Co-op, Cell Line Development R&D

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical • Somerville, MA

1d • $23 - $28 • Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to Sr Research Associate II on the Producer Cell Line (PCL) Platform team, this individual will support the generation and characterization of producer cell lines for the advancement of AAV-based therapeutics. Our selected candidate will participate in a range of research projects, leveraging molecular and genetic techniques to better inform host cell and viral interactions. This role is ideal for students who enjoy bench science, systematic problem‑solving, and working in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment.

Requirements

• Enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in one of the following fields: Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, or a related scientific discipline, with a minimum of 2 years completed and plans to return to school in the spring 2027 term.
• This is a 6 month co-op, starting July 6, 2026 working full-time (40 hours per week) until December 18, 2026
• Experience with mammalian cell culture is preferred, experience with plasmid transfections and/or viral infections is a plus
• Experience with DNA, RNA, and protein isolation from either mammalian tissues or cells
• Familiarity with molecular biology techniques (qPCR, Western Blot, ELISA, Flow Cytometry)
• Demonstrate interest in experimental design, understanding underlying scientific principles, and analyzing results

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with NGS sequencing techniques is a plus (ONT, Illumina, PacBio)
• Familiarity with cell line engineering methods is a plus (Lentiviral, shRNA, CRISPR, siRNA)

Responsibilities

• Actively contribute to the development of suspension rAAV-producing stable cell lines to enable phase III clinical trials and commercialization
• Maintain mammalian cell lines in both adherent and suspension culture, performing routine passaging, media exchanges, and bank/thaw operations under sterile conditions
• Assist in optimizing robust high throughput cell screening platform technology to enable fast selection of high producing cell lines
• Perform and assist in developing molecular biology assays for the characterization of both producer cell lines and rAAV
• Support generation of engineered cell lines using genome editing techniques
• Participate in a variety of research projects for the improvement of rAAV quality
• Ensure high-quality, timely documentation in electronic laboratory notebooks and technical reports
• Work both independently and as a member of a highly collaborative team

Benefits

• Generous vacation time and public holidays observed by the company
• Volunteer days
• Long term incentive and Employee stock purchase plans or equivalent offerings
• Employee wellbeing benefits
• Fitness reimbursement
• Tuition sponsoring
• Professional development plans

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern