The Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment and Laboratory (CSTL) at the University of Pennsylvania is seeking to hire an Assistant to the CSTL Director and Staff to provide a wide range of support to the Principal Investigator/Founding Director and staff of the CSTL within the Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. The CSTL is dedicated to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and management of Castleman Disease and other cytokine storm disorders and accelerating drug repurposing research to cure many more diseases. This position will be an employee of the University of Pennsylvania and subject to all benefits provided by the University of Pennsylvania. This position is listed here because the employee will work for the President of the CDCN and work closely with the CDCN.
Job Summary:
The CSTL, in partnership with the Division of Translational Medicine & Human Genetics and the Fajgenbaum lab, is currently seeking a bright, experienced, hardworking Staff Assistant to provide a wide range of support to the Principal Investigator/Founding Director, leadership team, and staff of the CSTL. The Staff Assistant will manage complex schedules and coordinate travel, process reimbursements, and perform special projects as assigned. Responsibilities will also include providing administrative support to the Director, leadership team, and staff of the CSTL and assist with maintaining maintain critical office systems and protocols, including customer relationship management databases (e.g., Salesforce), and other database or profile information (e.g., LinkedIn). The Staff Assistant will support maintenance of websites and assist with electronic communication within the team (e.g., Slack) and outside of the center (e.g., responding to inbound emails). Additionally, this position will perform standard office duties, such as answering phones, scheduling and coordinating meetings, screening and triaging requests, managing correspondence, organizing office supplies and submitting purchasing orders, tracking expenses and budgets, and maintaining files and records.
The Staff Assistant will play a critical role in serving as a liaison for all internal/external individuals and organizations ensuring efficient communications within the Center and its external partners. The Staff Assistant will need to work independently, function as a collaborative member of the team, and interact with important external constituents in a fast-paced environment. Attention to detail, excellent communication and organizational/time management skills, and the ability to handle multiple tasks at once are necessary traits to be successful in this role.
This is a unique opportunity to join a highly motivated, patient-focused team that works closely with international collaborators, government agencies, academic researchers, philanthropic organizations, and biopharmaceutical companies to make and publish novel discoveries that will have a significant impact on patients with major unmet medical need.
Responsibilities:
- Provides high-level administrative support directly to the Director and leadership team, assisting with assigned projects and managing the complex calendar planning. Responsible for arranging all details of meetings and travel/reimbursements and assisting with additional logistical preparation.
- Prepares and formats written correspondence/presentations with a high level of accuracy on behalf of the Director and leadership team, ensuring that all correspondence and other written materials/presentations are prepared in a timely fashion.
- Maintains records of international collaborators, government agencies, academic researchers, philanthropic organizations, and biopharmaceutical companies in customer relationship management software (e.g., Salesforce).
- Perform standard office functions to include answering phones, screening and triaging messages as appropriate; opening and sorting incoming mail; preparing correspondence; confirming appointments; scheduling meetings; securing meeting space, organizing and maintaining files.
- Provides support for website content updates, including new and updated faculty profiles/headshots/biosketches, departmental videos, newsletters, etc.
- Provide support in coordination of events within the CSTL and with external partners, to include sending invitations, collecting RSVP’s, securing venue/catering arrangements with internal and external offices/vendors.
- Maintains efficient and effective organization of Departmental shared drive and hardcopy files.
- Perform additional duties as assigned
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years of combination of relevant academic and work experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Proven interpersonal skills with experience providing complex administrative support in a high-profile environment with professionalism and diplomacy required
- Exceptional organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to the prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and remain flexible in a fast-paced environment required
- Ability to work well with others, contribute to a positive work environment, and provide support to colleagues when needed
- Proficiency with MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams), expense reimbursement software (e.g., Concur), customer relationship management (e.g., Salesforce), project management software (e.g., Asana, Monday) and an aptitude for learning new software and systems required
- Self-starter with a strong desire to contribute and work collaboratively to achieve goals preferred
- Ability to work independently and apply critical thinking and sound judgment required
- Ability to communicate effectively with team members required
- Excellent oral/written communication skills with exceptional attention to detail preferred
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.
Job Location:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (in-person)
Salary Compensation:
$43,919 – 77,315 annual salary range
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.
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.
About the Cytokine Storm Treatment Laboratory (CSTL)
The Cytokine Storm Treatment and Laboratory (CSTL) is dedicated to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and management of Castleman Disease and other cytokine storm disorders and accelerating drug repurposing research to cure many more diseases. Repurposing drugs has proven effective for Castleman disease (CD) and other conditions and our discoveries in drug repurposing have set the stage for further successful treatments for devastating disorders. The CSTL is dedicated to unlocking diseases that existing drugs can treat by developing a comprehensive, open-source database of drug repurposing opportunities, and launching clinical trials of the most promising treatments.
How to Apply:
If you are interested in applying for the position, please submit (1) a resume and (2) a cover letter through the link below! If you have any position- or application-related questions, please direct them to CSTL@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Affirmative Action Statement
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