Undergraduate R&D Wet Lab Summer Internship – Gaithersburg, MD

Role Summary

Undergraduate R&D Wet Lab Summer Internship – Gaithersburg, MD. This internship offers undergraduates a 10–12-week research experience in AstraZeneca's Research & Development laboratories, contributing to real projects across discovery and translational science. Interns gain hands-on lab experience, develop technical skills, and learn the company’s ways of working in a global biopharma setting.

Responsibilities

• Execute experiments: Perform cell culture, aseptic technique, ELISA/ligand binding assays, qPCR, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and high-content imaging under supervision. Include molecular biology tasks (DNA/RNA extraction, cloning, transfection, CRISPR-based gene editing, expression analysis) and protein/analytical work (protein purification, HPLC/UPLC, mass spectrometry prep, stability assessments) as needed.
• Capture and analyze data: Maintain electronic lab notebooks, follow SOPs, apply statistics, and present findings in team meetings.
• Follow safety and quality procedures: Adhere to EHS and biosafety requirements; assist with lab maintenance and reagent inventory.

Qualifications

• Required: Work authorization to work in the U.S. (no CPT); full-time undergraduate enrollment at a U.S. college/university with a graduation date after August 2026; on-site presence at Gaithersburg, MD; age 18+; ability to follow lab safety protocols and wear PPE.
• Preferred: Field of study in Life Sciences, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, or related STEM; experience with basic wet lab techniques (cell culture, ELISA/qPCR, Western blot); familiarity with data tools (Excel, GraphPad Prism, R or Python); strong communication and teamwork skills.

Education

• Undergraduate student enrolled full-time at an accredited U.S. college/university; graduation date after August 2026.

Skills

• Laboratory techniques: Cell culture, ELISA, qPCR, Western blot, flow cytometry; basic molecular biology and protein analytics.
• Data handling: Electronic lab notebooks, data presentation, basic statistical application; familiarity with data tools.
• Communication and collaboration: Ability to summarize results and present to multidisciplinary teams; collaborative and detail-oriented mindset.

Additional Requirements

• On-site in Gaithersburg, MD; willingness to commute and work in a lab environment.