California, US residents .

The job details are as follows:

Who We Are

We are the first publicly-traded biotech or pharmaceutical company to take the form of a public benefit corporation. Our public benefit purpose is to provide a brighter future for patients through the development of novel pharmaceutical therapies; and technologies that expand the availability of transplantable organs.

United Therapeutics (Nasdaq: UTHR) seeks to travel down the corridors of indifference to develop treatments for rare, deadly diseases. We were founded in 1996 by a family seeking a cure for their daughter’s pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Today, we have six FDA-approved therapies that treat PAH, pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD) and neuroblastoma, a rare pediatric cancer. Our near-term pipeline seeks to develop additional therapies for PAH and pulmonary fibrosis (PF).

The cure for end-stage life-threatening diseases like PAH, PH-ILD, PF, and many others is an organ transplant, but only a small percentage of donated organs are available to address the vast need. For this reason, we are working to create manufactured organs to address the shortage of kidneys, hearts, lungs, and livers available for transplant. We believe an unlimited supply of tolerable, transplantable organs will eliminate the transplant waiting list and cure end-stage organ diseases for which transplant is not currently an option.

The selected Co-op will need to be onsite at the RTP, North Carolina office for the entire duration of this co-op role, from August 2026 through January 2027.

Who You Are

This Fall 2026 Co-op will conduct and assist in research & development efforts to develop novel cell- and tissue-based products for treating pulmonary hypertension and other lung diseases.

This role will complete a focused research project to address a question that is relevant to the development of a cell- or tissue-based product for the treatment of lung disease(s). Generate data that addresses an insightful question and produce summary conclusions and report(s) to document the outcomes of experimental testing. Present data to management, team leaders, and research staff during internal review meetings, and make a final presentation of project findings.

The project will be chosen based upon the background of the applicant as well as the needs of the research & development team. Examples of R&D projects include:

• Use in vitro tools to investigate how primary lung cells isolated from different donors behave uniquely.
• Analyze transcriptomics data generated from lung cells and recellularized lung tissue.
• Generate precision cut lung slices that can be used to evaluate culture conditions to promote desired cellular outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Candidates are expected to be actively enrolled in an educational program toward the completion of a master’s or PhD in biology, biomedical sciences, engineering or related field
• Available 40 hours/week to work onsite in RTP, NC
• The successful candidate will be motivated, curious, hard-working, able to think creatively and/or able to learn quickly.
• Highly self-motivated
• Highly curious tendencies
• Ability to independently follow experimental methods and protocols
• Excellent team skills; must work well with others
• Good lab citizen and a leader in the lab
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to initiate and manage day-to-day tasks effectively
• Ability to organize and present data

Minimum Requirements

• Candidates are expected to be actively enrolled in an educational program toward the completion of a master’s or PhD in biology, biomedical sciences, engineering or related field for the duration of the co-op position
• Must be available to work 40 hours/week onsite in the RTP, NC facility
• Relevant coursework and laboratory experience
• 2+ years’ experience in cell culture
• Experience with standard office software

Preferred Requirements

• Specific experience or training required will vary depending on the project demands. Some projects may require:
  • Experience with cell-based in vitro assays (e.g. tube formation, ALI)
  • Experience with cell analytical assays (e.g. flow cytometry, immunostaining, protein/mRNA characterization), such as 1-2 semesters of class/lab-work or work experience
  • Experience with fluorescence microscopy; confocal microscopy preferred
  • Large data analysis and/or programming experience
  • Knowledge of lung biology or physiology, such as 1-2 semesters of class/lab-work and prior work/research in a pulmonary field
• Experience required will vary depending upon the project/team needs, which may include:
  • Microsoft Office (Excel, Powerpoint, Word)
  • Data analysis programs (e.g. Graphpad Prism, MATLAB)
  • Image analysis tools (e.g. ImageJ)
  • Coding languages (e.g. Python, C++, R)

Job Location

This position is located onsite at our RTP, NC office.

At United Therapeutics, you’ll realize quickly that it is not an ordinary place to work! When you join our company, you will learn, grow, contribute, have fun, and be challenged... all while making a difference in the lives of our patients.

Eligible employees may participate in the Company’s comprehensive benefits suite of programs, including medical / dental / vision / prescription coverage, employee wellness resources, savings plans (401k and ESPP), paid time off & paid parental leave benefits, disability benefits, and more. For additional information on Company benefits, please visit https://www.unither.com/careers/benefits-and-amenities

United Therapeutics Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.