INTERNSHIP DETAILS

Pharmaceutical Research Associate, Product Development

CompanyCatalent Pharma Solutions
LocationSan Diego
Work ModeOn Site
PostedSeptember 22, 2026
Internship Information
Core Responsibilities
Conduct physical characterization of solid-state materials and support formulation development activities under supervision. Prepare technical reports, protocols, and batch records while maintaining accurate laboratory documentation.
Internship Type
part time
Salary Range
$31 - $32
Company Size
12505
Visa Sponsorship
No
Language
English
Working Hours
40 hours
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About The Company
Championing the missions that matter™. Catalent, Inc. is a leading global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) and trusted partner to pharma, biotech, and consumer health companies worldwide. We put patients first in everything we do, helping people live better and healthier lives through every product we help develop, manufacture and deliver. With over 1,000 active development programs at any given time, we launch over 100 new products and line extensions annually. Catalent has supported half of all FDA approvals over the past decade, and our teams working at over 40 global sites help us produce over 60 billion doses every year. Our strength lies in our people: teams across our more than 40 sites and thousands of passionate scientists and technicians who bring expertise in development sciences, delivery technologies, and multi-modality manufacturing. What unites us is our commitment to championing our partners’ missions as our own, anticipating customer needs, solving complex challenges and ultimately making a difference in the lives of patients across the globe. At Catalent, you will be able to directly have an impact, solving problems and ensuring excellence for our customers. Our focus on delivering meaningful outcomes alongside our customers means your work directly impacts millions of people around the world. Join us in championing the missions that matter. Catalent is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, with over 40 global sites. Visit www.catalent.com to learn more.
About the Role

Pharmaceutical Research Associate, Product Development


Position Summary:

  • Work Schedule: Monday-Friday between 8am-5pm
  • 100% on-site (San Diego)

Catalent, Inc. is a leading global Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), and Catalent’s San Diego facility focuses on early-stage development of small molecule and peptide drug candidates from the bench to the clinic.  This facility offers an array of services that support oral and injectable dosage forms that include preformulation testing, formulation and analytical development, cGMP manufacturing and clinical packaging, labeling, and worldwide distribution.  Our San Diego location is the home of our Catalent Spray Drying technologies with downstream roller compaction capabilities to support the needs of our client’s most challenging compounds.

Catalent Pharma Solutions is hiring a Lab Assistant (Intern) for multiple departments on our San Diego, CA team. Through guided mentorship, the Student Lab Intern program offers students a fun and stimulating environment to gain lab experience and exposure to pharmaceutical chemistry development. Lab Assistants will have the opportunity to learn analytical chemistry techniques such as: volumetric analysis, spectroscopy, and liquid chromatography.


An individual at the level of Pharmaceutical Research Associate will be expected to understand and execute basic formulation and characterization procedures in order to develop preclinical and human clinical drug products under supervision. This candidate is expected to have attained experience in solid state characterization techniques necessary for the development of oral solid dosage form drug products.


**This is a student internship**


The Role:

  • Conduct physical characterization activities of solid-state materials for the purpose of downstream drug development activities.
  • Leverage previous experience in polymer science to conduct formulation development and drug product characterization activities under supervision
  • Prepare reports, summaries, protocols, batch records, and quantitative analyses
  • Clear and accurate record keeping in laboratory notebooks
  • Impact of decisions limited to their personal workload
  • Limited client interaction will be supported by supervisor
  • Development of problem-solving skills for experimental outcomes
  • Experimental design and execution will be under a supervisor’s direction
  • Training on scientific techniques, CMC strategy,  GMPs, and ICH Guidance is emphasized
  • Comply with good housekeeping and safety practices
  • Personnel management is not expected
  • Other duties as assigned

The Candidate:

