Chemistry Internships: 2027 Roles in Pharma, Labs, and Industry

Chemistry internships for 2027 are open at drug makers, food and consumer companies, chip suppliers, national labs, and environmental services firms. On November 13, 2026, Intern Insider listed about 90 open internships with chemist or chemistry in the title, from about 60 employers. Five were in Canada. This guide covers the kinds of chemistry internships that are open, what each kind asks for, how pay compares, and fifteen live postings with the dates, pay, and requirements from each employer's own page.

Where chemistry internships are open#

Most chemistry internships fall into a few groups. The coursework and lab skills each group asks for are different, so it is worth knowing where you fit.

• Drug discovery and medicinal chemistry. Interns make and test new molecules. Bristol Myers Squibb and Zoetis had open roles.

• Analytical chemistry. Interns develop and run methods to measure what is in a sample. KLA, Ocean Spray, and McKee Foods had open roles.

• Product and formulation chemistry. Interns work on consumer products, food, wine, or medical devices. Haleon, Gallo, and Insulet fit here.

• Computational chemistry. Interns model molecules on a computer instead of at the bench. Amgen and Boehringer Ingelheim had open roles.

• Environmental and field chemistry. Interns sample and test waste and water, often outdoors. Clean Harbors had roles in Canada and the US.

• National labs. Lawrence Livermore had a chemistry intern role open, and Los Alamos had post-bachelor's student roles in chemistry.

About 15 of the 90 listings were student jobs at universities and colleges, such as lab assistant or teaching assistant roles. They can be a good first step, but they are different from a summer internship at a company.

This guide is about chemistry and chemist roles. If you study chemical engineering, our chemical engineering internships guide covers process and plant roles, which ask for a different degree.

What chemistry postings ask for#

The degree line is the first thing to check. Some roles are for undergraduates only, some only for graduate students, and a few for students who have already finished a bachelor's.

• Bristol Myers Squibb's San Diego discovery internship asks that applicants have "Completed 2nd or 3rd year of college and will not hold a bachelor's degree before August 2027." It also asks for "organic chemistry I/II required."

• Zoetis asks for applicants "Currently enrolled in a Master's or PhD program" for its medicinal chemistry internship.

• Amgen asks that applicants have "Graduated with a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university" and expect to continue their studies after the internship.

• Clean Harbors asks for third or fourth year students in chemistry, environmental science, or a related program.

Lab experience comes up often. McKee Foods asks for "Prior experience working in a chemistry lab." KLA asks for "Good working knowledge of electrochemistry, spectroscopy, titration, and HPLC." If you have run these instruments in a course or a research lab, say so plainly on your resume.

Work authorization lines vary. Haleon says candidates "must be authorized to work in the United States and will not require sponsorship in the future." Gallo lists "Sponsorship: Not Available." Lawrence Livermore says applicants "Must be eligible to access the Laboratory in compliance with Section 3112 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)."

How pay compares#

Pay depends on the employer and often on your year of study. Haleon and Zoetis tie pay to class year or degree level, and Boehringer Ingelheim ties it to the degree program.

Zoetis lists pay by degree level. Outside its higher-cost locations, it lists "$22.00 per hour" for undergraduates and "$32.50 per hour" for graduate students. Bristol Myers Squibb shows a compensation overview of $24.00 - $30.00 on both postings below, and says pay "may be offered as an hourly rate and/or monthly stipend, or other locally compliant structure."

Fifteen open chemistry internships#

We read each posting below on the employer's career site on November 13, 2026. Dates and terms come from each employer's own wording.

Drug discovery and pharma#

• Bristol Myers Squibb Global Discovery Chemistry Intern (San Diego, California). BMS says the full-time internship runs from June to August 2027. The intern will "use organic chemistry to prepare key intermediates." BMS prefers local candidates and says "relocation assistance is not available." The compensation overview is $24.00 - $30.00.

• Bristol Myers Squibb Medicinal Chemistry Co-op (Undergrad) (Cambridge, Massachusetts). BMS's title is Medicinal Chemistry Fall 2027 Co-op (Undergrad). Applicants must be available full-time, 40 hours a week, for six months from July 12 to December 17, 2027, and have "Junior or Senior standing."

• Zoetis Organic and Medicinal Chemistry Internship (Kalamazoo, Michigan). Zoetis wants a graduate student with "experience in an organic research laboratory (graduate research work)." Interns "Design, execute, and interpret complex organic chemistry experiments in a laboratory-based medicinal chemistry environment."

