Upenn · Smilow Center For TranslationalPrepare for this interview
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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 Bioinformatician A Job Profile Title Bioinformatician A Job Description Summary The Kaestner Lab (Dept. of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania) is seeking a meticulous and technically skilled Bioinformatician to oversee the organization, storage, retrieval, and long-term preservation of large-scale bioinformatics datasets. This position ensures that genomic, transcriptomic (bulk, single cell, spatial), and other high-throughput biological data (including images) are securely managed, efficiently stored and retrieved, and cost-effectively archived-supporting the University's mission of open, reproducible, and sustainable data-driven research. Job Description Job Responsibilities Data Organization: Design, implement, and maintain structured file systems, standardized naming conventions, and metadata schemas for bioinformatics data (e.g., NGS, imaging). This includes managing our in-house database for record keeping. Access & Security: Manage access permissions, version control, and audit trails across HPC, local servers, tape, and cloud platforms. Cloud & Archival Storage: Administer tape- and cloud-based storage environments (AWS S3, Dropbox, Box, institutional repositories) and coordinate archival and retrieval strategies. Cost Monitoring & Optimization: Track and analyze storage utilization and expenses across on-premises, tape, and cloud systems; develop policies to optimize resource allocation and reduce costs. Data Integrity & Backup: Ensure redundancy, perform integrity checks, and manage automated backup processes. Data Transfers: Perform secure data transfers to and from public repositories (such as dbGaP, SRA) following institutional and funding agency's mandated policies. Documentation & Training: Maintain comprehensive documentation of file structures, workflows, and storage protocols; train researchers on best practices for data management and archival. Collaboration: Work closely with IT, research computing teams, and PIs to align storage strategies with project and compliance requirements (e.g., NIH, NSF). 10 Preprocessing Pipelines: Execute predefined preprocessing or quality control pipelines (e.g., FASTQ QC, format conversion, alignment) on high-throughput datasets using HPC or cloud workflows. Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
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