Global Discovery Chemistry Intern

Location: San Diego - CA - US

At Bristol Myers Squibb, our employees often ask, “Who are you working for?”—a question that fuels collaboration, accountability, and urgency in our work. Our purpose-driven culture inspires us to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines to prevail over serious diseases. We offer uniquely interesting and meaningful work, opportunities for growth, and a supportive environment that values inclusion, wellbeing, flexibility, and comprehensive benefits. This is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it.

Position Summary

Undergraduate summer internship in our San Diego small molecule drug discovery organization. The intern will use organic chemistry to prepare key intermediates and investigate the scope, mechanism, and optimization of chemical transformations that support drug discovery.

Interns are mentored by experienced industry scientists and meet with the groups that make up the drug discovery team. The full-time internship runs June–August 2027.

Key Responsibilities

Prepare molecules of interest through multi-step organic synthesis.

Isolate and purify reaction products by standard laboratory methods.

Characterize reaction products using NMR and LCMS.

Evaluate literature for proposed reactions and reaction routes.

Optimize novel chemical transformations.

Follow proper procedures for maintaining an electronic lab notebook.

Participate and contribute to scientific discussions, meetings, and presentations.

Contribute to a research effort that may be amenable to publication or public presentation.

Qualifications & Experience

Completed 2nd or 3rd year of college and will not hold a bachelor's degree before August 2027.

Two years of college-level chemistry coursework; organic chemistry I/II required.

Strong preference for prior research experience in academic or industrial settings.

Self-motivated to learn and contribute, with demonstrated independent productivity and team-based interpersonal skills.

Enthusiastic and curious about science, laboratory work, and drug discovery.

All candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and for the duration of their employment. Please note that visa sponsorship, including for student or temporary work authorization programs, is not available for this role. Candidates must have work authorization that does not require sponsorship now or in the future.

Local candidates preferred; relocation assistance is not available.

Core Skills

Multi-step organic synthesis

Isolation and purification techniques

Product characterization by NMR and LCMS

Literature evaluation of reactions and routes

Reaction optimization

Electronic lab notebook documentation

Scientific communication and presentation

Independent work and collaboration

We hire for skills and capabilities, not just credentials – if this role excites you, but doesn’t perfectly match your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway.

Compensation Overview

$24.00 - $30.00

Pay for this internship/co‑op position is provided in accordance with local market practices and applicable laws. Pay may be offered as an hourly rate and/or monthly stipend, or other locally compliant structure. Pay is determined based on objective factors such as academic level, relevant experience, skills, and work location.

Interns and co‑op participants may be eligible for limited benefits depending on program structure, work location, and local requirements. Eligibility and offerings are governed by applicable policies and employment regulations.

This is a temporary, time‑bound position intended for the duration of the internship or co‑op program and does not guarantee continued or permanent employment following program completion.

How We Work

Where you work matters – because collaboration, innovation and patient impact happen in many settings. Our roles are structured across four work models: site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design. The model assigned to this role is based on its core responsibilities. Learn more at https://careers.bms.com/ways-of-working.

Supporting People with Disabilities

BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to [email protected]. Visit careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

Candidate Rights

BMS will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area.

For roles based in Los Angeles County only:  If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information: https://careers.bms.com/california-residents/

For roles based in Washington State only: If you live in or expect to work from Washington State if hired for this position, please visit this page for important information about the Washington Fair Chance Act.

Data Protection

We will never request payments, financial information, or social security numbers during our application or recruitment process. Learn more about protecting yourself at https://careers.bms.com/fraud-protection.

Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations.

If this posting is missing required information required by local law or incorrect, contact BMS at [email protected] with the Job Title and Requisition number. Do not send application-related inquiries to this email. To check your application status, please login to