Intern - Research - Protein Therapeutics, Computational Biologics Engineering - AI (United States - California - Foster City)

This job is with Gilead Sciences Inc., an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.

At Gilead, we're creating a healthier world for all people. For more than 35 years, we've tackled diseases such as HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19 and cancer - working relentlessly to develop therapies that help improve lives and to ensure access to these therapies across the globe. We continue to fight against the world's biggest health challenges, and our mission requires collaboration, determination and a relentless drive to make a difference.

 

Every member of Gilead's team plays a critical role in the discovery and development of life-changing scientific innovations. Our employees are our greatest asset as we work to achieve our bold ambitions, and we're looking for the next wave of passionate and ambitious people ready to make a direct impact.

 

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Gilead and help create possible, together.

Intern - Research - Protein Therapeutics, Computational Biologics Engineering - AI

As a Gilead intern you will contribute to high-impact meaningful projects that will not only further advance our company's mission but will allow you to gain real world experience at one of the most innovative organizations in the world. You will also have opportunities to participate in special events including professional development and leadership presentations, social/network building activities and local community volunteer programs.

This opportunity will involve exploring how emerging generative protein design approaches can be applied to biologics discovery and development. The intern will contribute to the design and evaluation of antibody- and miniprotein-based therapeutic candidates while helping develop computational workflows for candidate generation, prioritization, and analysis. Research activities may include a combination of AI/ML methods, molecular modeling, structure-based design, and integration of experimental feedback to guide future design cycles.

Key Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:

• Apply generative protein design workflows to produce and evaluate biologic-based binders against therapeutically relevant targets.
• Build reproducible Python-based workflows for large-scale protein design, structural analysis, candidate ranking, and data visualization.
• Apply physics-based modeling tools (e.g., Rosetta, MOE, Schrödinger) to assess binding energetics and developability properties.
• Explore protein language model representations and lightweight ML models that consider protein sequence, structure, and physics-based features to predict and prioritize candidate properties.
• Advance top designs to recombinant expression and experimental characterization (e.g. titer, BLI, DSF).
• Document workflows, results, and recommendations clearly for use in future protein-engineering campaigns.
• Showcase your work with a final presentation (PPT) near the conclusion of your internship

Required Qualifications:

• Must be at least 18 years of age at the start of the internship.
• Must be enrolled full‑time in a Bachelor's, Master's, MBA, JD or PhD program at a nationally accredited U.S. college or university, with continued full‑time enrollment required in the Fall semester following the internship.
• Must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior) or as a graduate/doctoral student.
• Must have a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 2.8 at the time of application and hire (official transcripts will be requested).
• Must be independently authorized to work in the United States now and in the future (current or future work authorization must not require school or employer sponsorship) official transcripts are required.
• Must be able to commit to a full‑time internship lasting 10-12 consecutive weeks between May and August.
• Must be willing and able to work at the designated site for the duration of the internship (relocation may be required). All internships are hybrid; fully remote roles are not offered.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Preferred degree level: Graduate/PhD
• Preferred degree level: Working toward a Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. degree in Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, or a related AI-focused field
• Hands-on experience in Python, machine learning, statistical modeling, or generative AI tools
• Ability to collaborate with scientists and translate research questions into data-driven or AI-enabled approaches
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (MS Office) tools, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Strong problem‑solving skills, with the ability to identify issues and proactively seek solutions
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team in a collaborative environment
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusion and diversity, including the ability to work respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Highly organized, detail‑oriented, and able to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced environment with short timelines 
• Proficient in Python for data analysis; experience with PyTorch or TensorFlow or similar libraries for model fine-tuning is a plus.
• Experience in customizing AI/ML and physics-based de novo protein design workflows, including HPC job submission.
• Demonstrated familiarity with structure-based molecular modeling tools (e.g., Chimera, PyMOL) and principles of structure-guided protein design.
• Experience with or interest in antibody engineering and/or miniprotein design.
• Strong communication skills and interest in bridging computational and experimental disciplines. 

Gilead Core Values:

• Integrity (Doing What's Right)
• Inclusion (Encouraging Diversity)
• Teamwork (Working Together)
• Excellence (Being Your Best)
• Accountability (Taking Personal Responsibility)

The expected hourly range for this position is $20.00 - $55.00.

Gilead considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including education level and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary.

Benefits include paid company holidays, sick time, and housing stipends for eligible employees.

For jobs in the United States:

Gilead Sciences Inc. is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment comprised of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex , age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact View email address on apply.placed-app.com for assistance.

For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the  'Know Your Rights' poster.

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