Senior Researcher Jobs in Pennsylvania
Senior Researcher jobs in Pennsylvania are in strong demand, concentrated in academic research, pharmaceutical and biotech development, healthcare systems, and public policy, with openings at every level from junior analyst through principal investigator. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the Route 202 corridor anchoring Delaware County and Montgomery County account for the heaviest hiring, where employers like Penn Medicine, UPMC, and GlaxoSmithKline maintain lasting research operations. The most in-demand specialties are clinical and translational research, health policy and outcomes research, and computational social science. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Description
Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work?
Entity: Corporate Services
Department: CyberSecurity GRC
Location: 3535 Market Street/hybrid
Summary:
The Cybersecurity GRC Sr. Research Compliance Analyst supports the organization's cybersecurity compliance program by assessing, monitoring, and ensuring adherence to NIST Special Publications requirements for systems that process, store, and/or transmit sensitive information.
The role contributes to internal and external audits, regulatory assessments, and ongoing compliance activities by performing control testing, validating evidence, identifying gaps, and supporting remediation efforts. The senior analyst partners with technical and business stakeholders to ensure controls are effectively implemented and maintained in the secure research enclave, aligning with Office of Research Services and Office of the Vice Provost for Research compliance initiatives.
Responsibilities:
- Primarily conduct assessments against NIST SP 800 171 control families to evaluate compliance for systems handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Additionally conduct assessments relative to HIPAA, NIST SP 800-53, FISMA, and other standards as necessary.
- Perform control design and operating effectiveness testing, including evidence collection, validation, and documentation.
- Support internal audits, external assessments, and regulatory reviews by preparing documentation, coordinating responses, and participating in walkthroughs and interviews.
- Identify compliance gaps and deficiencies, assess associated risk, and collaborate with system owners and stakeholders to develop and track remediation plans.
- Maintain compliance artifacts including System Security Plans (SSPs), Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms), control narratives, and assessment results.
- Interpret NIST 800 171 and other framework requirements and provide guidance to technical and business teams on control implementation and documentation expectations.
- Support continuous monitoring activities to ensure sustained compliance with NIST 800 171 and other framework requirements over time.
- Perform other duties as assigned to support the Cybersecurity Governance Risk and Compliance team as directed in accordance with Penn Medicine policies, procedures, and values.
- Performs duties in accordance with Penn Medicine and entity values, policies, and procedures
- Other duties as assigned to support the unit, department, entity, and health system organization
Education or Equivalent Experience:
- Bachelor's degree is required.
- 6+ years of IT and cybersecurity experience is required.
- 3+ years of auditing, assessing, and/or ensuring compliance with published framework(s) is required.
Live Your Life's Work
We are an Equal Opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, familial status, genetic information, domestic or sexual violence victim status, citizenship status, military status, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.
Description
Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work?
Entity: Corporate Services
Department: CyberSecurity GRC
Location: 3535 Market Street/hybrid
Summary:
The Cybersecurity GRC Sr. Research Compliance Analyst supports the organization's cybersecurity compliance program by assessing, monitoring, and ensuring adherence to NIST Special Publications requirements for systems that process, store, and/or transmit sensitive information.
The role contributes to internal and external audits, regulatory assessments, and ongoing compliance activities by performing control testing, validating evidence, identifying gaps, and supporting remediation efforts. The senior analyst partners with technical and business stakeholders to ensure controls are effectively implemented and maintained in the secure research enclave, aligning with Office of Research Services and Office of the Vice Provost for Research compliance initiatives.
Responsibilities:
- Primarily conduct assessments against NIST SP 800 171 control families to evaluate compliance for systems handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Additionally conduct assessments relative to HIPAA, NIST SP 800-53, FISMA, and other standards as necessary.
- Perform control design and operating effectiveness testing, including evidence collection, validation, and documentation.
- Support internal audits, external assessments, and regulatory reviews by preparing documentation, coordinating responses, and participating in walkthroughs and interviews.
- Identify compliance gaps and deficiencies, assess associated risk, and collaborate with system owners and stakeholders to develop and track remediation plans.
