Role Description:
The Precision Animal Health team is seeking a highly motivated and skilled PhD-level intern to join our Systems Genetics and Discovery team. This internship offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the pre-clinical research pipeline by executing experimental strategies for target validation and functional characterization in animal health.
The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience in modulating gene expression, working with primary cells and cell lines, and performing mechanistic assays to support target advancement. You will collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to help characterize and functionally validate novel therapeutic targets.
Experimental Functional Genomics Intern
Location: Kalamazoo, MI
Internship Summary:
Internship Job Duties:
- Design and execute experimental target validation studies using cutting-edge molecular and cellular biology techniques.
- Apply in vitro gene knockdown/overexpression methods to model therapeutic targets (e.g., CRISPR, RNAi, overexpression systems).
- Develop and optimize downstream mechanistic assays to elucidate target function and pathway involvement (flow cytometry, colorimetric assays, and other functional readouts).
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including bioinformatics, immunology, pharmacology, and pathology, to drive integrated discovery efforts.
- Help identify and implement new technologies and platforms to accelerate target discovery and validation.
- Analyze and interpret experimental data, present findings in team meetings, and contribute to internal reports and publications.
Internship Qualifications:
- PhD candidate in Molecular/Cellular Biology, Genetics, Immunology, Biomedical Sciences, or related field (final year or ABD).
- Strong hands-on experience with:
- Gene modulation techniques (CRISPR, siRNA, shRNA, etc.)
- Primary cell culture and cell line maintenance
- Flow cytometry and colorimetric/enzymatic assays
- Familiarity with mechanistic assay development and target-pathway analysis.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
- Ability to work independently and in a team-oriented environment.
Preferred Skills
- Experience in animal health, veterinary medicine, or systems immunology.
- Exposure to high-content screening, omics data, or computational biology tools.
What We Offer
- Mentorship from leading scientists in veterinary drug discovery.
- Exposure to real-world R&D workflows in a global biopharma setting.
- Opportunity to contribute to impactful research with translational potential.
- Competitive internship stipend and access to cutting-edge technologies and resources.
Thefollowinghourly pay rates reflectthe anticipatedbasepayforthisposition:
If the selected candidate is a student pursuing an Associate-level degree: $16.00 per hour
If the selected candidate is a student pursuing an Undergraduate-level degree: $22.00 per hour
If the selected candidate is a student pursing a Graduate-level degree: $32.50 per hour
If the selected candidate is a student pursuing a Doctorate-level degree: $36.00 per hour
Thefollowinghourly pay rates reflectthe anticipatedbasepayforthispositionif a selected candidatewereto be located in California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois (Chicago area), Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington (Seattle area):
Student pursuing an Associate-level degree: $17.00 per hour
Student pursuing an Undergraduate-level degree: $24.20 per hour
Student pursing a Graduate-level degree: $36.40 per hour
Student pursuing a Doctorate-level degree: $40.30 per hour
Full timeIntern (Trainee)Colleague
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