Research Assistant

Job Title:

Research Assistant – 37.5 HRS/WEEK. Department:
Bio‑Imaging Facility (Jacquelyn Gerhart). FLSA:
Non‑Exempt.

Location:

Philadelphia Campus.

Job Title:

Research Assistant. Department:
Division of Research. FLSA:
Non‑Exempt.

Location:

Philadelphia, PA.

Position Summary:

The research assistant performs a variety of support activities for laboratory experiments. Working in close collaboration with principal investigators, faculty and other laboratory staff, the incumbent actively participates in most phases of experimentation, including pre‑ and post‑actions, and shares responsibility for their successful implementation. Key support activities include equipment management, specimen handling, documentation and reporting, and maintaining safety and environment. The person in this position will be working in two laboratories with interests in the areas of neuroscience, ophthalmology and physiology.

• Collect experimental data using approved software, tools, and procedures, as needed, and in accordance with established procedures and good laboratory practices.
• Perform regular and adhoc maintenance of laboratory equipment and materials, including cleaning, troubleshooting, and storage, in accordance with established procedures and guidelines.
• Assist with conducting regular and adhoc inventory assessments of laboratory equipment and materials; order additional equipment and materials, as directed by researchers and laboratory managers.
• Handle experiment‑related equipment and materials, including laboratory animals, in accordance with requirements and standards. This includes pre‑ and post‑experiment activities such as equipment setup, assembly and disassembly, storage, and general maintenance.
• Attend experiment‑related meetings, as required.
• Stay abreast of developments and trends related to research practices, laboratory equipment, and safety and compliance, including conducting extended academic research on research‑related topics, as needed.
• Perform other duties as requested or assigned.

• This individual should be skilled in basic lab techniques such as immunofluorescent and immunohistochemistry labeling, microscopy, PCR, western blots, ELISA assays, protein isolation.
• A solid understanding of ocular anatomy and physiology is essential, including familiarity with the structural organization of the retina and anterior segment and the functional relationships between ocular tissues.
• Experience in electroretinography (ERG) as a tool for assessing retinal function, optical coherence tomography (OCT) for in‑vivo structural imaging of the retina and optic nerve, and basic ocular histological techniques including tissue sectioning, staining, and morphometric analysis, or the willingness to learn would be preferred.
• The candidate should also be proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, cloud‑based programs such as Google Drive, Docs, Sheets and Calendars, and any experience with Photoshop, Image J, Graph Pad, and Prism would be helpful.
• Must possess good organizational and time‑management skills.
• Experience in any of the following areas would be appreciated: histology skills, cell‑imaging/microscopy, and animal handling skills.

Education:

Bachelor's degree in a life sciences field, such as Biology or Chemistry with 1‑3 years of experience OR Master’s degree in related science.

Starting Salary: $21.00 /hr.

PCOM prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race, sex, color, gender, gender identity and expression, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, sexual orientation, religion, creed, disability, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, military and military veteran status or any other legally protected class status in all its programs, activities, and employment practices.

PCOM provides reasonable accommodations to individuals with ADA qualifying disabilities who need assistance in completing the online application and/or the hiring process due to their diagnosed disability. Reasonable accommodation requests are reviewed on a case‑by‑case basis.