static and dynamic small-animal

PET and PET/CT studies evaluating novel radiotracers in breast
cancer models, including patient-derived xenografts and other mouse
tumor models.

• Perform three-dimensional image registration, tumor and organ

segmentation, longitudinal volume-of-interest tracking, and
extraction of tissue and blood-pool time-activity curves.

• Quantify tumor uptake, normal-organ distribution, tracer

clearance, tumor-to-background ratios, and changes across serial
imaging studies and treatment conditions.

• Develop and implement radiotracer compartmental models using

systems of ordinary differential equations, constrained nonlinear
optimization, and weighted least-squares parameter estimation.

• Estimate radiotracer transport and binding parameters,

including K₁, k₂, k₃, and k₄, and derive total distribution volume
and distribution volume ratios when supported by the selected model
and tracer biology.

• Apply and compare compartmental, Logan graphical, and

reference-tissue methods. Evaluate model assumptions, parameter
identifiability, residual structure, and goodness of fit using
appropriate model-selection criteria.

• Construct and validate image-derived input functions,

incorporating corrections for plasma-to-whole-blood partitioning,
radio metabolites, vascular contribution, and input-function delay
and dispersion as appropriate.

• Evaluate and correct sources of quantitative imaging error,

including partial-volume effects, spill-in and spill-out, motion,
image misregistration, and differences in spatial resolution or
reconstruction settings.

• Perform parameter sensitivity analyses and Monte Carlo

simulations to characterize estimation bias, precision, and
robustness to measurement noise. Use these analyses to guide
dynamic framing, acquisition duration, and selection of
quantitative imaging endpoints.

• Assess how segmentation variability, image noise,

input-function uncertainty, and model assumptions propagate into
estimates of radiotracer uptake and kinetic parameters.

• Develop reproducible computational workflows for batch

processing large animal imaging datasets, including image
resampling, coordinate transformations, automated quality checks,
metadata validation, and extraction of quantitative features.

• Integrate animal imaging measurements with ex vivo

biodistribution, autoradiography, immunofluorescence, histology,
and other tissue assays to evaluate radiotracer behavior, target
specificity, and biological validity.

• Laboratory Leadership and Mentoring
• Oversee daily scientific and operational activities across the

laboratory, coordinating personnel, study schedules, equipment,
supplies, and shared resources.

• Mentor all laboratory research personnel and trainees in

experimental design, quantitative methods, data interpretation,
scientific writing, and presentation of results.

• Meet individually with each laboratory member every week to

review raw data, laboratory records, analyses, and figures;
identify technical problems and establish specific plans for the
following week.

• Review the technical validity, completeness, and

reproducibility of experimental results and analytical workflows
across laboratory projects.

• Coordinate progress across animal, cell culture, imaging, and

tissue-based studies, ensuring appropriate controls, consistent
documentation, and timely completion.

• Meet regularly with the principal investigator to review

laboratory-wide progress, resolve problems, and prioritize research
activities.

• Data Management and Statistical Analysis
• Organize, curate, and analyze large imaging and experimental

datasets, maintaining accurate links among animals, specimens,
imaging sessions, treatments, and outcomes.

• Independently perform statistical analyses appropriate to each

study, including group comparisons, correlations, regression, and
longitudinal analyses.

• Apply mixed-effects models to account for repeated measurements

within animals and multiple lesions where applicable. Use
resampling methods to estimate uncertainty and assess the stability
of analytical results.

• Maintain documented analytical methods, reproducible code, data

dictionaries, and traceability from original data to final figures
and tables.

• Establish consistent procedures for data storage, backup,

access, and version control.

• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
• Position is Contingent upon grant funding

Qualifications

• Master of Science and 3 to 5 years of experience or equivalent

combination of education and experience is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with novel PET radiotracers and other molecular

imaging biomarkers.

• Experience relating imaging measurements to autoradiography,

immunofluorescence, and tissue biomarker assays.

• Experience developing automated or semiautomated image analysis

workflows.

• A publication record involving quantitative imaging, kinetic

modeling, or translational cancer research.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Perelman School of Medicine

Pay Range

$67,155.00 - $76,973.25 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/HUP/Research-Specialist-D_JR00129492-1

je-56936cb07c2b441a8474f7329df630a7