Summer Intern, Mechanistic Pharmacology - Cellular Trafficking & Assay Development

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals•Madison, WI

2d•$9,240 - $9,240•Onsite

About The Position

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARWR) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, Arrowhead therapies trigger the RNA interference mechanism to induce rapid, deep, and durable knockdown of target genes. RNA interference, or RNAi, is a mechanism present in living cells that inhibits the expression of a specific gene, thereby affecting the production of a specific protein. Arrowhead’s RNAi-based therapeutics leverage this natural pathway of gene silencing. Arrowhead is focused on developing innovative drugs for diseases with a genetic basis, typically characterized by the overproduction of one or more proteins that are involved with disease. The depth and versatility of our RNAi technologies enables us to potentially address conditions in virtually any therapeutic area and pursue disease targets that are not otherwise addressable by small molecules and biologics. Arrowhead is leading the field in bringing the promise of RNAi to address diseases outside of the liver, and our clinical pipeline includes disease targets in the liver and lung with a promising pipeline of preclinical candidates. Arrowhead’s corporate headquarters is in Pasadena, CA with research and development teams in Madison, WI & San Diego, CA, and a state of the art manufacturing facility in Verona, WI. Our employees are nimble, science-driven innovators who are collaborating to bring new therapies to patients in need. The Position The Mechanistic Pharmacology Research Intern will support discovery research efforts within Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals by contributing to ongoing studies focused on RNAi-based therapeutics. This internship provides hands-on laboratory experience, exposure to experimental design, and opportunities to develop scientific communication skills while working closely with experienced scientists. This is an 11-week Summer Internship Program paying $21.00 per hour and requires full-time, onsite work five days per week at the designated location.

Requirements

Currently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program at an accredited university or college and majoring in a scientific discipline such as Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, or Engineering.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including comfort presenting in group settings.
Strong problem-solving and organizational skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
Ability to lift up to 40 lbs.
Willingness and ability to spend 75% of the workday walking the facility and 25% at a desk.

Nice To Haves

Fundamental understanding of cell biology and biochemical principles.
Previous laboratory experience and familiarity with basic lab techniques.
Curiosity, enthusiasm for discovery science, and willingness to learn new approaches and techniques.

Responsibilities

Complete onboarding activities including shadowing team members, skill assessments, learning core laboratory techniques, and reviewing foundational scientific background.
Execute one of two predefined research projects within the Mechanistic Pharmacology group.
Perform experiments to interrogate constraints on platform efficacy using techniques such as mammalian cell culture, dose-response curve generation, qPCR, fluorescence-based uptake assessment (microscopy or flow cytometry), cellular fractionation, and western blotting.
Analyze experimental data and maintain a well-organized laboratory notebook in Benchling.
Participate in group discussions, literature review, and hypothesis generation.
Present project updates in weekly group meetings.
Prepare final deliverables, including a scientific poster and a ~20-minute presentation summarizing project objectives, results, and learnings.