Co-op - Full-Stack Life Sciences Engineer

LCA Lab. Corp. of America; North Carolina; Hybrid; USD 30,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Labcorp is seeking a Full-Stack Life Sciences Software Engineer Co-op to join the CAIO Team in Burlington, NC or Durham, NC with hybrid work flexibility. You will help build APIs and NLP-driven reporting engines for pharmacogenomics and microbiome platforms, contributing to enterprise tooling and clinical workflows.

You will gain hands-on experience across API surfaces, NLP pipelines, and front-end interfaces, while learning healthcare security, regulatory guardrails, and collaboration with

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or Graduate degree program in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Biomedical Engineering, or Bioinformatics.
• Familiarity with Python and/or Node.js for backend development is preferred.
• Experience with data pipelines or workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, Prefect or equivalent) is a plus.
• Familiarity with clinical report generation standards or structured clinical language (HL7 FHIR, SNOMED CT, RxNorm) is desirable.
• Coursework or projects in bioinformatics, NLP, machine learning, or full-stack web development.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS or Azure) and containerized environments (Docker) is preferred.
• Front-end development experience or coursework (React, Vue) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Wrap and operationalize bioinformatics literature-search and report-generation pipelines into production-grade RESTful or GraphQL APIs.
• Contribute to the language-generation layer for the PGx engine and dynamic microbiome reporting platform.
• Contribute to internal tooling and portals for clinical rule management and validation under regulatory guardrails.
• Support full-stack feature development across backend services, REST API endpoints, and front-end interfaces with a focus on clinical clarity.
• Learn healthcare-grade security requirements including PHI handling, encryption, RBAC, and audit logging.
• Assist QA/validation with testing output pathways and guardrail concordance against reference interpretations.

Skills

Backend development (Python/Node.js)

RESTful API design

NLP

Full-stack development

Cloud platforms

Frontend basics (React/Vue)

Education

Bachelor's or graduate degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Biomedical Engineering, or Bioinformatics

Tools

Docker

AWS

Azure

Airflow

Prefect

RESTful API development

React/Vue

Job description

Labcorp is a global leader in laboratory services, providing the insights and answers that help healthcare providers, patients, researchers, pharmaceutical companies and health systems make confident decisions and improve outcomes. Through our unparalleled science, data, technology and laboratory network, we advance diagnostics, accelerate innovation and help address some of the world’s most important health challenges. As we shape the future of healthcare, we are leveraging advanced technologies, intelligent digital solutions and data-driven innovation across our operations to enhance how work gets done and deliver greater value to customers and patients. With our global scale and deep expertise, you’ll have the opportunity to do meaningful work, grow your career and make a real impact on people’s health around the world. Together, we’re improving health and improving lives. Labcorp is seeking a Full-Stack Life Sciences Software Engineer Co-op to join our Office of the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) Team located in Burlington, NC or Durham, NC with the flexibility of a Hybrid work schedule! Work Schedule Days/Hours: Monday through Friday / 40hrs per week

Labcorp is becoming an AI-native life sciences company. The Office of the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) leads this transformation across the entire enterprise. One of the areas the CAIO is focused on is applying AI to Labcorp's core science: how new diagnostic tests are developed, how genomic and molecular data is interpreted, how lab results are enhanced for patients and clinicians, and how AI capabilities accelerate scientific partnerships and innovation. If you want to help build the software that turns complex clinical science into real products that patients and physicians rely on, this is the role.

Job Responsibilities

• API & Integration Help wrap and operationalize existing bioinformatics literature-search and report-generation pipelines into production-grade RESTful or GraphQL APIs, working alongside senior engineers on integration patterns rather than net-new pipeline development Contribute to API documentation, service contract definitions, and versioning strategies that support B2B integration with downstream clinical and consumer-facing systems Assist with building observability, logging, and alerting into API surfaces to support production reliability and SLA compliance Support connectivity between interpretive engines and external partner platforms in the wellness and clinical integrator space
• NLP & Report Generation Contribute to the language-generation layer for the PGx engine, helping convert structured CPIC/FDA rule outputs into physician-ready clinical summaries focused on dosage impacts and medication response guidance Support development of the dynamic report generator for the Microbiome platform, producing patient-specific, wellness-oriented dietary observations and nutritional narratives aligned with the "food as medicine" framework Help implement architectural guardrails across both platforms to prevent generation of non-approved clinical associations (PGx) and prohibited diagnostic disease claims (Microbiome), with validation at the model/template output layer Work with PharmD, science, and regulatory teams to understand the boundary conditions that govern permissible output and how those constraints are encoded into the system
• Application Development Contribute to building the self-service rule and literature updating workbench (internal tooling) that enables PharmD and science teams to manage clinical rules and reference literature without engineering dependency Help develop the clinical review portal through which technical directors and pathologists validate, annotate, and sign off on AI-generated interpretations prior to report release Support full-stack feature development spanning backend services, REST API endpoints, and responsive front-end interfaces with a focus on clinical clarity and workflow efficiency Learn and apply healthcare-grade security requirements: PHI data handling, encryption at rest and in transit, role-based access control, and audit logging Assist QA/validation engineers with testing output pathways, including guardrail fuzzing and concordance testing against reference clinical interpretations

