Intern Otsuka Way - R&D IT AI Intern

Position: Intern the Otsuka Way 2026 - R&D IT AI Intern
Job Summary

Otsuka's internship program, Intern the Otsuka Way (InTOW), offers students a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop critical skills while contributing to meaningful projects. Interns will work alongside experienced professionals, learn about the complexities of the pharmaceutical industry, and gain insights into potential career paths. By combining practical experience with professional development, our program prepares interns for future success.

Our internship program also includes instructor led trainings, a leadership engagement series, as well as insightful lunch and learns.

Final date to receive applications: Candidates are encouraged to apply within 10 business days of the posting date. The position may remain open past this window until a suitable candidate is selected.

Interviews and offers: February through March 2026.

Duration of internship: June 1, 2026, through August 10, 2026.

Job Description

The R&D IT AI Intern will support proofofconcept (PoC) initiatives applying agentic AI and intelligent workflow augmentation across Otsuka's core Research & Development systems. These projects aim to improve operational efficiency, reduce manual burden, enhance data quality, and strengthen data driven decision making throughout the drug development lifecycle.

A major focus area will include developing AIpowered solution for one of the following: analyze either protocol content or operational data or historical study information to automate or accelerate key R&D processes. Potential applications include clinical data review augmentation, quality and risk insights generation, and intelligent support for documentation workflows. This work helps drive greater consistency, transparency, and speed across R&D operations.

This role is ideal for students excited about the intersection of GenAI, agentic workflows, pharmaceutical R&D, and intelligent automation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and develop a proof-of-concept agentic AI workflow to automate a targeted R&D Operations task

• Build, test, and refine data extraction, reasoning, and decision-support components using GenAI and automation frameworks.

• Produce a structured output or prototype showing how the workflow improves speed, accuracy, or decision quality.

• Document the methodology, architecture, testing approach, and evaluation criteria so the PoC can be validated or extended by the R&D IT team.

• Deliver a final demo and presentation summarizing the solution, technical design, value potential, limitations, and proposed next steps.

Minimum:

• Undergraduate student graduating in the next 12-18 months pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, or a related technical field.

• Interest in or coursework related to the life sciences (biology, pharmaceutical sciences, healthcare, etc.).

• Proficiency in Python, working with JSON, and using pandas for data processing.

• Familiarity with GenAI concepts, LLMs, NLP, or agentic workflow frameworks.

• Authorization to work in the United States for the duration of the internship.

• Can commit to full duration of internship program.

• Authorization to work in the United States for the duration of the internship

Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Agentic AI tools such as Lang Chain, CrewAI, Agent Core, FastAPI, Bedrock, or DataIKU

• Vector database technologies such as Open Search, Pinecone, or FAISS

• Knowledge of cloud platforms or modern AI application stacks

• Strong technical documentation and communication skills

• Curiosity about applying AI to real-world clinical and R&D challenges

• Demonstrates behaviors aligned with the Otsuka Corporate Brand including Perseverance, Unconventional Thinking, and Humility.

• Demonstrate ability to work in a team environment.

• Demonstrate ability to think creatively to solve complex problems.

• Exhibits eagerness to learn and ability to learn quickly.

Competencies
Accountability for Results - Stay focused on key strategic objectives, be accountable for high standards of performance, and take an active role in leading change.
Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving - Make decisions considering the long-term impact to customers, patients, employees, and the business.
Patient & Customer Centricity - Maintain an ongoing focus on the needs of our customers and/or key stakeholders.
Impactful Communication - Communicate with logic, clarity, and respect. Influence at all levels to achieve the best results for Otsuka.
Respectful Collaboration - Seek and value others' perspectives and strive for diverse partnerships to enhance work toward common goals.
Empowered Development - Play an active role in professional development as a business imperative.

Minimum $22.00 - Maximum $28.00:
The range shown represents a typical pay range or starting pay for individuals who are hired to perform the role in the United States. Other elements may be used to determine actual pay such as the candidate's educational background and specific skills. Typically, actual pay will be positioned within the…