• Amgen Grad Intern, Computational Chemistry (remote, United States). Amgen's title adds summer 2027. Interns will "Develop and implement computational chemistry methods to compute DFT energies and molecular descriptors." The base range is $35.34 to $41.20 per hour, and candidates "must be authorized to work in the U.S. for the duration of this program."

• Boehringer Ingelheim Computational Chemistry/Biophysics Internship (Ridgefield, Connecticut). The intern "will develop an in silico predictive modeling framework" for biomolecular solution viscosity. The posting "offers an hourly rate of $24 to $33 commensurate with the level of degree program."

Analytical and food chemistry#

• KLA Analytical Chemist Intern (Totowa, New Jersey). Interns "develop, optimize, and validate analytical methods for chemical measurement and process control for process fluids used in the semiconductor industry." KLA asks for a bachelor's or master's student in chemistry who is "Finishing your program in the next year." The base range is $31.50 - $50.00.

• Ocean Spray Analytical Chemistry Intern (Lakeville, Massachusetts). Applicants must be enrolled in a master's or PhD program in food science, food chemistry, chemistry, or a related area. The position starts June 8, 2027 and runs 10 to 12 weeks. Pay is $30.00 to $32.00.

• McKee Foods Chemistry Intern (Collegedale, Tennessee). This is a year-round role. McKee says interns "will work approximately 20 hours per week during the school year and up to 40 hours per week may be expected during summer months and school breaks." It is open to sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students. Pay is "$18.18 - $20.14 / hour."

Product, formulation, and device chemistry#

• Haleon Summer Intern: Product Chemistry (Richmond, Virginia). Haleon lists "Expected start date: June 2027" and a full-time schedule "for 12 weeks." Pay runs from "Freshman: $20.00/hour" to "Senior: $26.00/hour." Haleon says candidates who relocate "are responsible for arranging and funding their own housing, transportation, and relocation needs."

• Gallo Chemistry Research and Application Internship (Modesto, California). This role runs on a different calendar. Gallo lists "Duration: 6 months (July - December, 2027)" and "Application Close Date: 11/15/2026," so applications close on November 15, 2026. Interns research "grape & wine chemistry," and Gallo says applicants are "Required to be 21 years of age." Pay is "$24.00 - $28.00 / hour."

• Insulet Co-op, R&D Chemistry (Acton, Massachusetts). Insulet's title is Graduate Co-op, R&D Chemistry: January - June 2027 (Onsite). It lists position dates of January 11, 2027 to June 30, 2027 and asks for a master's or PhD student in chemistry, chemical engineering, or a related field. The role requires on-site work at least 4 days per week.

National labs#

• Lawrence Livermore Materials and Chemistry Institute (MaCI) Undergraduate Intern (Livermore, California). The title says undergraduate and summer 2027, but read the education line closely. It asks for "a continuing college or university student in good standing at an accredited institution pursuing a graduate degree or a recent graduate with a bachelor's or master's degree in chemistry, materials sciences, computational chemistry, or a related field." The deadline is February 19, 2027, the range is $23.26 - $31.62, and it asks for a "GPA of 3.0 or above."

Canada and environmental field work#

• Clean Harbors Environmental Field Chemist Intern (Brampton, Ontario). Clean Harbors' title adds Summer 2027. Applicants "Must be pursuing a bachelor's degree/ diploma in an applicable discipline (Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Environmental Engineering etc.) and be in third or fourth year." Pay is listed as "Competitive Pay $20/hr."

• Clean Harbors Environmental Field Chemist Intern (Red Deer, Alberta). This is the same Summer 2027 role in Alberta. Clean Harbors says it is "Accepting applications for students in 3rd or 4th year of their current program."

• Clean Harbors Environmental Chemist Intern (Fort McMurray, Alberta). Clean Harbors' title is On Site Environmental Chemist Intern - Summer 2027. It accepts students pursuing a bachelor's or advanced degree in chemistry, biology, environmental sciences, or a related field who are in their third or fourth year.

How to apply#

Chemistry postings set clear rules, so a short check before you apply saves time.

• Match the degree level. Undergraduate, graduate, and post-bachelor's roles are posted under similar titles.

• List your instruments and techniques. HPLC, spectroscopy, titration, and organic synthesis show up in the postings by name.

• Look at the calendar. Most roles are summer internships, but McKee Foods runs year-round, Insulet runs January to June, and the BMS co-op and Gallo run in the second half of 2027.

• Watch the deadlines. Gallo closes on November 15, 2026, and Lawrence Livermore on February 19, 2027.

You can browse all open roles on the chemistry internships page. Many chemistry students also apply to biology and biotech roles, which you can find on the biotechnology industry page.