Summer Intern, Discovery Chemistry (Peptides)

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARWR) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, Arrowhead therapies trigger the RNA interference mechanism to induce rapid, deep, and durable knockdown of target genes. RNA interference, or RNAi, is a mechanism present in living cells that inhibits the expression of a specific gene, thereby affecting the production of a specific protein. Arrowhead’s RNAi-based therapeutics leverage this natural pathway of gene silencing.

Arrowhead is focused on developing innovative drugs for diseases with a genetic basis, typically characterized by the overproduction of one or more proteins that are involved with disease. The depth and versatility of our RNAi technologies enables us to potentially address conditions in virtually any therapeutic area and pursue disease targets that are not otherwise addressable by small molecules and biologics. Arrowhead is leading the field in bringing the promise of RNAi to address diseases outside of the liver, and our clinical pipeline includes disease targets in the liver and lung with a promising pipeline of preclinical candidates.

Arrowhead’s corporate headquarters is in Pasadena, CA with research and development teams in Madison, WI & San Diego, CA, and a state of the art manufacturing facility in Verona, WI. Our employees are nimble, science-driven innovators who are collaborating to bring new therapies to patients in need.

The Position

The Discovery Chemistry Intern will support discovery research at Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals by contributing to projects focused on identifying and optimizing novel peptide ligands for siRNA delivery to various tissues. This internship offers hands-on experience across the full discovery workflow, including synthesis, screening, analysis, and optimization of peptide candidates. The intern will work closely with experienced scientists and gain exposure to high-throughput screening strategies and medicinal chemistry principles within a collaborative research environment.

This is an 11-week Summer Internship Program paying $26.00 per hour for students pursuing a Masters and $27.00 per hour for students pursuing a PhD. This role requires full-time, onsite work five days per week at the designated location.

Responsibilities

• Synthesize linear and cyclic peptides using solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), both manually and on automated synthesizers.

• Support high-throughput screening (HTS) efforts, including synthesis of combinatorial peptide libraries and screening for activity.

• Purify and analyze peptides using chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

• Apply medicinal chemistry principles to support lead optimization, including improving peptide stability and affinity.

• Maintain accurate experimental records using an electronic laboratory notebook (ELN).

• Follow all EHS and laboratory safety protocols, proactively identifying chemical and physical hazards.

• Participate in team meetings, sharing results and contributing to scientific discussions.

• Collaborate with team members across the discovery organization.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled student in a Master's or Doctorate degree program in Chemistry or Biochemistry or a related field.

• Familiarity with analytical chemistry techniques, including HPLC and LC-MS.

• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to quickly learn new procedures and techniques.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

• Willingness and ability to spend 75% of the workday in a laboratory environment and 25% at a desk.

Preferred

• Experience with peptide design, synthesis, or screening.

• Interest in drug discovery, delivery technologies, or medicinal chemistry.

• Strong curiosity, creativity, and enthusiasm for experimental science.

• Prior experience working in a collaborative research environment.

California pay range
$10,560—$11,440 USD

Arrowhead provides competitive salaries and an excellent benefit package.

All applicants must have authorization to work in the US for a company.

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