Co-op - Regenerative Medicine Lab - Cell Biology

United Therapeutics Corporation

1d•Onsite

About The Position

We are the first publicly-traded biotech or pharmaceutical company to take the form of a public benefit corporation. Our public benefit purpose is to provide a brighter future for patients through the development of novel pharmaceutical therapies; and technologies that expand the availability of transplantable organs. United Therapeutics (Nasdaq: UTHR) seeks to travel down the corridors of indifference to develop treatments for rare, deadly diseases. We were founded in 1996 by a family seeking a cure for their daughter’s pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Today, we have six FDA-approved therapies that treat PAH, pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD) and neuroblastoma, a rare pediatric cancer. Our near-term pipeline seeks to develop additional therapies for PAH and pulmonary fibrosis (PF). The cure for end-stage life-threatening diseases like PAH, PH-ILD, PF, and many others is an organ transplant, but only a small percentage of donated organs are available to address the vast need. For this reason, we are working to create manufactured organs to address the shortage of kidneys, hearts, lungs, and livers available for transplant. We believe an unlimited supply of tolerable, transplantable organs will eliminate the transplant waiting list and cure end-stage organ diseases for which transplant is not currently an option. The selected Co-op will need to be onsite at the RTP, North Carolina office for the entire duration of this co-op role, from August through December 2026. This Fall 2026 Co-op will conduct and assist in research & development efforts to develop novel cell- and tissue-based products for treating pulmonary hypertension and other lung diseases. This role will complete a focused research project to address a question that is relevant to the development of a cell- or tissue-based product for the treatment of lung disease(s). Generate data that addresses an insightful question and produce summary conclusions and report(s) to document the outcomes of experimental testing. Present data to management, team leaders, and research staff during internal review meetings, and make a final presentation of project findings. The project will be chosen based upon the background of the applicant as well as the needs of the research & development team. Examples of R&D projects include: Use in vitro tools to investigate how primary lung cells isolated from different donors behave uniquely. Analyze transcriptomics data generated from lung cells and recellularized lung tissue. Generate precision cut lung slices that can be used to evaluate culture conditions to promote desired cellular outcomes.

Requirements

Actively enrolled in an educational program toward the completion of a master’s or PhD in biology, biomedical sciences, engineering or related field for the duration of the co-op position
Available 40 hours/week to work onsite in RTP, NC
Motivated, curious, hard-working, able to think creatively and/or able to learn quickly
Highly self-motivated
Highly curious tendencies
Ability to independently follow experimental methods and protocols
Excellent team skills; must work well with others
Good lab citizen and a leader in the lab
Good written and verbal communication skills
Ability to initiate and manage day-to-day tasks effectively
Ability to organize and present data
Relevant coursework and laboratory experience
2+ years’ experience in cell culture
Experience with standard office software

Nice To Haves

Experience with cell-based in vitro assays (e.g. tube formation, ALI)
Experience with cell analytical assays (e.g. flow cytometry, immunostaining, protein/mRNA characterization), such as 1-2 semesters of class/lab-work or work experience
Experience with fluorescence microscopy; confocal microscopy preferred
Large data analysis and/or programming experience
Knowledge of lung biology or physiology, such as 1-2 semesters of class/lab-work and prior work/research in a pulmonary field
Experience with Microsoft Office (Excel, Powerpoint, Word)
Experience with Data analysis programs (e.g. Graphpad Prism, MATLAB)
Experience with Image analysis tools (e.g. ImageJ)
Experience with Coding languages (e.g. Python, C++, R)

Responsibilities

Conduct and assist in research & development efforts to develop novel cell- and tissue-based products for treating pulmonary hypertension and other lung diseases
Complete a focused research project to address a question that is relevant to the development of a cell- or tissue-based product for the treatment of lung disease(s)
Generate data that addresses an insightful question
Produce summary conclusions and report(s) to document the outcomes of experimental testing
Present data to management, team leaders, and research staff during internal review meetings
Make a final presentation of project findings
Independently follow experimental methods and protocols
Initiate and manage day-to-day tasks effectively
Organize and present data