AbbVie Posted October 26, 2026

2027 PDS&T Cell Line Development Co-Op (June - Dec)

Worcester, MA Intern
Notify me about similar jobs

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 co-op is for work experience and is not intended to support a thesis.

The Product Development Science & Technology (PDS&T) organization within AbbVie Operations leads the optimization, validation, implementation, continuous improvement, and global technical support for therapeutic proteins. The PDS&T Co-Op program provides students with robust projects based on business need. Students will do meaningful work that has a real impact on our business and patients worldwide.

The mission of the Bioprocess Development & Launch (BDL) department within PDS&T is to design, deliver, and support the biologics manufacturing process for AbbVie’s pipeline and partnered products through clinical development and commercial life cycle with quality, speed, and manufacturing excellence. This is achieved through a focus on targeted product quality, CMC acceleration, people development, and efficient workflows.

The Cell Line Development (CLD) group within BDL generates and characterizes stable monoclonal cell lines using state-of-the-art manual and automated processes. Utilizing cutting-edge cell engineering techniques, molecular biology tools, and automation instrumentation, the CLD group engineers transgenic expression vectors, evaluates cell line performance, and carries out genetic characterization to assemble comprehensive data packages that enable selection of the best cell lines for manufacturing.

Key responsibilities include: 

Performing cell culture activities, including culture maintenance, transfection, and FACS

Characterizing cell lines using a variety of molecular biology techniques, including ddPCR and sequencing analysis

Performing data acquisition and analysis

Assisting in experimental designs and data interpretation

Creating and maintain detailed, accurate, and clear documentation of experiments and activities

Communicating research progress, plans, and findings clearly and effectively through concise written materials and engaging oral presentations

Collaborating with colleagues in the Cell Line Development group and across multiple functional areas of the Bioprocess Development and Launch department

Maintaining a high level of productivity in the lab

Demonstrating scientific initiative and creative thinking to achieve project goals and contribute team performance in a climate of scientific rigor

Troubleshooting equipment issues and experimental challenges

Contributing to the smooth and effective operation of the Cell Line Development labs through the 5S program

Understanding and adhere to corporate standards regarding code of conduct, safety, appropriate handling of materials, and GxP compliance

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications  

Currently enrolled in a university, pursuing a Master’s degree in Cell/Molecular Biology or a related field

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 Worcester, MA location (June- December)

Expected graduation date between May 2028 – Dec 2028

Preferred Qualifications 

Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture, including aseptic technique, culture maintenance, transfection, and FACS

Experience with molecular biology techniques, including DNA and RNA purification, PCR-based assays such as ddPCR, and sequencing analysis

Experience with DNA sequence manipulation software and common software packages such as Microsoft Office

Familiarity with expression vector elements

Experience with genetic characterization of cells

Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to build relationships with peers and cross-functional team members

Strong planning, multitasking, organization, time management, and project management skills

Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills

Collaborative and proactive attitude with strong scientific curiosity, work ethic, and attention to detail

Proven track record of teamwork, adaptability, creativity, initiative, and integrity

Desire to learn and execute scientific experiments

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
Worcester, MA
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

Similar opportunities

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
Amgen Inc. Cambridge, United States Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Roche Santa Clara, California, United States of America Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Merck South San Francisco, California, United States of America Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Merck South San Francisco, California, United States of America Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Merck Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Same function Same seniority Same country

Notify me about similar jobs

Get an email when we spot other openings like this one – same job function, comparable seniority, roles you'd actually want to see.

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.

60%
Post Doctoral Fellow
Amgen Inc. · Cambridge, United States · Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Post-Doc Scientist – Parenteral Product Network – TSMS Sterility Assurance and Microbiology Support
Lilly · Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America · Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
2027 Future Talent Program - Discovery Oncology – Co-op (South San Francisco, CA)
Merck · South San Francisco, California, United States of America · Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics - Co-op (Ridgefield, CT, United States, Connecticut)
Boehringer Ingelheim · Ridgefield, Connecticut, United States · Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
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.