Vertex Summer 2026 Intern, Process Chemistry

Vertex Pharmaceuticals•Boston, MA

1d•$20 - $27•Onsite

About The Position

Kickstart Your Career at Vertex! Are you ready to make a real impact? At Vertex, our mission is to tackle serious diseases and to change lives, for the better, for the future. Our aim is to give you the skills, insights, and career guidance to be an important part of that future; to turn your potential into progression. As a Vertex intern or co-op, you’ll work on meaningful projects, collaborate with talented teams, and learn from industry leaders. We’re passionate about innovation, inclusion, and supporting your growth—inside and outside the lab. Why Vertex? Real Projects: You’ll work on assignments that make a real impact, not just busy work. Mentorship & Networking: Connect with leaders and peers who want to see you succeed through professional networks, connections, and collaborations that will shape your longer-term career. Flexible & Supportive: We offer flexible work options with Flex @ Vertex and prioritize your wellbeing. Inclusive Culture: Collaboration and inclusion are embedded in everything we do. Career Launchpad: Build skills, explore career paths, and get guidance for your future career. Ready to apply? Submit your application and let’s turn possibilities into reality! Your Impact The Vertex Research internship program is a multi-week experiential training program for students currently working towards an undergraduate degree in Chemistry, or a related field of study. If you are passionate, collaborative, and growth-minded, an internship at Vertex will help you gain meaningful experience in our Drug Substance Development functional areas and serve as a launchpad for your career. Important Notice Regarding Internship and Co-op Inquiries At Vertex Pharmaceuticals, we are committed to providing a fair and structured recruitment process for all students interested in internship and co-op opportunities. To ensure consistency and equity, all student applications must go through our Early Talent Acquisition Team. Due to the high volume of interest, we are unable to respond to individual solicitation. Direct solicitation to Vertex employees- including senior leaders via email will result in removal from the recruiting process. We appreciate your enthusiasm and interest in Vertex. To be considered for internship or co-op roles, please apply directly through our official application channels. (https://www.vrtx.com/careers/career-growth-and-opportunities/internships/) Thank you for respecting our process and helping us maintain a fair experience for all candidates. What you will be doing: As part of Drug Substance Development Team, we apply synthetic organic chemistry and process chemistry principles and techniques in the development of practical processes for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) amenable for mass production. The summer Intern will gain professional hands-on experience working in a pharmaceutical company. An understanding of synthetic organic chemistry with laboratory experience is expected. As a Process Chemistry Intern, you will have the opportunity to Work closely with an experienced process chemist to learn the fundamental knowledge and laboratory techniques on process development and optimization, synthesis and characterization of small molecule organic compounds, developing analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. Maintains a well-written and organized notebook Involves in group discussion, present work and communicate with other team members

Requirements

This position is fully onsite at our Boston MA location
Must be pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry
Undergraduate student with completion of a minimum of one year of university studies
Completed college coursework for General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry and associated laboratory work
Excellent communication, collaboration and interpersonal skills
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 August 2026
You must be available to work full-time, 40 hours per week from May – August 2026

Responsibilities

Work closely with an experienced process chemist to learn the fundamental knowledge and laboratory techniques on process development and optimization, synthesis and characterization of small molecule organic compounds, developing analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Maintains a well-written and organized notebook
Involves in group discussion, present work and communicate with other team members