Summer Intern 2027, Comparative Medicine
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Summary
The Vertex Comparative Medicine Intern is an 11-week experiential training program for students enrolled in a degree program. The intern will gain meaningful experience in Comparative Medicine functional areas.
Job description
Your Impact
The Vertex Comparative Medicine Intern is an 11-week experiential training program for students enrolled in a degree program. The intern will gain meaningful experience in Comparative Medicine functional areas.
What you will be doing
The Comparative Medicine team supports preclinical research through laboratory animal care, facility operations, and animal welfare practices. The intern will assess vivarium workflows, space utilization, and operational capacity to identify opportunities for stabilization and improvement, characterize current state operations, and develop practical recommendations to improve efficiency, capacity planning, and consistency while supporting animal welfare and biosecurity.
Key Responsibilities
- Evaluate current room and rack utilization and available space capacity
- Assist with expanded surgical +/- training suite roadmap and implementation
- Map key workflows associated with cage change, animal transfers, supply movement, sanitation and waste disposal
- Assess workflow timing, labor demands and operational pinch points
- Gather feedback from animal care, operations and research stakeholders
- Recommend short- and long-term improvements, prioritizing animal welfare, biosecurity, ergonomics, operational efficiency and feasibility to be shared with CM leadership to complement Boston Vivarium KPIs
Qualifications
Flexible degree program but students focusing on the following degrees would be the most desirable: Animal Science, Pre-Vet, DVM, VMD, Veterinary Technology, Biology.
Requirements
- Enrolled in a degree program (advanced degree program if graduating before May 2027)
- Desirable degree focus: Animal Science, Pre-Vet, DVM, VMD, Veterinary Technology, or Biology
- Legal authorization to work in the United States, now and in the future
- Available to work full-time, 40 hours per week from May – August 2027
Benefits
- Gym access
- Group exercise classes
- Commuter benefits
- Provided meals
- Career development opportunities
- Social events
- Medical, Dental & Vision
- Paid time off
- Educational assistance
- Student loan repayment
- 401(k)
Company overview
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is a global biotechnology company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1989. The company specializes in discovering, developing, and commercializing transformative medicines for serious diseases, with a primary focus on cystic fibrosis (CF). Vertex has pioneered breakthrough therapies including TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO, SYMDEKO/SYMKEVI, ORKAMBI, and KALYDECO, which collectively treat approximately 90% of CF patients. Beyond CF, the company has expanded its portfolio to include treatments for sickle cell disease, transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia, acute pain, and has robust clinical pipelines in APOL1-mediated kidney disease, type 1 diabetes, myotonic dystrophy type 1, and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Vertex employs approximately 6,100 people globally and maintains research facilities in San Diego, California, and Milton Park, Oxfordshire, England. The company is publicly traded on NASDAQ (VRTX) and is recognized as one of the industry's top workplaces, consistently earning accolades for its innovative culture and patient-focused approach to drug development.