Research Programmer

Opportunity for Health; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 61,000 - 73,581; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive healthcare benefits

Tuition assistance

Generous retirement plans

Flexible work hours

Professional development resources

Job summary

Opportunity for Health is seeking a Research Programmer to design, develop, and implement AI and machine learning models promoting kidney disease research through the Nephrobase platform. You will collaborate closely with scientists and bioinformaticians to analyze large-scale datasets and create interactive data visualizations.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor’s degree and strong experience in Python, along with expertise in machine learning frameworks. This full-time position is based in Philadelphia, PA.

Qualifications

• 2 to 3 years of experience or equivalent in Computer Science, Data Science, or Bioinformatics.
• Coursework or project experience in AI/ML is required.
• Experience with biological or biomedical data is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop machine learning models for kidney disease research.
• Maintain database infrastructure and data pipelines for Nephrobase.
• Collaborate with scientists and clinicians to interpret data.

Skills

Machine learning

Deep learning

Python

SQL/NoSQL

Data visualization

Education

Bachelor of Science

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

scikit-learn

Plotly

Dash

Tableau

Job description

## Research ProgrammerApplylocations: Smilow Center for Translationaltime type: Full timeposted on: Posted 23 Days Agojob requisition id: JR00119761**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 Programmer**Job Profile Title**Data Analyst C**Job Description Summary**The Research Programmer will design, develop, and deploy artificial intelligence and machine learning models to advance kidney disease research through the Nephrobase platform. This position involves building and maintaining database infrastructure and data pipelines, implementing AI/ML algorithms on large-scale multi-omic and clinical datasets, and collaborating closely with wet lab scientists, bioinformaticians, and clinicians in the Susztak Laboratory.**Job Description****Job Responsibilities**Design, develop, and implement machine learning and deep learning models to analyze kidney disease genomic and clinical data in the Nephrobase platformBuild and maintain Nephrobase database infrastructure, including data ingestion pipelines and query APIsProcess and analyze large-scale multi-omic datasets (genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, clinical) to support kidney disease researchDevelop interactive data visualization tools and dashboards to communicate research findings to the broader teamCollaborate with wet lab researchers, bioinformaticians, and clinicians to integrate and interpret diverse data typesWrite, document, and maintain clean and reproducible code, data pipelines, and computational workflowsAssist in preparation of figures, data tables, and code for grant reports, presentations, and manuscriptsImplement data quality control, validation workflows, and testing to ensure integrity of research dataCoordinate data sharing and communication with external collaborators under established data governance protocolsPerform additional duties as assigned**CONTINGENT UPON FUNDING****Qualifications*** Bachelor of Science and 2 to 3 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.* Computer Science, Data Science, Bioinformatics, or a closely related field preferred.* Coursework or project experience in machine learning, deep learning, or artificial intelligence. Proficiency in Python and familiarity with common ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn).* Preferred: Experience with biological or biomedical data (genomic, transcriptomic, or clinical); familiarity with SQL or NoSQL databases; experience with data visualization libraries (e.g., Plotly, Dash, Tableau).* Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment.**Job Location - City, State**Philadelphia, Pennsylvania**Department / School**Perelman School of Medicine**Pay Range**$61,000.00 - $73,581.00 Annual RateSalary 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*