2026 Summer Intern | Antibody Engineering at Ionis… · Carlsbad

Summary: Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a pioneer in RNA-targeted medicines, focusing on innovative drug discovery that transforms lives. The summer intern will engage in a ligand engineering project aimed at optimizing Blood-Brain Barrier ligands for oligonucleotide delivery, utilizing protein engineering techniques and yeast surface display technology. Responsibilities: - Perform high-throughput mutational scanning on BBB ligands to improve the delivery of oligonucleotides to the CNS - Implement and utilize yeast display platforms to present engineered variants for screening - Conjugate variants to oligonucleotides and assess conjugation efficiency - Use multi-parameter flow cytometry to evaluate expression levels, antigen-binding functionality, and conjugation success - Analyze experimental results to identify mutants with improved CNS delivery Required Qualifications: - 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 Required Skills: Protein Engineering, Molecular Biology, Flow Cytometry Important Skills: Yeast Surface Display, Data Analysis Internship Start Date: Start in 2026 Summer Benefits: Weekly stipend (for onsite interns only), Housing/Travel assistance available for eligible, out-of-area interns, Professional Networking, End-of-program project presentations, Networking and bonding social events, Interaction with diverse and motivated teams/departments