Vertex Fall Co-op 2026, Operational Excellence, Vertex Manufacturing Center (VMC)

Why Vertex?

• Real Projects: You'll work on assignments that make a real impact, not just busy work.

• Mentorship & Networking: Connect with leaders and peers who want to see you succeed through professional networks, connections, and collaborations that will shape your longer-term career.

• Flexible & Supportive: We offer flexible work options with Flex @ Vertex and prioritize your wellbeing.

• Inclusive Culture: Collaboration and inclusion are embedded in everything we do.

• Career Launchpad: Build skills, explore career paths, and get guidance for your future career.

Ready to apply? Submit your application and let's turn possibilities into reality!

Your Impact
The Vertex Operational Excellence VMC Co-Op program is a 6-month experiential training program for students currently working towards undergraduate or advanced degree in Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, Operations Research, or other related fields. If you are passionate, collaborative, and growth-minded, a co-op at Vertex will help you gain meaningful experience in our VMC Operational Excellence functional areas and serve as a launchpad for your career.

The application deadline for this role is April 3rd, 2026. Please note that Vertex reviews applications on a rolling basis and reserves the right to close this job posting prior to the listed deadline.

Important Notice Regarding Internship and Co-op Inquiries
At Vertex Pharmaceuticals, we are committed to providing a fair and structured recruitment process for all students interested in internship and co-op opportunities. To ensure consistency and equity, all student applications must go through our Early Talent Acquisition Team.

Due to the high volume of interest, we are unable to respond to individual solicitation. Direct solicitation to Vertex employees- including senior leaders via email will result in removal from the recruiting process.

We appreciate your enthusiasm and interest in Vertex. To be considered for internship or co-op roles, please apply directly through our official application channels. (https://www.vrtx.com/careers/career-growth-and-opportunities/co-ops/)

Thank you for respecting our process and helping us maintain a fair experience for all candidates.

What you will be doing:

Help us design the future of how science gets done.

Join Vertex Pharmaceuticals' Operational Excellence team at our internal manufacturing site in Boston, where you'll play a hands-on role improving performance across development and manufacturing. You will support core 2026 priorities focused on mapping value streams end-to-end, strengthening metrics/operational governance, and enabling data-driven continuous improvement. Working alongside cross-functional partners (e.g., formulation development, analytical development, manufacturing, supply chain, and quality), you'll help translate process insights into practical improvements and clearer decision-making.

This role is designed for a student who enjoys structured problem solving, process analysis, and building simple, useful digital/visual tools that help teams execute.

This co-op will support initiatives that embed Value Stream Management into project prioritization and governance by mapping commercial and clinical value streams, connecting performance metrics, and enabling digital access to key information.

Day-to-Day Duties:

• Support value stream mapping efforts by gathering process data and building current-state and future-state maps for commercial and clinical products with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Translate mapping findings into prioritized constraints/waste themes to inform continuous improvement projects and governance discussions.
• Develop and refresh performance dashboards that strengthen operational governance by providing an aligned view of performance and improvement opportunities.
• Work with our VMC Operational Excellence team members to translate "Voice of the Scientist" input into useful knowledge hub features that help Scientists and Manufacturing personnel do their jobs better.
• Build a user-friendly information hub using our graph database platform. You'll work with platform developers to solve technical issues and learn how to best use the system.

Why this Role is Exciting:

• You'll collaborate across development and manufacturing teams to surface bottlenecks, constraints, and improvement opportunities end-to-end.
• You'll create a real, functional digital product used by Vertex scientists and engineers.
• You'll bridge the gap between human-centered design and complex scientific and manufacturing data.
• You'll learn how cross-functional teams come together to make cutting-edge therapies possible.
• You'll walk away with tangible portfolio pieces and a deeper understanding of how transformation happens in biopharmaceutical sciences.

What you will need to succeed:

Education & Experience (Required):

• Currently pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree in one of the following fields:
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Systems Engineering
  • Operations Research
  • Related engineering/science discipline
• Junior, senior, or graduate student status preferred

Technical Skills:

• Interest or experience with Lean/Six Sigma/Operational Excellence, including process mapping and/or value stream mapping.
• Ability to build clear visuals and structured outputs (e.g. maps, readouts, roadmaps)
• Familiarity with data visualization and reporting (e.g., Power BI, Tableau)
• Experience working with data (e.g. Excel, SQL, Python/R) to clean, organize, and summarize information for stakeholders.

Communication & Collaboration:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment.

Initiative & Learning Agility:

• Willingness to learn new tools and methodologies.
• Curiosity and problem-solving mindset.
• Comfortable asking clarifying questions, proposing design options and troubleshooting ambiguities.

• Capacity to work full-time onsite in Boston, MA

• Legal authorization to work in the United States, now and in the future. Please note that Vertex does not provide sponsorship for internships or entry level roles within this part of the organization.

• You must be enrolled in an advanced degree program if graduating before December 2026

• You must be available to work full-time, 40 hours per week from July - December 2026

Program Details:

• Full-time, paid co-op $20.00 - 35.00 USD/hour

• Program Dates: July - December 2026

• Application Deadline: April 3rd, 2026

At Vertex, we believe that when you feel your best, you can perform at your best. That's why our US benefits and global well-being resources are designed to support you.

* Free 24/7 onsite gym access and free access to group exercise classes

* Subsidized commuter benefits- transit and parking

* Provided meals-free breakfast daily!

* Career development opportunities and events, including C Suite engagement

* Social events-both intern-only and company-wide

* Location-specific perks and extras!

* Recognition of National Intern Day

Our Ways of Working
Flex Designation: On-Site Eligible

Flex Eligibility Status:

On-Site: work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility.

Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex's Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time.

Equal Opportunities
Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. We consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

Accessibility & Accommodations
We're focused on attracting, retaining, developing, and advancing our employees. By cultivating a workplace that values diverse experiences, backgrounds, and ideas, we create an environment where every employee can contribute their best. Vertex is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants with disabilities. Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com

Export Control Notice
This position may involve access to technology or data that is subject to U.S. export control laws, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). As such, employment is contingent upon the applicant's ability to access export-controlled information in accordance with U.S. law. Due to the nature of the work and regulatory requirements, only individuals who qualify as U.S. persons (citizens, permanent residents, asylees, or refugees) are eligible for this position. For this role, Vertex is unable to sponsor non-U.S. persons to apply for an export control license.

This job posting is for a temporary role with a third-party agency partner that provides services to Vertex. The individual selected for this role will be offered the role as an employee of that third-party agency; compensation, medical benefits, fringe benefits and other terms and conditions of employment shall be presented by the third-party agency upon offer.