Position description:

Calico is seeking an intern to join the Gillich lab. To succeed, you will need to be an enthusiastic team player, detail-oriented, extremely organized and comfortable working on complex problems. In this position you will use CRISPR screening and cutting-edge functional genomics approaches to discover lung aging targets. The successful candidate will work closely with members of the Gillich and Cellular Phenotyping labs to establish a platform for co-culturing alveolar organoids derived from primary alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells with alveolar fibroblasts. Using this system, you will screen for reversal of lung aging phenotypes in the co-cultures using phenotypic and transcriptomic readouts. This project will contribute to our goal of understanding mechanisms of aging and identifying interventions that prevent or reverse aging and disease pathologies in the lung. 

Responsibilities: 

• Establish alveolar organoid-fibroblast co-cultures
• Transduce alveolar cells with lentiviral library
• Establish and employ phenotypic readouts (e.g., immunostaining, reporters)
• Analyze and interpret imaging and functional genomics data 
• Contribute to screening strategy and gRNA library design

Position requirements:

• Currently pursuing a PhD degree, in cellular and molecular biology or related fields 
• Experience working with organoids and/or co-culture systems
• Experience with gene delivery (e.g., viral transduction)
• Experience with fluorescence microscopy and immunostaining
• Experience with the CRISPR/Cas system
• Detail-oriented and organized
• Strong teamwork and communication skills
• Self-motivated with a “can-do” attitude
• Flexible, able to respond quickly to shifting priorities and able to multitask

Nice to have:

• Experience with phenotypic and/or CRISPR screening
• Knowledge of NGS library preparation, including 10x Genomics single cell gene expression library preparation
• Experience with Python and/or R, including single-cell and bulk RNA-seq data analysis

About our Program:

Calico’s internship program is a paid 12-week program over the summer for students interested in understanding the fundamental science of aging and finding treatments for the associated and intractable diseases. Working in a collaborative environment and fully embedded in one of our labs/teams, Calico interns tackle a unique project under the mentorship of at least one of our scientists or engineers. 

Program Features:

• 3-month summer timeline
• In-person experience at our offices in South San Francisco
• Matching with at least one Calico mentor
• Group supplemental activities weekly featuring guest speakers, Senior Leadership spotlights, and discussion groups on aging science, our drug development approach, and more
• End-of-summer company-wide project showcase and poster session
• Competitive compensation ($45 - $70/hour) and monthly living expenses stipend
  

Program Eligibility:

• Able to work in-person at our offices in South San Francisco
• Free for a consecutive period of 11-12 weeks in June, July, and August
• Not graduating before December 2026
  • Exception for students enrolling into a graduate degree program in Fall 2026
• Must be enrolled in a US university
• Must apply by application deadline: February 1, 2026.