Chemical Sciences Placement

Job Details

Chemical Sciences (Multiple Roles) Placement

To apply for this placement, you must be:

Currently studying an Undergraduate Degree in one of the following disciplines: Chemistry, Biochemistry, Natural Sciences, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Science and for Role 3 an A Level in either Mathematics or Physics.

Please read the degree requirements for each role carefully before applying.

Other requirements: You will have completed a minimum of 2 years of your undergraduate degree but will not have graduated at the start of your placement. You must be enrolled at a UK (United Kingdom) or ROI (Republic of Ireland) University for the duration of your placement.

If you have already graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree and are currently studying a postgraduate Masters, you are not eligible for this programme.

Language requirement: Written and spoken fluency in English

Expected Start date: September 2025

Duration: 1 year (approximately)

Salary: A salary of £24,700 plus a bonus.

Application Closing: 9th October 2024

Early applications are encouraged as candidates will be reviewed regularly and the advert may close at any point.

Are you looking to gain valuable real world work experience and help positively impact the lives of others?

A GSK internship offers you the opportunity to kickstart your career – to take on a real role with genuine impact. You’ll take on challenging tasks within live projects or assignments. You’ll also get to learn from others in your team and other parts of GSK whilst developing your skills and gaining valuable experience for wherever the future takes you.

Typical skills you can expect to learn on this placement will include:

• Teamworking through working with multidisciplinary teams
• Communication (written & verbal)
• Time management
• Problem-solving
• Networking
• Technical skills (detailed within each role description)

Once you accept your offer you will be invited to join LinkedIn groups and pre-joining webinars, to enable you to connect and network with new students. You will join IPUnite, GSK’s community of over 250 students across all UK sites and business areas, run by the Industrial Placement students committee and will receive access to GSK resources, including employee assistance programmes, private healthcare, and well-being programs.

The Roles (4 available)

This advert contains multiple roles. Please read each role carefully before proceeding as you will be asked to provide a preference later in the application process.

Role 1 – Analytical Development – High Throughput Automation

Degree requirements: Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or Pharmaceutical Science

Overview of the Department

Analytical Platforms and Platform Modernisation (APPM) sits in the Analytical Development department of Pharma R&D. In our department, we focus on providing technologies for the business to facilitate and support the development of new medicines. Among these technologies, the team aims at implementing automated workflows to optimise the use of resources, accelerate drug development, and generate high quality, standardised data.

Key Placement Activities

• Operating advanced automated equipment (e.g., liquid and solid handlers, multifunctional platforms, analytical instruments)
• Employing, optimising, and developing automated workflows to expedite drug development processes.
• Planning, designing, and executing experiments, as well as data collection and analysis to derive meaningful insights.
• Comprehensive training in essential analytical techniques and processes and extracting valuable information from large datasets.

Role 2 – Process Chemist

Degree requirements: Chemistry

Overview of the Department

Process chemistry generates new synthetic routes and process understanding that underpins the successful scale-up and commercial industrialisation of GSK’s future manufacturing processes. Together with engineers and material scientists, the department also works in technology areas to develop and implement new ways of working such as exploring novel AI applications within process chemistry, evaluating new approaches to commercial oligonucleotide synthesis, or working with high throughput automated chemistry.

Key Placement Activities

• Design and perform experiments in a laboratory setting to meet project timelines and objectives.
• Think creatively to generate original ideas for new synthetic routes and simplifying process problems.
• Ensure that experimental work is communicated effectively at internal R&D meetings.
• Develop skills in practical organic chemistry, chemical analysis, planning experimental work, implementing safety procedures, data analysis, and presentation of scientific findings.

Role 3 – Structural and Biophysical Sciences

Degree requirements – Natural Sciences, Biochemistry, Chemistry or Physics and an A Level or equivalent in Mathematics or Physics.

Overview of the Department

Structural & Biophysical Sciences (SBS) focuses on early-stage small molecule and antibody drug discovery using state-of-the-art technologies, such as X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry and surface plasmon resonance as part of therapeutic program teams at GSK. SBS is a team of about a 20 people, ranging from experienced researchers with decades of drug discovery expertise, to early career scientists yet to complete their PhD/BSc studies.

Key Placement Activities

• IPs joining the SBS team will focus on one of several cutting-edge techniques carried out within the department during their time with us, such as:
• Biophysical Assay Support (E.G. Surface Plasmon Resonance)
• Structural Biology Support (E.G. crystallisation & X-Ray crystallography)
• Mass Spectrometry (E.G. Mass Photometry, Native MS)
• Electron Microscopy (E.G. sample preparation)
• You will become a skilled laboratory scientist and will work as a member of a close-knit team, embedded in wider medicinal development program support. However, you will also be expected to work on your own projects delivering results and presentations. Finally, you will have lots of opportunities to engage in many department and site events throughout your stay with us.

