Summer Intern, Mechanistic Pharmacology - RNAi Mechanisms & Functional Genomics

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals • Madison, WI

2d • 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 Intern – RNAi Mechanisms & Functional Genomics will support discovery research at Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals by contributing to fundamental studies aimed at understanding the cellular mechanisms that drive the activity of Arrowhead’s proprietary RNAi therapeutic platform (TRiM). This internship provides hands-on exposure to cutting-edge laboratory and computational approaches used to interrogate RNAi biology, pharmacodynamics, and gene knockdown mechanisms. The intern will work closely with experienced scientists on defined research projects that generate insights critical to drug development and discovery strategy.
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, Engineering, Genetics, or a related scientific discipline.
• 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.
• Support execution of a CRISPR-based screening project to identify cellular pathways and factors that enable productive RNAi-mediated target gene knockdown, including analysis and validation of screening hits.
• Support studies investigating the relationship between cellular uptake, RISC loading, and mRNA degradation activity to better understand RNAi pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
• Learn and apply laboratory methodologies fundamental to Mechanistic Pharmacology research, including: Tissue culture Quantitative PCR (qPCR) siRNA and plasmid transfection Protein biochemistry and analysis Confocal and live-cell fluorescence microscopy Flow cytometry
• Collect, analyze, and interpret experimental data using tools such as GraphPad Prism, FACSDiva, FlowJo, Design and Analysis (Thermo Fisher), CellProfiler, ZEN Suite, ImageJ/FIJI, Microsoft Excel, and Benchling.
• Read and critically evaluate primary scientific literature to contribute to hypothesis generation and data interpretation.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees