Vertex Summer 2025 Intern, Analytical Development (Boston, MA)

Job Description

The Vertex Internship Program offers students the opportunity to learn about the pharmaceutical industry from a hands-on perspective. You will be working closely with and learning from some of the brightest people in the industry. When you join our internship program you should not be surprised to see that our environment is one that is innovative and team oriented, where collaboration is not just a word, and "we are relentless" is in everything we do. Students can expect to be challenged by their project plan, connect with other interns, and feel valued by the Vertex community. Not only will interns learn about their day-to-day tasks through their specific work assignments, but they will interact and have exposure to our organizational leaders and their teams.

Job Summary:

Analytical Development (AD) department in Pharmaceutical Sciences specializes in developing and running a wide range of analytical techniques to provide key data to drive decision making and ultimately, advance our pipeline.  The Solid State Characterization team within Analytical Development develops a thorough understanding of the physical form stability of drug substance and its drug product and provides suitable justification for its control in regulatory submissions. The team utilizes a broad range of techniques to support the development teams with physical form characterization, thermal analysis, particle size/shape determination and physical stability prediction.   

The AD Solid State team is seeking a graduate student intern to evaluate the novel experimental and computational approaches to understand molecular kinetics leading to physical instability in drug products and intermediates.  Using amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) compounds, the intern will carry out physical stability studies and propose how to utilize the experimental data to predict long-term liabilities during early stage of development.  The intern will also collaborate with the members from Formulation Development to assess new computational methods in the ASD stability prediction.  The knowledge and understanding gained from this project will provide valuable insights to improve the current shelf-life prediction with higher accuracy and efficiency to aid the advancement of the Vertex drug development programs. 

Key Responsibilities:

The intern will perform solid-state characterization testing to determine physical properties of ASDs, design and set up stability studies under various conditions, and perform physical property testing at various time points. From this project, the intern will gain experience in a wide range of experimental and computational solid-state analysis approaches in ASD development, especially state-of-art solid-state NMR and molecular thermodynamics predictions.  

The responsibilities and deliverables of this role include:

• Utilize solid-state characterization techniques and predictive models to characterize drug substances and drug products

• Design and set up stability study and test samples in a timely manner as well as assist the supervising scientists with method development and other advanced analysis

• Record and analyze data in the ELN, draft progress/summary reports and present results in team and department meetings

• Regularly communicate with the supervisor for project needs, deliverables and scientific discussions

• Review scientific literature and participate in scientific discussions as needed

• Comply with all training and safety procedures as per Vertex policy

Qualifications:

• Completion of BS degree and progressing toward a MS, or PhD degree in Chemistry, Materials Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related scientific discipline.
• Knowledge and experience in solid state techniques (XRPD, TGA, DSC, DVS, SEM) and pharmaceutical materials development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, as demonstrated by symposia presentations, and research publication in peer reviewed journals is a plus.
• Highly adaptable, detail oriented and organized.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively, as appropriate.
• Ability to think creatively and independently.
• Strong interest in drug development process.
• Availability to work on-site full-time during internship tenure.
• Permanent legal authorization to work in the United States
• Candidate must be enrolled in an advanced degree program if graduating before August 2025
• Candidate must be available to work full-time, 40 hours per week May - August 2025
   

Pay Range 26.00 – 50.00 USD/hour

This job posting is for a temporary role with a third-party agency partner that provides services to Vertex.  The individual selected for this role will be offered the role as an employee of that third-party agency; compensation, medical benefits, fringe benefits and other terms and conditions of employment shall be presented by the third-party agency upon offer. The range provided is a reasonable estimate for the pay range for this job at the time of posting. Some roles may also be eligible for overtime pay, in accordance with federal and state requirements. The actual pay rate will be based on a number of factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

Company Information

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.

Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at [email protected]