Co-Op , Drug Product Development - Cell Therapy Cryopreservation

Are you ready to make a real impact? At Vertex, our mission is to tackle serious diseases and to change lives, for the better, for the future. Our aim is to give you the skills, insights, and career guidance to be an important part of that future; to turn your potential into progression. As a Vertex intern or co-op, you’ll work on meaningful projects, collaborate with talented teams, and learn from industry leaders.

We’re passionate about innovation, inclusion, and supporting your growth—inside and outside the lab.

Real Projects:
You’ll work on assignments that make a real impact, not just busy work. Mentorship & Networking:
Connect with leaders and peers who want to see you succeed through professional networks, connections, and collaborations that will shape your longer‑term career. Flexible & Supportive:
We offer flexible work options with Flex @ Vertex and prioritize your wellbeing. Inclusive Culture:
Collaboration and inclusion are embedded in everything we do. Career Launchpad:
Build skills, explore career paths, and get guidance for your future career.

The Vertex Process Development Co‑Op is a 6‑month experiential training program for students currently working towards an advanced degree in Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, or other related fields. If you are passionate, collaborative, and growth‑minded, a co‑op at Vertex will help you gain meaningful experience in our Drug Product Development functional areas and serve as a launchpad for your career. The Final date to receive applications for this co‑op is November 15th.

Please note that Vertex reviews applications on a rolling basis and reserves the right to close this job posting prior to the listed deadline. Applicants can expect to receive an update about their application before or shortly after the Final date to receive applications.

The Drug Product Development team within Process Development is responsible for developing scalable, high‑quality drug product processes to advance Vertex’s Cell and Gene Therapy programs from early development through manufacturing readiness. This Co‑op position offers the opportunity to contribute to a high‑impact cryopreservation process development project for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) drug product. The role will focus on establishing a cryo‑microscopy workflow to evaluate cryoprotective agent (CPA) diffusion into islets and characterize islet responses across different cryoprotective formulations and cryopreservation conditions.

By integrating experimental imaging data with computational modeling, the Co‑op will characterize CPA diffusion kinetics, inform formulation development, and identify opportunities to optimize key cryopreservation parameters. This experience offers hands‑on exposure to cell therapy drug product development and collaboration with cross‑functional teams advancing innovative therapies for people living with T1D.

Over the course of this 6‑month Co‑op, the individual will contribute to the following project deliverables:

• Establish a standardized cryo‑microscopy workflow for real‑time imaging of stem cell‑derived islets during CPA loading, unloading, and controlled freeze/thaw cycles, including sample preparation, staining, imaging, and data‑capture procedures.
• Design and execute cryopreservation studies using selected CPA formulations and loading/unloading strategies, generating cryo‑microscopy datasets to characterize islet morphology and response across conditions.
• Develop an initial computational modeling framework that complements experimental cryo‑microscopy data.
• Model the correlation between CPA diffusion kinetics, islet size and morphology, and…