Vertex – Early Development Postdoctoral Research Fellow

NU USA Northeastern University; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Tuition assistance

Wellness & life programs

Retirement plans

Job summary

Vertex Pharmaceuticals offers a two-year Early Development fellowship based in Boston, MA, in partnership with Northeastern University. The program rotates through Clinical Pharmacology, Modeling & Simulation, and Early Development Medical disciplines, with hands-on work in translating therapies to first-in-human trials.

Fellows engage in project strategy, trial result interpretation, and training on software such as NONMEM, R, and Phoenix WinNonlin.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an ACPE-accredited institution.
• Eligible for pharmacist licensure in the State of Massachusetts.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong time management and leadership abilities.
• Ability to work independently and take initiative on a variety of projects at both the industry site and Northeastern.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead clinical pharmacology studies (first-in-human, bioavailability, DDI, immunogenicity).
• Serve as clinical pharmacology lead and provide clinical trial operations support.
• Conduct noncompartmental PK analysis.
• Author clinical pharmacology sections of clinical study reports and regulatory documents.
• Implement model-informed drug development (MIDD) using population PK/PK-PD approaches.
• Contribute to M&S plans and translational medicine/clinical development plans.
• Design and execute early proof of mechanism studies and drug-drug interaction studies.

Skills

Excellent communication

Time management

Independent contributor

Education

Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)

Job description

About the Opportunity

Northeastern University Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowships Program is a two-year experiential program designed to advance lifelong learning and the education and training of Pharm.D. graduates. A key element of the program’s success is preparing Fellows to meet evolving workforce needs across various sectors of the pharmaceutical industry. Fellows have the opportunity to work closely with our innovative biopharmaceutical industry partners, while engaging with Northeastern University faculty in professional and career development, teaching, service, and scholarly activities. In partnership with Northeastern University, Vertex Pharmaceuticals is offering a two-year Early Development fellowship, based in Boston, MA.

About Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. The company has approved medicines that treat the underlying causes of multiple chronic, life-shortening genetic diseases — cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia — and continues to advance clinical and research programs in these diseases. Vertex also has a robust clinical pipeline of investigational therapies across a range of modalities in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including IgA nephropathy, neuropathic pain, APOL1-mediated kidney disease, primary membranous nephropathy, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, type 1 diabetes, and myotonic dystrophy type 1. Vertex was founded in 1989 and has its global headquarters in Boston, with international headquarters in London. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America, Europe, Australia, Latin America and the Middle East. Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry’s top places to work, including 16 consecutive years on Science magazine’s Top Employers list and one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For.

Responsibilities – Early Development Fellowship Description

Early Development comprises Clinical Pharmacology (CP), Modeling & Simulations (M&S), and Early Development Medical Directors (EDMD). CP provides pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) expertise. M&S provides model-driven PK and PK/PD quantitative pharmacology expertise. EDMD leads early clinical strategies and provides expertise in translating investigational therapies into first-in-human trials, whether they are healthy volunteers or patients. Vertex provides a structured 2-year fellowship program involving three rotations across Clinical Pharmacology, Modeling and Simulation, and Early Development Medical spanning different phases of development. Throughout the program, Early Development fellows will participate in relevant project strategy planning and development, analyze and interpret clinical trial results, and train on software utilized within the department (e.g., NONMEM, R, or Phoenix WinNonlin).

Clinical Pharmacology Rotation

• Design and lead clinical pharmacology studies (first-in-human, bioavailability, drug-drug interaction, immunogenicity)
• Serve as clinical pharmacology lead and provide clinical trial operations support
• Conduct noncompartmental PK analysis
• Author clinical pharmacology sections of clinical study reports and provide support to regulatory documents

Modeling and Simulation Rotation

• Implement model informed drug development (MIDD) using quantitative approaches (e.g., population PK, PK/PD, optimal sample design) to address critical questions during drug development
• Contribute to M&S plans and/or translational medicine/clinical development plans
• Conduct modeling and simulation activities to aid in the design and conduct of clinical trials (e.g., dose selection, sample collection)
• Author M&S reports and/or regulatory documents in support of regulatory submissions

Early Development, Medical Rotation

• Support design and execution of first-in-human studies (healthy volunteer or patient)
• Contribute to design of early proof of mechanism (POM) strategies and studies
• Contribute to design and execution of drug-drug interaction, ADME, TQT, and special population studies (hepatic and renal impairment)
• Contribute to biomarker strategy development
• Assist in updating investigator brochures and developing labeling language based on Phase 1 study results

Qualifications

• Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an ACPE-accredited institution
• Eligible for pharmacist licensure in the State of Massachusetts
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong time management and leadership abilities
• Ability to work independently and take initiative on a variety of projects at both the industry site and Northeastern

Additional Information

1. Curriculum vitae (CV), uploaded
2. Unofficial PharmD transcripts, uploaded
3. Cover letter, uploaded
4. Letters of Recommendation – Three formal Letters of Recommendation (LORs) must be submitted directly by the letter writers no later than November 23, 2026. Each letter writer must include:
   • The candidate's full name
   • The fellowship program(s) to which the candidate is applying (e.g., Smith, John – Alnylam, GSK)

Click here to access the form and share it with your letter writers. Recommendations must be submitted directly by the recommender and cannot be submitted by the applicant. Address cover letter and letters of recommendation to: J. Andrew Orr-Skirvin, PharmD, BCOP Clinical Professor, Department of Pharmacy & Health Systems Sciences Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program Director 360 Huntington Ave, 140 The Fenway R218 Boston, MA 02115

Northeastern University will not provide H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, or any other type of employment visa sponsorship for the successful applicant to this position, now or in the future. STEM OPT is not compatible for this position. The successful applicant must be able to maintain valid work authorization in the United States throughout the entire appointment without Northeastern University's sponsorship for a visa.

Position Type Research Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type: 108S Expected Hiring Range: $60,315.00 - $85,192.50. With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Our approach of integrating real‑world experience with education, research, and innovation empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create worldwide impact. Our global university system provides our community and academic, government, and industry partners with unique opportunities to think locally and act globally. The system—including 14 campuses across the U.S., U.K., and Canada, 300,000-plus alumni, and 3,000 partners worldwide—serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions. The university’s residential campuses for undergraduate and graduate degrees are located in Boston, London, and Oakland, California. Our research and graduate campuses are in the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant; Arlington, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; Portland, Maine; Seattle; Silicon Valley, California; Toronto; and Vancouver. Northeastern’s personalized, experiential undergraduate and graduate programs lead to degrees through the doctorate in 10 colleges and schools across our campuses. Learning emphasizes the intersection of data, technology, and human literacies, uniquely preparing graduates for careers of the future and lives of fulfillment and accomplishment. Our research enterprise, with an R1 Carnegie classification, is solutions oriented and spans the world. Our faculty scholars and students work in teams that cross not just disciplines, but also sectors—aligned around solving today’s highly interconnected global challenges and focused on transformative impact for humankind.