AbbVie Posted October 26, 2026

2027 PDS&T Bioassay Scientist Co-Op (June - Dec)

Irvine, CA Intern
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AbbVie is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

Company Description

About AbbVie

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 including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at  www.abbvie.com . Follow @abbvie on  LinkedIn,   Facebook ,  Instagram ,  X  and  YouTube.

Job Description

Envision 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’s Co-Ops.  This is a work experience and is not intended to support a thesis.

The PDS&T Toxins group within Operations Science & Technology - Biologics organization supports manufacturing, process validation, regulatory submission, and continuous improvement for late-stage and commercial manufacturing of biological toxins products in AbbVie. We have an exciting opportunity for a bioassay scientist position based in Irvine, CA. This role involves leveraging scientific and bioengineering principles to develop bioassay methods with next-generation cell lines. The candidate must possess in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in a range of techniques, including but not limited to cell culture, bioassay, genetic editing, cell line development, cell sorting, cell-cycle control, PCR, Western blot, fluorescence microscopy, etc. Moreover, excellent communication skills and the ability to thrive in a multi-disciplinary and cross-functional team environment are essential for success in this role.

Key responsibilities include: 

Function as an Analytical Scientist: Generate original technical ideas and research or development strategies related to bioassay and cell engineering.

Project Understanding: Understand the broad objectives of the project and the specific role in achieving them. Modify the experimental plan as needed to respond to new data or project needs.

Design and Execute Experiments: Independently design, execute, and interpret critical experiments to address scientific questions.

Innovate Experimental Protocols: Innovate and implement new experimental protocols to advance the project.

Demonstrate Proficiency: Exhibit a high level of proficiency in relevant scientific and technical fields.

Set and Meet Timelines: Establish and adhere to experimental timelines to ensure timely progress and results.

Engage with Scientific Literature: Regularly read and apply relevant scientific literature to stay updated on advancements. Contribute to writing and the conceptual framework of publications, presentations, and patents.

Organize and Present Data: Effectively organize and present scientific plans and data in meetings, reports, and presentations.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications  

Currently enrolled in university, pursuing a Master’s degree in Cell and Molecular Biology, Pharmaceutical Science, Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnology, Pharmacology or other related fields.

Must be enrolled in university at the time of the Co-Op.

Must be able to commit to a 6-month program at AbbVie’s Irvine, CA (June- December).

Expected graduation date between May 2028 – Dec 2028.

Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with scientists and cross-functional team members.

Ability to develop comprehensive test plans and evaluate design concepts.

Understanding of relevant scientific literature and ability to apply the theoretical framework to solving problems within the scientific discipline in a timely manner.

Detail-oriented with a good track record of delivering reliable and consistent results.

Good oral communication skills, as well as sound technical writing and documentation competencies, are required.

Practical experience and knowledge of cell culture, bioassay, cell-cycle control, PCR, Western blot, fluorescence microscopy, etc.

Preferred Qualifications 

Experience working with neuronal or other differentiated cell models.

Knowledge on genome editing, cell line development, cell sorting is a plus

Experience with fluorescence microscopy, gene-editing techniques, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and qPCR.

Experience using statistical or data-analysis software, such as JMP, PLA, or comparable tools.

Additional Information

Benefits and Amenities  

Competitive pay

Housing support for eligible students

Select wellness benefits and paid holiday / sick time

​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 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:

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

Job details

Seniority
Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Function
Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Irvine, CA
Employment type
Intern

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 125 comparable Intern/Fellow/Postdoc Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research roles across 32 biopharma companies.

125Comparable roles tracked
116Currently active
32Companies hiring similar roles
11Countries represented

Salary context

36 of 125 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function and a matching or adjacent seniority level -- not necessarily the same therapeutic area or country.

This roleSubject $58,656/yr – $103,500/yr
Lowest disclosed · Lab Associate Flow Cytometry · IQVIA $34,700/yr – $72,300/yr
Peer group range $53,500 – $170,850 (median $85,140)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 125 comparable roles

United States86
France16
Germany10
Belgium3
Switzerland2
China2

+ 5 more countries

Seniority mix

125 of 125 peers have a known seniority level

Intern/Fellow/Postdoc68
Associate57

Therapeutic area mix

18 of 125 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Oncology9
Immunology5
Neuroscience3
Cardiovascular / CVRM1

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The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.

60%similar
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Notify me about similar jobs

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Or follow a whole field: get every new Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research job in the United States, and choose locations and companies.

How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

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Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.