2026 Oral Peptide Delivery Intern (PhD)

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.

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 Interns.

The Oral Peptide Delivery Intern, based at the AbbVie Bioresearch Center in Worcester, will play a pivotal role in advancing the development of polymer nanoparticles for oral peptide delivery. The position offers an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research aimed at enhancing peptide stability, intestinal absorption and bioavailability. The intern will utilize state-of-the-art formulation technology and analytics to optimize the design and performance of polymer nanoparticles. This role will be critical in bridging gaps in the fundamental understanding of oral peptide delivery and advancing AbbVie’s capabilities in nanotechnology-mediated drug delivery.

Key responsibilities include:

• Conduct systematic screening using a DOE approach to optimize polymer nanoparticles for size, PDI, peptide encapsulation efficiency, in vitro and in vivo performance.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to test and characterize nanoparticles and refine product strategy for oral peptide delivery systems.

Minimum Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in university, pursuing a PhD in Chemical Engineering, Material Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences or other related field.

• Must be enrolled in university for at least one semester following the internship.

• Strong understanding of polymer nanoparticle formulation and drug delivery, particularly in the context of peptides.

• Familiarity with biophysical and analytical characterization methods for polymer nanoparticles.

• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional team environment.

• Excellent communication and organizational skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Expected graduation date between December 2026 – July 2027.

• Familiarity with Design of Experiments (DoE) and data analysis for nanoparticle optimization.

• Knowledge of peptide chemistry, stability, and bioavailability challenges.

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

Benefits and Amenities:​

• Competitive pay​

• Relocation support for eligible students​

• Select wellness benefits and paid holiday / sick time ​

• 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 and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html

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

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