Summer Intern | Formulation & Delivery Sciences

Position: 2026 Summer Intern | Formulation & Delivery Sciences
Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland, Ionis has been at work for more than three decades discovering medical breakthroughs that have redefined life for people with serious diseases. We're pioneers in RNA-targeted medicines, and our platform continues to revolutionize drug discovery and transform lives for patients with unmet needs. With multiple marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology and select areas of high patient needs, we continue to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing to provide greater value to patients and are well positioned financially to deliver on our strategic goals.

At Ionis, we pride ourselves on cultivating a challenging, motivating and rewarding environment that fosters innovation and scientific excellence. We know that our success is a direct result of the exceptional talents and dedication of our employees.

With an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of human health, we look to add diverse individuals, skill sets and perspectives to our exceptional team. We continue to invest time, money and energy into making our onsite, hybrid and remote work environments a place where solid and lasting relationships are built and where our culture and employees can thrive.

We're building on our rich history, and we believe our greatest achievements are ahead of us. If you're passionate about the opportunity to have meaningful impact on patients in need, we invite you to apply and join us. Experience and contribute to our unique culture while you develop and expand your career!

Formulation & Delivery Sciences

Summary:

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are advantageous delivery vehicles because they can be engineered to encapsulate therapeutic nucleic acid cargoes and have been used extensively in the clinic for several applications including the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. While LNPs are successfully delivered to the liver after intravenous administration, access to non-liver (extrahepatic) tissues is difficult. To address this issue, LNPs can engineered to target extrahepatic tissues.

This summer internship project will involve the design and formulation of LNPs for extrahepatic delivery, then assessing LNP activity in vitro and tissue tropism in vivo. The intern will be a member of a dynamic team and gain valuable biotechnology skills including lipid nanoparticle formulation and characterization, cell culture, fluorescence microscopy, and data analysis.

Responsibilities:

* Contribute to the design, production, characterization, and testing of LNPs

* Assess LNP binding to cells in vitro, and assist with maintenance of cell lines

* Assist with in vivo work as needed

* Thoroughly document results in electronic lab notebooks and present findings

* Analyze experimental data and present scientific results

Expectations:

* A team player who can work with a cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment

* Excellent organizational and written/verbal communication skills

* Experience formulating and characterizing lipid nanoparticles and/or experience with cell culture and in vivo work is a plus

Program Highlights:

* The program is designed to complement a student's undergraduate and/or graduate studies with relevant, hands-on industry experience

* Ionis offers paid positions

* Weekly stipend (for onsite interns only)

* Professional Networking

* End-of-program project presentations

* Housing/Travel assistance available for eligible, out-of-area interns

* Networking and bonding social events

* Interaction with diverse and motivated teams/departments

Requirements:

* MUST be currently enrolled in a U.S. Undergraduate and/or Graduate Degree Program and not graduating prior to the completion of the Ionis internship.

* MUST be able to begin internship between 6/8 and 8/14/2026.

* MUST be able and willing to remain in program through at least 8/14/2026.

* MUST be able and willing to commit to a minimum 40-hour work week.

Please visit our website,  for more information about Ionis and to apply for this position

The pay scale for this position is $18 to $23 per hour.

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. PRINCIPALS ONLY. Final date to receive applications IS April 30, 2026. PLEASE INCLUDE A COVER LETTER RELEVANT TO THE POSITION APPLYING FOR. THE EVALUATION PROCESS MAY COMMENCE PRIOR TO THIS DEADLINE.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and all its subsidiaries are proud to be EEO employers.