Vertex Summer Intern 2026, In Vitro, DMPK

Vertex Pharmaceuticals•Boston, MA

4d•$35 - $50•Hybrid

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 In Vitro, DMPK internship program is a multi-week experiential training program for students currently working towards a graduate degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology, Analytical Chemistry, or a related field of study-- 2+ year of PhD experience required. If you are passionate, collaborative, and growth-minded, an internship at Vertex will help you gain meaningful experience in our DMPK 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: The In Vitro team within the DMPK department uses in vitro permeability assays to screen drug candidates and support the prediction of oral bioavailability via absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) processes for in vivo-in vitro correlation (IVIVC). The intern position will work with the In Vitro team to method optimize and validate permeability assays to best predict oral bioavailability of small molecules and the expansion to beyond Lipinski's Rule of Five drug candidates.

Requirements

Graduate student in pharmaceutical sciences/pharmacology/analytical chemistry (preferably PhD candidate 2+ years of experience minimum)
Must have experience with operating LC-MS instrumentation
Significant experience with molecular biology (in vitro) techniques and cell-based assays
Proficiency with data importing, analysis/processing and scrutiny, visualization, and interpretation using Analyst, Graphpad Prism, SigmaPlot, or related
History of publications or conference presentation/abstracts
Strong communication skills with ability to summarize and deliver results at high level
Demonstrate outstanding determination, persistence, ambition, critical thinking, and problem solving skills
Full-time on-site in Boston, MA capacity required
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

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of pharmacokinetics (PK) or pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamics (PKPD), and statistics is desirable, but not required

Responsibilities

In vitro PAMPA assay method optimization and validation with literature compounds at various assay conditions to achieve optimal assay performance, in relation to cell-based in vitro screening assays for best in vivo oral bioavailability prediction
Exploration of novel in vitro based assays/techniques that mimic physiological state and in vivo formulation compatible to address questions, and for better prediction of bioavailability
In vitro assay application and expansion to beyond Rule of Five molecules
Data analysis, correlation, and interpretation compared to published sources
Discuss and present research progress with In Vitro team, DMPK department, and stakeholders as appropriate