Takeda Pharmaceuticals

Chemical Engineering Intern

January - July 2023 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

I liked how I gained different software skills in coding and CFD.

What I wish was different

I wish my mentorship had been a little bit different, as my boss left before I joined.

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask questions; everyone is there to help

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Manufacturing

June - September 2022 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

The people were all friendly and helpful. Under my bosses I was able to go to different departments (QC and Manufacturing Science), which was a great experience.

What I wish was different

More project-based work, but this may have changed since I was the very first intern in the department.

Advice

Ask to get involved in yellow belt projects, and ask to see other departments. People are usually flexible towards interns.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Comparative medicine intern

June - August 2021 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

The information and the staff

What I wish was different

I wish that the intern was not virtual because I feel that I might have been able to learn even more

Advice

Hard work pays off.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Summer Intern

June - August 2021 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

Flexible Supportive managers Employees very open to networking

What I wish was different

Unfortunately it was a remote internship. I would’ve have liked to see more of the in person company culture.

Advice

Reach out and connect with people

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Summer Intern

June - August 2020 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

I enjoyed the flexibility and learning more about the logistics of drug manufacturing. My managers and fellow interns in my group were very welcoming and enjoyable to work with.

What I wish was different

Because of the pandemic, we had to work remotely which was unfortunate but was definitely the right call.

Advice

Take advantage of people's expertise and ask questions. Most people love helping out others with career and general advice.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Student intern

May - August 2020 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

I liked the fact that my mentor took me under her wings and made sure I had the best experience possible in a pandemic. She pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me develop as a scientist. Also, she helped me to build my network by connecting me with other professionals in Takeda.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have gone to the laboratory. However, the pandemic dictated the proces and I am just grateful that takeda did not cancel the program.

Advice

Do not be afraid to show what you can offer and it is okay to step out of your comfort zone because that is how you grow.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Manufacturing Systems Intern

June - August 2019 • Lexington, MA

What I liked

Friendly employees, comfortable environment, fulfilling work

What I wish was different

Better internship program overall, getting the interns together more

Advice

Try a new field, it may be better than the one you originally thought to pursue

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Quality Assurance Intern

June - August 2019 • Thousand Oaks, CA

What I liked

I liked that there was freedom in my schedule in the times that I could come in to work on my projects. My department members were easily accessible and I was able to attend and add my input to meetings to have actions carried out. I was also able to tour the manufacturing suites and see directly the process of manufacturing and purifying the pharmaceuticals.

What I wish was different

I wish the internship had started earlier and that there were more projects that I was able to work on with other interns. I also would like to meet with other interns from other Takeda Pharmaceuticals locations.

Advice

One piece of advice is that much of what you learn in school may not be directly applicable to your internship, so it is important to be adaptable and willing to learn new methodology during internships.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Summer Intern

June - August 2019 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

My supervisor was very flexible and encouraged experiential learning and networking opportunities.

What I wish was different

At times, I did wish the work day was a little more structured.

Advice

Your work day is what you make it. If you have some down time during the day, use your resources and see if you can learn something new about the company and the industry it’s apart of.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Network IT Intern

May - August 2018 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

Loved the people and how I was treated at the company

What I wish was different

Wish I had a little more work to do

Advice

1 One person found this helpful

Biophysics Intern

July - September 2017 • La Jolla, CA

What I liked

Got to learn a few new skills and network with people. Additionally, got to understand the pipeline structure of a large biotech company.

What I wish was different

More work with varying company members. Didn't see much of what other people in the company were doing in an overview sort of way.

Advice

Good for learning new skills, but you are repeating the same types of tasks each day. So, the job isn't very flexible in learning a wide range of skills; it's more of strengthening a very narrow set of skills. This can fit some people's interests, but may not be the best fit for you.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Business Operations Intern

May - August 2018 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

I learned more than I could ever imagined about the pharmaceutical industry and the type of people who work there. I was also able to realize how valuable the skills that I do have are in the real world as my work was highly appreciated and is still used now.

What I wish was different

I wish I worked in a different department as I did not find the internship entirely intellectually stimulating.

Advice

Do a CDIP! That's how I got this internship!

2 ${count} people found this helpful

IT Security Analyst Intern

May - September 2018 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

Experience with many security systems and detecting anomalies. Analyzing information found and working on mini projects.

What I wish was different

Mentors' availability.

Advice

Ask plenty of questions.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

medicinal chemistry intern

July 2018 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

Learn every aspect of drug development Hands on skills about chemistry research lots of meetings and events and talks to help you build your interest and career

What I wish was different

nothing it was great summer internship experience

Advice

apply early and go to the career fair events and talk to the employers afterwards

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Organic Chemistry Summer Intern

May - August 2017 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

I was able to get experience in the industry that I want to go into, which was extremely valuable. Also, as interns we got to participate in professional development events, networking events, and social events. For example, every other week we would have a talk from the head of a different department at Takeda so we could learn more about different areas in the company. We also had fun social events like a day at Fenway and a night of bowling. Also, we got a housing stipend and travel costs were covered (bus, T pass, parking pass, commuter rail, etc.), and we got some free swag, which were added perks!

What I wish was different

Absolutely nothing, it was amazing!

Advice

Reach out to other people at the company and show your interest, and make sure to network

1 One person found this helpful

Lead Oncology Research Assistant

May - August 2017 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

This is my third summer returning to Takeda pharma. They revamped the internship program this past summer to include a lot more interactive/networking events for interns to participate in and learn more about pharma. Highly recommend for anyone who is considering a career in pharma.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have done something else other than research/benchwork. I think it would have been more beneficial for me to have changed to a different department in order to gain a fuller exposure to pharma and the careers within the industry.

Advice

Take advantage of the opportunity of being able to work with PhDs/masters/ seasoned scientists and execs. Ask questions, take initiative. It's easy to be pushed aside because everyone is busy so this is the perfect opportunity for you to make yourself heard. Network with the other interns. Soft skills are very important in any field and this is a great time and place to develop them.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Pricing and Market Access Intern

May - July 2018 • Singapore, North Region

What I liked

The experience was incredible. I got a taste of what true diversity is and how critical that is in the workplace. I got to experience industry pharmacy which is the area of work that I most enjoy.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more opportunities to network within the company.

Advice

Always be open to taking on new tasks, whether or not you think you can do it. If you put your mind to it, stay flexible, and ask questions - you can accomplish anything.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Intern

June - August 2018 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

This was a great internship program with a lot of professional development and networking events that helped me develop my professional skills as well as my lab skills and knowledge.