Minimum Qualifications

• Current enrollment in a Bachelor's or Graduate degree program in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Biomedical Engineering, or Bioinformatics

Preferred Qualifications

• 1-month plus work or coursework at a genomics laboratory, precision medicine company, diagnostics startup, or digital health platform
• 1-month plus familiarity with Python and/or Node.js for backend development
• 1-month plus experience with data pipeline or workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow, Prefect, or equivalent)
• 1-month plus familiarity with clinical report generation standards or structured clinical language (e.g., HL7 FHIR, SNOMED CT, or RxNorm terminology)
• 1-month plus coursework or projects in bioinformatics, NLP, machine learning, or full-stack web development
• 1-month plus familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS or Azure) and containerized environments (Docker)
• 1-month plus front-end development experience or coursework (React, Vue, or equivalent)
• 1-month plus exposure to RESTful API design or web application development

Additional Job Standards

• Interest in NLP, text generation, or working with large language models
• Interest in genomics, molecular diagnostics, bioinformatics, pharmacogenomics, or clinical laboratory data
• Strong communication skills; both written and verbal
• Show initiative and the ability to work independently under general supervision
• Eagerness to learn how software engineering works inside a regulated life sciences environment where patient safety and accuracy are non-negotiable
• Exposure to pharmacogenomics data flows: star-allele notation, CPIC guideline structures, PharmVar reference databases, or FDA pharmacogenomic drug labeling frameworks
• Exposure to microbiome sequencing data contexts (16S rRNA or metagenomic) and associated bioinformatics output formats

About the Team

Labcorp processes millions of diagnostic tests every year across genomics, molecular diagnostics, clinical chemistry, and specialty testing. Behind every test is a software stack that processes clinical data, generates interpretive reports, and delivers results to physicians and patients. This co-op role puts you inside the engineering team building that stack for two active platforms: a Pharmacogenetics (PGx) Automated Interpretive Engine and a Microbiome Clinical Context Reporting platform. You will work across three real workstreams: helping productionize bioinformatics tooling into enterprise APIs, contributing to the NLP and language-generation layers that turn structured clinical data into physician-ready and patient-facing narratives, and building internal portals and workbenches that empower clinical and science teams to operate independently. All of this work runs under tight compliance and regulatory guardrails (HIPAA, CLIA, LDT frameworks), and you will learn firsthand how software engineering works when patient safety and regulatory accuracy are non-negotiable. This is a rare opportunity to sit at the intersection of clinical science, responsible AI, and enterprise software engineering. You will directly contribute to how patient-level genomic and microbiome data is transformed into actionable clinical guidance, working on systems that physicians, pathologists, and patients rely on, with guardrails that matter. The work spans real engineering breadth, from API architecture and NLP pipeline design to clinical UX and regulatory compliance, making this an exceptionally high-impact co-op for a software engineer who wants their code to carry clinical and patient-level significance.

About the Co-op Program

As a Labcorp Co-op, you’ll be immersed in hands‑on work that complements your academic background. In addition to your project work, you’ll gain valuable exposure to Labcorp’s global business through: How production software systems are built for clinical and diagnostic use cases in a regulated healthcare environment How NLP and language‑generation pipelines transform structured clinical data (genotype calls, sequencing outputs, guideline rule sets) into physician‑ready and patient‑facing reports How enterprise APIs are designed, documented, versioned, and integrated with B2B clinical and consumer platforms How architectural guardrails enforce patient safety and regulatory compliance at the code level, not just through policy How pharmacogenomics and microbiome data flows work, from sequencing output to interpretive report How cross‑functional collaboration works when your stakeholders are PharmDs, pathologists, regulatory teams, and clinical scientists

Co-op Details

• Duration: Spring 2027 (with option for back-to-back Spring and Summer 2027)
• Dates of Internship: January 2027-May 2027
• Compensation: Paid Co-op
• Eligibility: Preferred candidates are Sophomore, Junior standing or Graduate student who are currently enrolled in a relevant degree program; however, all current students pursuing related studies are encouraged to apply
• Reports to: Executive Director, AI Architecture Function: Full‑Stack Development | NLP / Report Generation | API & Integration
• This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Benefits

• Employees regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week are eligible for comprehensive benefits including: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, STD/LTD, 401(k), Paid Time Off (PTO) or Flexible Time Off (FTO), Tuition Reimbursement and Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• Employees regularly scheduled to work less than 20 hours, Casual, Intern, and Temporary employees are only eligible to participate in the 401(k) Plan.
• Employees who are regularly scheduled to work a 7 on/7 off schedule are eligible to receive all the foregoing benefits except PTO or FTO.

Labcorp is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer: Labcorp strives for inclusion and belonging in the workforce and does not tolerate harassment or discrimination of any kind. We make employment decisions based on the needs of our business and the qualifications and merit of the individual. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), family or parental status, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, personal appearance, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Additionally, all qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable law.

We encourage all to apply

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We believe in the power of science to change lives. Labcorp is a leading global life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. Through our unparalleled diagnostics and drug development capabilities, we provide insights and accelerate innovations to improve health and improve lives. Here, you can join our nearly 70,000 employees, serving clients in more than 100 countries, as we work together to transform approaches to patient care.