Vertex Spring 2026 Co-op, Comparative Medicine

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc•Boston, MA

52d•$20 - $32•Onsite

About The Position

The Vertex Comparative Medicine Co-Op program is a 6-month experiential training program for students currently working towards undergraduate or associate's degree in Biological science, or other related fields. If you are passionate, collaborative, and growth-minded, a co-op at Vertex will help you gain meaningful experience in our comparative medicine functional areas and serve as a launchpad for your career. The Vertex Comparative Medicine department is seeking an energetic, results-oriented individual interested in a career in Laboratory Animal Medicine to complete a summer internship in our 27,000 sq. ft., AAALAC-accredited vivarium. The state-of-the-art, rodent-only vivarium is in Vertex's flagship R&D site in Boston's Seaport district and supports early-stage R&D studies to help Vertex achieve its mission of developing transformative medicines for patients with serious and life-threatening diseases. Animal health and wellbeing is considered essential to scientific rigor and data integrity in our facility. The ideal candidate will have a keen interest in laboratory animal medicine in the biopharmaceutical industry. Some familiarity with the use of animal models in biomedical research and the anatomy, physiology, and behavior of laboratory rodent species is preferred. The co-op will take place In Spring 2026 and will be under the direct supervision of the Comparative Medicine Vivarium Operations Manager. Vertex has expanded into new cutting-edge treatment modalities over the past two years, and consequently, the Animal Care & Use Program has grown significantly to accommodate a variety of new animal disease models in addition to the traditional use of animal models to evaluate the safety and efficacy of novel therapeutics. With the rapidly expanding variety of animal models and increased number of personnel working in the vivarium, we would like to refine elements of our vivarium operational program for animal research subjects. The goal of the refresh is to enhance operational efficiency and consistency in our workflows, provide evidence-based metrics on animal health and welfare to stakeholders, and ensure seamless communication with scientists and study directors, while maintaining the Vertex Comparative Medicine tradition of compliance and attention to animal welfare.

Requirements

Enrolled in an undergraduate or associate's program in Biological sciences, or another related field
6-12 months of experience in laboratory animal research and/or teaching setting preferred. Familiarity with basic laboratory rodent techniques, anatomy, and behavior is preferred. · An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for the specific education and experience listed above.
Certification/Licensure: AALAS technical certification (ALAT, LAT, LATG) or Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) certification are useful but not essential; students working towards the requirements to achieve a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or equivalent) degree will also be considered.
Other: A proven track record of collaborative work practices and strong oral and written communication skills, and a familiarity with Microsoft Office applications, is strongly desired.
Legal authorization to work in the United States, now and in the future. Please note that Vertex does not provide sponsorship for internships or entry level roles within this part of the organization.
You must be enrolled in an advanced degree program if graduating before June 2026
You must be available to work full-time, 40 hours per week from January - June 2026

Responsibilities

Lead studies validating operational, sanitization, enrichment, and sustainability protocols to standardize the macro- and microenvironment, contributing to research reproducibility, meeting regulatory requirements, and animal well-being
Provide microenvironmental, behavioral, and operational data to support site operating practices; maintain the vivarium in a regulatory ready state and for scale through VX-2030 including poster presentation to in vivo stakeholders
Depending on candidate experience and as needs within the vivarium arise, contribute to the following under SME mentorship: a. Research model development, b. Culture of care, c. 3R's initiatives, d. Genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM's) data collection and integration