Intern, Machine Learning for Molecule Design (MS/PhD)
Who We Are:
Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet-founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Calico’s highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity-driven discovery science, and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug-development pipeline, together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs.
Position description:
Calico is seeking an intern to join the Machine Learning (Molecule Design) group. 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 perform research to advance the state-of-the-art in modelling binding affinity. The successful candidate will work closely with members of the Machine Learning (Molecule Design) group on developing ranking models for molecular design applications and integrating them into a molecule design framework to generate designs.
Responsibilities:
- Gain expertise in state-of-the-art research in machine learning based molecule design
- Implement novel ideas for ranking the designs
- Develop benchmarks to validate models and compare performance to existing internal and public methods
- Communicate results through presentation and/or publication
Position requirements:
- Currently pursuing a MS or PhD degree, in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Computational Biology, Biomedical Informatics, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Physics or related field
- Experience applying machine learning to solve challenging problems, and with modern machine learning techniques
- Knowledge of Python and deep learning frameworks (such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX)
- Strong analytical and quantitative problem solving skills
- 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 in molecule design, cheminformatics, ranking or geometric deep learning
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.