- Maintain compliance artifacts including System Security Plans (SSPs), Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms), control narratives, and assessment results.
- Interpret NIST 800 171 and other framework requirements and provide guidance to technical and business teams on control implementation and documentation expectations.
- Support continuous monitoring activities to ensure sustained compliance with NIST 800 171 and other framework requirements over time.
- Perform other duties as assigned to support the Cybersecurity Governance Risk and Compliance team as directed in accordance with Penn Medicine policies, procedures, and values.
- Performs duties in accordance with Penn Medicine and entity values, policies, and procedures
- Other duties as assigned to support the unit, department, entity, and health system organization
Education or Equivalent Experience:
- Bachelor's degree is required.
- 6+ years of IT and cybersecurity experience is required.
- 3+ years of auditing, assessing, and/or ensuring compliance with published framework(s) is required.
Live Your Life's Work
We are an Equal Opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, familial status, genetic information, domestic or sexual violence victim status, citizenship status, military status, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.
See All 30 Senior Researcher Jobs in Pennsylvania
Find roles in Pennsylvania that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Senior Researcher JobsSenior Researcher Jobs by City in Pennsylvania
Where Pennsylvania roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior Researcher Job Market in Pennsylvania
A snapshot from current Pennsylvania openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What Pennsylvania Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior researcher jobs across Pennsylvania.
- Master's or doctoral degree in a research-relevant field such as public health, life sciences, or social science
- Minimum five years of research experience, including project leadership or principal investigator responsibilities
- Proficiency in quantitative or qualitative analysis tools such as R, STATA, SPSS, NVivo, or Python
- Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publication, technical reports, or grant-funded project outcomes
- Experience managing IRB protocols, regulatory submissions, or compliance documentation for federally funded research
- Strong written communication skills for grant writing, policy briefs, or scientific manuscript preparation
Senior Researcher Jobs in Pennsylvania: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior researcher in Pennsylvania?
Most senior researcher roles in Pennsylvania require at least a master's degree, and many positions at universities, hospital systems, and think tanks prefer a doctorate. Pennsylvania does not issue a general state license for researchers, so advancement depends on building a portfolio of published work, grant funding, and project leadership. Institutions like Penn State, Drexel, and Temple are common training grounds, and many researchers move into senior roles after several years in coordinator or associate researcher positions.
Which companies hire senior researchers in Pennsylvania?
Employers hiring senior researchers in Pennsylvania right now include Carnegie Mellon University, CSL, and Temple Health, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Pennsylvania's concentration of academic medical centers, pharmaceutical headquarters, and federally funded research institutes makes it one of the more active states for sustained senior researcher hiring.
Which Pennsylvania cities have the most senior researcher jobs?
Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania have the most senior researcher openings in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia dominates due to its dense cluster of research universities, hospital systems, and biopharma firms, while Pittsburgh draws heavily from Carnegie Mellon and UPMC's research enterprise, and suburban counties along the Route 202 corridor contribute openings tied to pharmaceutical and health technology companies headquartered there.
Are there remote senior researcher jobs in Pennsylvania?
Yes, and more than many fields. Senior researcher work is often desk-based and analytical, making it well suited to remote arrangements. About 67% of senior researcher openings tied to Pennsylvania are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the nature of the role rather than unusual employer flexibility. Literature review, data analysis, report writing, and grant preparation are the functions most commonly performed fully remote.
How can I get hired as a senior researcher in Pennsylvania with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a research coordinator or research assistant role, which large Pennsylvania employers like Penn Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and UPMC routinely post as new-graduate positions. From there, coordinating IRB submissions, managing data collection, and co-authoring publications builds the record needed to advance. A strong graduate thesis, a completed internship with a Pennsylvania policy organization or clinical trial site, or a relevant certification in clinical research strengthens an early application considerably.
Where can I find and apply to senior researcher jobs in Pennsylvania?
You can find and apply to senior researcher jobs in Pennsylvania on Migrate Mate, which lists current Pennsylvania openings across industries and experience levels. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to each employer through the listings.
See All 30 Senior Researcher Jobs in Pennsylvania
Find roles in Pennsylvania that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Senior Researcher Jobs