Research Technician IV

About the role

SHIFT: Day (United States of America)

Seeking Breakthrough Makers

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 role participates in a planned research project by performing research protocols. Works independently and self-directed as assigned, providing oversight and technical training to other research staff. Needs a specialized education in the biological or chemical sciences and is required to consistently exercise discretion and judgment in execution, interpretation of experiments, and of data derived.

The Mossé Laboratory at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is seeking a highly motivated, experienced Research Technician to join a dynamic, multidisciplinary translational pediatric oncology research program. The laboratory is focused on translating fundamental discoveries into more effective therapies for children with cancer, with particular emphasis on neuroblastoma and other pediatric malignancies with substantial unmet clinical need.

Led by Dr. Yael Mossé, a physician-scientist, the laboratory integrates studies of cancer predisposition, tumor genomics and clonal evolution, therapeutic resistance, drug development, and clinical translation. The successful candidate will contribute to innovative preclinical efforts evaluating targeted protein degraders, ALK-directed therapeutics and immunotherapies, and related approaches for childhood cancers.

This position is well suited to an experienced technician who enjoys hands-on experimental work, troubleshooting, assay development, data analysis, and collaboration across a diverse research team. The Research Technician will independently conduct and optimize experiments; collect, analyze, interpret, and present data; maintain rigorous experimental documentation; and support the development of projects with translational potential.

What you will do

• Independently plan, perform, troubleshoot, and document routine and complex laboratory experiments under the guidance of the principal investigator and senior laboratory staff.
• Develop, optimize, and validate assays to assess therapeutic activity, mechanism of action, target engagement, and biomarkers of response.
• Culture and maintain mammalian cell lines and perform molecular, biochemical, cellular, and immunologic assays.
• Collect, analyze, interpret, and clearly communicate experimental data in laboratory meetings and other scientific forums.
• Maintain accurate, organized, and timely laboratory notebooks, electronic records, and experimental datasets.
• Perform calculations, prepare figures and summaries, and contribute to data quality control and reproducibility.
• Assist with experimental design, project planning, and prioritization of laboratory activities.
• Prepare laboratory reagents and maintain shared equipment, supplies, inventories, and relevant laboratory records.
• Work collaboratively with laboratory members and institutional collaborators, including investigators with expertise in genomics, immunotherapy, pharmacology, proteomics, and clinical translation.
• Contribute to scientific communication, including abstracts, posters, oral presentations, manuscripts, grant applications, and progress reports, as appropriate.
• Participate actively in laboratory meetings, seminars, training activities, and professional-development opportunities.
• Follow all institutional policies and procedures related to laboratory safety, biosafety, data integrity, and research compliance.
• Independently performs advanced, complex research procedures on experimental samples
• Formulates and performs complex lab experiments and analyzes/ reports the data, including interpretation of methodologies
• Independently performs tasks that require knowledge of advanced techniques and lab equipment
• Performs advanced calculations and maintains appropriate log and lab notebooks
• Plans and modifies research protocols and procedures with minimal direction from the principal investigator, supervisor or other designee
• Assists in development & troubleshooting of new techniques and ideas
• Prepares laboratory reagents, monitors and maintains laboratory inventory
• Supervises, trains and mentors junior and new staff members
• Determines staff work assignments, schedules and laboratory priorities as directed
• Presents & discusses work at weekly lab meetings and national symposia
• Attends courses, seminars, and lab meetings to expand knowledge of research and laboratory techniques
• Assists in writing of grants, journal articles, posters and oral presentations

Education Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree Required

Experience Qualifications

• At least three (3) years of classroom and directly relevant and progressive (increasingly complex/ advanced) lab experience Required
• Previous lead or supervisory experience in a research lab environment Preferred

Preferred Technical Experience

Candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas are encouraged to apply:

• Mammalian cell culture, including adherent and suspension cell lines
• PCR, qPCR, RT-qPCR, DNA/RNA extraction, and related molecular-biology methods
• Flow cytometry and flow-cytometry-based functional assays
• Western blotting, ELISA, immunoprecipitation, and other protein-analysis techniques
• Cloning, plasmid preparation, lentiviral or retroviral vector production, and cell transduction
• CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing and validation of engineered cell models
• Immunologic assays, including characterization of immune-cell function or tumor-immune interactions
• Drug-response, viability, apoptosis, proliferation, and mechanism-of-action assays
• Protein engineering, targeted-protein-degradation platforms, or pharmacology studies
• Next-generation sequencing workflows, single-cell technologies, or analysis of genomic datasets
• Mass spectrometry, proteomics, or biomarker-development approaches
• Basic bioinformatics, data visualization, and quantitative analysis

Skills and Abilities

• Advanced understanding of lab procedures, protocols, and equipment. (Required proficiency)
• Advanced proficiency in various research and/or analytical techniques. (Required proficiency)
• Basic proficiency in experiment design and troubleshooting (Required proficiency)
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills (Required proficiency)
• Excellent organizational skills (Required proficiency)
• Excellent critical thinking / problem-solving skills (Required proficiency)
• Excellent analytical skills (Required proficiency)

What the candidate will gain

The Research Technician will have the opportunity to contribute directly to a highly translational pediatric cancer research program spanning discovery science, preclinical therapeutic development, biomarker studies, and clinical translation. The position offers substantial exposure to modern approaches in targeted therapy, protein degradation, cancer genomics, and immunotherapy, as well as opportunities for professional growth, scientific presentation, authorship, and development of increasingly independent projects.

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

$53,000.00 - $66,300.00 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.