Vertex Summer Intern 2026, Preclinical Safety Assessment

Job Description

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 Preclinical Safety Assessment internship program is a multi-week experiential training program. If you are passionate, collaborative, and growth-minded, an internship at Vertex will help you gain meaningful experience in our Discovery Core 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 Predictive and Investigative Safety Assessment (PISA) group is seeking a highly motivated Intern to join our In Vitro Toxicology team located in Boston, MA. This individual will join a team of toxicologists working to design preclinical in vitro models to assess of the genotoxicity of novel therapeutic agents to de-risk potential drug candidates throughout the drug discovery process. The ideal candidate will have strong wet-lab skills and will be eager to learn or implement their computational skills to enable them to contribute to the experimental setup, implementation, and data analysis steps of the assay development process. Proficiency in various molecular and cellular technical skills is required. The applicant must be a demonstrated team player, adaptable to changing needs and able to work closely and responsively within their team. Excellent communication and people skills are required. The intern will learn about the drug development pipeline, assay development in industry, and the field of genotoxicity and related regulatory requirements.

• The successful candidate will:

• Contribute to the development of in vitro assays to support the selection and de-risking of potential drug candidates through close interactions with colleagues within PISA
• Conduct in vitro assays using cell and molecular biology techniques, such as immunofluorescence, in multi-well plate-based formats
• Leverage and/or build upon computational workflows that process imaging data to assess assay performance
• Analyze internal and external historical data to guide assay development

What you will need to succeed:

• Enrolled in an PhD program in Biological Engineering, Molecular or Cell Biology, or other related fields
• Experience in mammalian cell culture and sterile techniques is required
• Some experience with immunofluorescence with image-based or flow cytometry-based readouts is required
• Experience developing computational analysis workflows in MATLAB, Python, or other scripting languages is a plus
• Willingness to learn about and develop computational and image analysis skills is a plus
• Excellent multi-tasking skills and attention to detail are required
• Ability to maintain accurate and reliable record keeping including database management, notebooks, and all other pertinent documentation is required
• Full-time on-site in Boston, MA capacity
• 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
   

Program Details:

• Full-time, paid internship $33.00 – 50.00 USD/hour
• Program Dates: May – August 2026

At Vertex, we believe that when you feel your best, you can perform at your best. That’s why our US benefits and global well-being resources are designed to support you.
 

• 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
 

Equal Opportunities
Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. We consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.
 

Accessibility & Accommodations
We're focused on attracting, retaining, developing, and advancing our employees. By cultivating a workplace that values diverse experiences, backgrounds, and ideas, we create an environment where every employee can contribute their best. Vertex is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants with disabilities. Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com.
 

Export Control Notice
This position may involve access to technology or data that is subject to U.S. export control laws, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). As such, employment is contingent upon the applicant's ability to access export-controlled information in accordance with U.S. law. Due to the nature of the work and regulatory requirements, only individuals who qualify as U.S. persons (citizens, permanent residents, asylees, or refugees) are eligible for this position. For this role, Vertex is unable to sponsor non-U.S. persons to apply for an export control license.
 

This job posting is for a temporary role with a third-party agency partner that provides services to Vertex.  The individual selected for this role will be offered the role as an employee of that third-party agency; compensation, medical benefits, fringe benefits and other terms and conditions of employment shall be presented by the third-party agency upon offer. For any questions or concerns, please contact early_talent@vrtx.com.

Pay Range:

Disclosure Statement:

Flex Designation:

Flex Eligibility Status:

In this Hybrid-Eligible role, you can choose to be designated as: 
1.    Hybrid: work remotely up to two days per week; or select
2.    On-Site: work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility.

Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex’s Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time. 

#LI-Hybrid
 

Company Information

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.

Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com