Research Coordinator

at  University of Pennsylvania

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 Coordinator
Job Profile Title
Research Coordinator
Job Description Summary
The Friedman Lab at the University of Pennsylvania is seeking a highly motivated and organized Research Program Coordinator to join our growing team. This pivotal role coordinates and supports research analyses, manuscript writing, lab meetings, and grant proposals. It is ideally suited for someone who is very detail oriented who also has strong writing and thinking skills and a keen interest in the intersection of health policy and economics, emerging technologies, and the acute care health system for older adults.
Our goal is to have you build increasing proficiency and independence in these research coordination activities so that you can grow you into a program manager position as the lab continues to grow. For instance, early on you might translate an existing grant proposal into an IRB or Data Use Agreement submission. Later, building on that experience and the knowledge gained through regular one-on-one and lab meetings and seminars around campus, you might add key insights in lab meetings that shape the direction of the analysis, and then help craft the manuscript.
If you are an English major who read Blink and thought it was fascinating, or a political science student who listens to the Freakonomics podcast in your spare time, or are just broadly interested in the world and how we can use rigorous analyses to improve healthcare, this might be the position for you.
Dr. Friedman cares deeply about mentorship. Previous mentees and staff have all been acknowledged as co-authors on publications and grown into the program manager role or continued on to medical/graduate school.
Position contingent upon funding.
Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Meeting Coordination: Organize and schedule lab meetings, send calendar invites and agendas for weekly meetings, identify and invite outside speakers.
• Grand and Manuscript Management: Organize grant submissions, including tracking deadlines and funding opportunities, read grant instructions (search for “NIA PA-20-185” for an example) and identify required items for each submission, construct and execute detailed grant proposal plans in conjunction with the Principal Investigator (PI), manage manuscript submissions by tracking ongoing projects and coordinating with team members, read journal submission instructions and format manuscripts accordingly, write cover letters and submit articles through journal portals, keep regulatory databases up to date with current clinical study enrollment numbers, conducting literature searches and summarizing those results in a literature review, summarizing research analysis results, confirm that each number in a manuscript aligns with tabular and published results.
• Quality Assurance and Team Support: conduct weekly check-ins with research assistant, observe data collection efforts in the emergency department and oversee participant registration.

Qualifications:
Bachelor of Science and 1 to 2 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Demonstrated interest in using data to enhance health policy and clinical care. Experience in research settings, particularly in health-related fields, is advantageous.
Required Skills:
Excellent organizational and administrative skills. Strong writing and communication skills. Understanding of quantitative analyses and ability to summarize research findings. Qualitative interviewing skills are desirable.
Benefits:
Opportunity to pursue a Master’s degree or specific coursework relevant to the field / tuition discounts. Engage with leading experts and expand professional networks within the university. Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance, along with retirement planning options.
Personal Attributes:
Strong desire to learn and take initiative. Interest in long-term career development in research program management. Enthusiasm for participating in educational opportunities at the University of Pennsylvania, including coursework and seminars for continued growth.
Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / School
Perelman School of Medicine
Pay Range
$37,220.00 - $46,108.00 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, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.
Affirmative Action Statement
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.
Special Requirements
Background check 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-pa

• Meeting Coordination: Organize and schedule lab meetings, send calendar invites and agendas for weekly meetings, identify and invite outside speakers.
• Grand and Manuscript Management: Organize grant submissions, including tracking deadlines and funding opportunities, read grant instructions (search for “NIA PA-20-185” for an example) and identify required items for each submission, construct and execute detailed grant proposal plans in conjunction with the Principal Investigator (PI), manage manuscript submissions by tracking ongoing projects and coordinating with team members, read journal submission instructions and format manuscripts accordingly, write cover letters and submit articles through journal portals, keep regulatory databases up to date with current clinical study enrollment numbers, conducting literature searches and summarizing those results in a literature review, summarizing research analysis results, confirm that each number in a manuscript aligns with tabular and published results.
• Quality Assurance and Team Support: conduct weekly check-ins with research assistant, observe data collection efforts in the emergency department and oversee participant registration