  • Must be currently enrolled in a Graduate program
  • Requires a Bachelors degree in Chemical, Physical, Pharmaceutical or Biological and at least one year of experience with basic formulation or laboratory techniques
  • Physical Requirements: On an average day this position requires the ability to walk, sit and stand, use hands to handle or feel, reach with hands and arms at or above shoulder height and below waist height, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk and hear, smell and lift up to 25 pounds. Specific vision requirements including reading of written documents, visual inspection of materials and use of computer monitor screen frequently

Pay:

  • The starting hourly compensation for this position in San Diego, CA is $31.25/hour to $32.21/hour. The final salary offered to a successful candidate may vary, and will be dependent on several factors that may include but are not limited to: the type and length of experience within the job, type and length of experience within the industry, skillset, education, business needs, etc.  Catalent is a multi-state employer, and this salary range may not reflect positions that work in other states.

Why you should join Catalent:

  • Awesome employee activities: Movie Day, Monthly Birthday Celebrations, Friday Bagel Breakfast, On-site Fitness Center with machines, on-site yoga and HIIT classes, Sponsored Sports Teams, and several other company-sponsored events that encourages positive employee comradery, which contributes to effectively building positive employee relationships, overall creating a positive work environment.
  • Environmentally friendly green initiatives with on-site practices as well as regularly participating in Beach Clean-up activities for community engagement. 
  • Several Employee Resource Groups focusing on Diversity and Inclusion.
  • Competitive salary/hourly rate offering students an amazing company to add to your resume before graduation with exciting hands-on lab experience. 
  • Positive and fast-paced working environment focusing on continually improving processes to remain innovative and dynamic. 



Catalent offers rewarding opportunities to further your career!  Join the global drug development and delivery leader and help us bring over 7,000 life-saving and life-enhancing products to patients around the world. Catalent is an exciting and growing international company where employees work directly with pharma, biopharma and consumer health companies of all sizes to advance new medicines from early development to clinical trials and to the market. Catalent produces more than 70 billion doses per year, and each one will be used by someone who is counting on us. Join us in making a difference. 


personal initiative. dynamic pace. meaningful work.

Visit Catalent Careers to explore career opportunities.


Catalent is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and veterans.


If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, you may submit your request by sending an email, and confirming your request for an accommodation and include the job number, title and location to DisabilityAccommodations@catalent.com. This option is reserved for individuals who require accommodation due to a disability. Information received will be processed by a U.S. Catalent employee and then routed to a local recruiter who will provide assistance to ensure appropriate consideration in the application or hiring process.

    

Notice to Agency and Search Firm Representatives: Catalent Pharma Solutions (Catalent) is not accepting unsolicited resumes from agencies and/or search firms for this job posting. Resumes submitted to any Catalent employee by a third party agency and/or search firm without a valid written & signed search agreement, will become the sole property of Catalent. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired for this position as a result of an unsolicited agency or search firm referral. Thank you.


Important Security Notice to U.S. Job Seekers:

Catalent NEVER asks candidates to provide any type of payment, bank details, photocopies of identification, social security number or other highly sensitive personal information during the offer process, and we NEVER do so via email or social media. If you receive any such request, DO NOT respond— it is a fraudulent request. Please forward such requests to spam@catalent.com for us to investigate with local authorities.


California Job Seekers can find our California Job Applicant Notice HERE.


Volunteer Work Disclosure: Applicants for employment in Massachusetts may include in their employment history any verified work performed on a volunteer basis.

 

Massachusetts Lie Detector Test Notice: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law may be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Consistent with Massachusetts law, Catalent does not require or administer lie detector tests as a condition of employment or continued employment.

Key Skills
Analytical chemistryVolumetric analysisSpectroscopyLiquid chromatographySolid state characterizationFormulation developmentPolymer scienceLaboratory techniquesData analysisTechnical writingGMP complianceICH guidanceExperimental designRecord keeping
Categories
Science & ResearchHealthcareManufacturing
Benefits
On-site fitness centerYoga classesHIIT classesEmployee resource groupsCompany-sponsored events