Role 4 – Materials Science

Degree requirements – Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and related

Overview of the Department

Sitting within Drug Substance Development, Materials Science at GSK is a global group which looks to support API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient) development from late discovery and through manufacture through selection of the optimum crystalline form for the API that meets the requirements of the patient and formulation. The department also develops analytical methods to characterise the physical properties of the API and formulation and designs manufacturing processes which optimise the API properties for processing and performance.

Key Placement activities

• Crystallisations, Salt/polymorph screening and selection, Crystallography and size reduction process development
• Physical and chemical characterisation methods including XRPD, DSC, TGA, Raman, NMR, HPLC, SEM and Light Microscopy
• Design and execute laboratory experiments to produce API with appropriate properties for drug product processing
• Develop knowledge and compliance with local safety and quality requirements
• Perform data management and data interpretation, record results effectively and communicate results in technical reports
• Gain in depth knowledge in pharmaceutical Materials Sciences process & development

These placement opportunities have the following recruitment stages you must successfully pass to be offered a placement year with GSK for 2024:

1.      Eligibility Form

2.      World of GSK Online Assessment

3.      Written Assessment

4.      Virtual Assessment Centre or Virtual Interview

We’re 100% open to all talent – whatever your gender, marital status, religion, age, colour, race, sexual orientation, nationality, learning difference or disability. We want to recruit the right people for GSK from the widest possible backgrounds, so we can better serve the diversity of our patients and also because it’s the right thing to do.

You can learn more about Inclusion and diversity at GSK here.

Need help with your application?

Please email us at UK.InternRecruitment@gsk.com or call us on 01582 692870 and let us know how we can help you.

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. We prevent and treat disease with vaccines, specialty and general medicines. We focus on the science of the immune system and the use of new platform and data technologies, investing in four core therapeutic areas (infectious diseases, HIV, respiratory/ immunology and oncology).

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a place where people feel inspired, encouraged and challenged to be the best they can be. A place where they can be themselves – feeling welcome, valued, and included. Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are open to all talent. In the US, we also adhere to Affirmative Action principles. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to neurodiversity, race/ethnicity, colour, national origin, religion, gender, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, disability, genetic information, military service, covered/protected veteran status or any other federal, state or local protected class*(*US only).

We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’d like to discuss any reasonable adjustments to our process which might help you demonstrate your strengths and capabilities.

For UK Intern roles (including Industrial Placements) you can either call us on 01582 692870, or send an email uk.InternRecruitment@gsk.com

For UK Apprentice and Graduate Programme roles (including Future Leaders Programme) you can either call us on 0203 862 2277, or send an email uk.EarlyTalentRecruitment@gsk.com

As you apply, we will ask you to share some personal information which is entirely voluntary. We want to have an opportunity to consider a diverse pool of qualified candidates and this information will assist us in meeting that objective and in understanding how well we are doing against our inclusion and diversity ambitions. We would really appreciate it if you could take a few moments to complete it. Rest assured, Hiring Managers do not have access to this information and we will treat your information confidentially.

Important notice to Employment businesses/ Agencies

GSK does not accept referrals from employment businesses and/or employment agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site. All employment businesses/agencies are required to contact GSK's commercial and general procurement/human resources department to obtain prior written authorization before referring any candidates to GSK. The obtaining of prior written authorization is a condition precedent to any agreement (verbal or written) between the employment business/ agency and GSK. In the absence of such written authorization being obtained any actions undertaken by the employment business/agency shall be deemed to have been performed without the consent or contractual agreement of GSK. GSK shall therefore not be liable for any fees arising from such actions or any fees arising from any referrals by employment businesses/agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site.

Please note that if you are a US Licensed Healthcare Professional or Healthcare Professional as defined by the laws of the state issuing your license, GSK may be required to capture and report expenses GSK incurs, on your behalf, in the event you are afforded an interview for employment. This capture of applicable transfers of value is necessary to ensure GSK’s compliance to all federal and state US Transparency requirements. For more information, please visit GSK’s Transparency Reporting For the Record site.

About GSK

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. Getting ahead means preventing disease as well as treating it, and we aim to impact the health of 2.5 billion people around the world in the next 10 years. Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, itʼs also about making GSK a place where people can thrive.

We want GSK to be a place where people feel inspired, encouraged and challenged to be the best they can be. A place where they can be themselves – feeling welcome, valued and included. Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together

How to apply

To apply for this programme and to find out more, please click on the apply button below.

Please note that applications may close before the application deadline, so apply early to avoid disappointment.