2025 PDS&T Downstream Purification Process Development Co-Op (June - December)

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

Downstream Purification Process Development Overview

Envision spending your summer working with energetic colleagues and inspirational leaders, all while gaining world-class experience in one of the most dynamic organizations in the pharmaceutical industry. This is a reality for AbbVie co-ops.

The ABC Downstream Purification Process Development team specializes in biologics process development of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and other complex modalities like antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), multi-specific antibodies and gene therapy viral vectors. The team consists of several experts in downstream purification, and leverages cutting edge scientific principles in developing and scaling robust processes from lab-scale to GMP manufacturing-scale. Additionally, the team provides support for drafting of regulatory documents as projects move from early- to late-stage.

As a Co-op, your role will be to learn and execute downstream unit operations for viral clearance, including, but not limited to, buffer preparation, viral inactivation, protein chromatography, and nanofiltration. Intermediates collected will also be analyzed using qPCR and ELISA methods. At the end of the co-op period, a technical report/presentation will be performed.

Location: Worcester, MA 

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Proactive in reading academic literature and incorporating findings into Co-op project.
• Prepare buffers and protein solutions for downstream unit operations.
• Perform downstream unit operations (chromatography and viral filtration) to assess viral clearance using BSL-1 Mock Viruses.
• Carry out ELISA and qPCR assays.
• Maintain high level of productivity in the lab.
• Write technical reports, presentations, and publications on the findings from Co-op project.
• Work efficiently and cooperatively toward project timelines and goals.

Minimum Qualifications 

• Currently enrolled in university, pursuing a Bachelors or Masters (preferred) in Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Biology or other related fields.
• Must be enrolled in university for at least one semester following the Co-op.
• Expected graduation date between May 2026 – May 2027.
• Must be able to commit to a 6-month program at AbbVie Bioresearch Center (ABC) in Worcester, MA (June / July - December). 
• Interest in drug discovery and purification process development.
• Previous experience in a wet lab setting with knowledge of safe lab behaviors and protocols, and proper documentation policies.
• Ability to manage, organize, and interpret large data sets with keen attention to detail.
• Ability to take initiative and integrate scientific literature and data to propose new ideas.
• Strong technical communication skills including verbal, written, and scientific data presentation.
• Proficient in basic office tools such as Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel, etc.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge or previous experience with standard bioprocess unit operations such as protein chromatography and filtration.
• Knowledge or previous experience with viral clearance protocols, and analytical assays such as ELISA, qPCR, and SEC-HPLC.
• Proficient in writing methods and operating ÄKTA chromatography instruments such as ÄKTA Avant, ÄKTA Purifier, ÄKTA Pure, ÄKTA Ready, or similar instruments.)
• Previous hands-on experience with monoclonal antibodies or antibody-adjacent molecules as well as purification process development at laboratory, pilot, or GMP scale.
• Authorship of peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations.

Benefits and Amenities

• Competitive pay.
• Relocation support for eligible students.

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.​

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. 

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives, serving our community and embracing diversity and inclusion.  It is AbbVie’s policy to employ qualified persons of the greatest ability without discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected group status.

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US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html