2026 Summer Intern - Agents for Structural Biology

2026 Summer Intern - Agents for Structural Biology

Department Summary

The Department of Structural Biology at Genentech is seeking talented graduate students with experience in structural biology and agentic systems for the 2026 Genentech Summer Intern Program. The interns will help build and develop an agentic system for assisting in experimental structural biology data processing and analysis to increase automation and throughput. The interns will gain experience in some or all of the following areas: scientific programming, structural biology data processing, agentic systems, prompt/context engineering, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools.

Our department offers a highly interdisciplinary environment for drug discovery and biomedical research, with state-of-the-art resources and unparalleled opportunities for scientific collaboration. We integrate macromolecular crystallography, cryoEM, and NMR spectroscopy to drive drug discovery and uncover fundamental biology. We explore the structural and functional properties of proteins of therapeutic interest and their interactions with diverse ligands. We collaborate with scientists throughout Genentech to advance discovery of drugs (small molecule, proteins, antibodies, peptides, nucleotides, etc.), as well as to pursue basic research questions regarding protein structure and function.

This internship position is located in South San Francisco and the intern is expected to be on site. 

The Opportunity

• Develop MCP tools for structural biology data processing

• Build custom prompts to provide context for structural biology domain knowledge 

• Test and optimize prompts and tools for automating structural biology data processing workflows

• Develop a testing framework to ensure reliable and robust performance

• Produce training materials for structural biology scientists 

Program Highlights

• Intensive 12-weeks, full-time (40 hours per week) paid internship.

• Program start dates are in May/June (Summer). 

• A stipend, based on location, will be provided to help alleviate costs associated with the internship. 

• Ownership of challenging and impactful business-critical projects.

• Work with some of the most talented people in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry.

Who You Are

Required Education:
You meet one of the following criteria:

• Must be pursuing a Master's Degree (enrolled student).

• Must have attained a Master's Degree.

• Must be pursuing a PhD (enrolled student).
   

Required Majors:
 

Biophysics, Structural Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer Science, Data Science, Systems Biology, Mathematics, Statistics, or related disciplines
 

Required Skills:

• Experience solving x-ray crystal and/or cryoEM structures from data processing to model building

• Proficient python programmer

• Familiarity with agentic coding tools and MCP clients like Cursor or Claude Code
   

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Qualifications

• Experience building Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools

• Experience with prompt/context engineering

• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills

• Behavior consistent with our culture and the standards that guide our daily behavior & decisions: Integrity, Courage, and Passion.

• Curious, quick and resourceful learner

• Innovative thinking to solve challenging scientific and technical problems.

Relocation benefits are not available for this job posting. 
 

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of  California is $50.00 hour.  Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors permitted by law. This position also qualifies for paid holiday time off benefits.

Genentech is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy and practice to employ, promote, and otherwise treat any and all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of Protected Veteran status, individuals with disabilities status, and consistent with all federal, state, or local laws.

If you have a disability and need an accommodation in relation to the online application process, please contact us by completing this form Accommodations for Applicants.