Vertex Summer Intern 2026, Protein Engineering

Vertex Pharmaceuticals is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation. They are seeking a Protein Engineering intern to work on developing novel therapeutic proteins and apply molecular biology techniques in a collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

• The intern will primarily work with the Protein Engineering group to help develop novel therapeutic proteins that modulate immune responses
• The intern will apply molecular biology techniques to build and screen protein libraries for directed evolution yeast display campaigns
• This position will enable the design of expression plasmids for potential therapeutic proteins, and the student will also become familiar with in silico protein modeling/design tools (e.g., AlphaFold, Rosetta)
• Though a specific project has yet to be determined, the student will work on their own project focused on technology development while also shadowing the supervisor
• The student will also contribute to multiple therapeutic discovery stage Vertex projects
• These discovery stage projects will involve participation in multidisciplinary project teams composed of immunologists, biochemists, and structural biologists
• The student will interact closely with several members of our teams, such as specialists in stem cell differentiation, screening, genetic integrity, and epigenetics

Skills

• A passion for discovery in immunology
• At least two years of university-level coursework in a bioscience-related discipline
• Excellent communication skills, including the capacity to clearly present and explain results
• Motivation to perform precision bench work
• Aptitude to learn quickly
• Energy and flexibility to collaborate with a busy team in a rapidly evolving company
• An eagerness to contribute to Vertex's science
• Legal authorization to work in the United States, now and in the future
• You must be available to work full-time, 40 hours per week from May – August 2026
• Research laboratory experience strongly preferred
• Experience and/or interest in protein structure prediction/design preferred
• Some experience with computational programming preferred

Benefits

• Free 24/7 onsite gym access and free access to group exercise classes
• Subsidized commuter benefits- transit and parking
• Provided meals—free breakfast daily!
• Career development opportunities and events, including C Suite engagement
• Social events—both intern-only and company-wide
• Location-specific perks and extras!
• Recognition of National Intern Day
• Medical, dental and vision benefits
• Generous paid time off (including a week-long company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter)
• Educational assistance programs including student loan repayment
• A generous commuting subsidy
• Matching charitable donations
• 401(k)

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