Denali Therapeutics

Development Operations Intern

May - August 2021 • South San Francisco, CA

What I liked

My summer internship at Denali was the perfect opportunity for me to challenge myself, apply my skills, and gain in-depth understanding of the biopharmaceutical industry. My favorite part about my experience was getting to meet new people within the organization, because everyone at Denali was incredibly welcoming, passionate, and enthusiastic about their work.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Intern

May - August 2022 • South San Francisco, CA

What I liked

Denali is an incredible place to do an internship. The internship experience was above and beyond what I expected in terms of skill advancement, understanding more about industry and career opportunities, mentorship and being able to see cutting edge science that will undoubtedly lead to cures for neurodegenerative diseases. I loved being able to experience a true "team science" feel and work with a variety of experts to complete an exciting project. I collected more data in 12 weeks than I have the last year of my PhD; in this way it is extremely attractive how much data you can generate and how fast projects can move without sacrificing rigor. I also loved being taken care of and being offered perks like free lunch and snacks/drinks daily, housing stipend and travel reimbursement.

What I wish was different

Advice

My advice would be to try and take in as much as you can from the experience without compromising your boundaries or health. If you can schedule lunch with a variety of people to learn more about their trajectories and work, go to as many talks and summits as you can, and learn different techniques it will really open up new ways of thinking, allow you to network and learn as much as possible with this incredible access to expertise and resources. However, your health is important and scholars should not overwork to their own detriment.

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analytical and formulation Intern

May - August 2022 • South San Francisco, CA

What I liked

Everyone in the company is very friendly and supportive, including the leadership team. The company is very mission driven and genuinely cares about how their actions and end products will affect patients. As a (big) bonus, a wide selection of lunch is provided everyday.

What I wish was different

Advice

Talk to people! If there's anyone with roles you are interested in learning more about, don't be afraid to reach out to them to schedule a talk. Most people in the company are more than happy to meet to talk about their roles, their career paths, and advice on graduate school or industry.

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Discovery Biology Intern

June - August 2022 • South San Francisco, CA

What I liked

In addition to the invaluable research experience, I really enjoyed the intern "lunch-and-learn" series that was hosted by the Denali team. This weekly series allowed the interns the opportunity to informally meet leaders in multiple different functions at the company, and have our curiosities answered. During this process, we were able to hear diverse and helpful advice from management, and anecdotes on how their careers were shaped/influenced. I had a wonderful experience interacting with my team and the opportunity to learn how to my present data as a PhD level scientist. Interning as a graduate student was a fantastic experience to learn more about industry/biotech as you begin to explore job opportunities following graduation, or speak to more people about their transition from academia.

What I wish was different

Advice

Everyone was incredibly enthusiastic and willing to speak with me about their experience at Denali (and their prior positions), so do not feel intimidated to reach out to someone you want to learn more about! The internship application process was very pleasant and the hiring team is just as interested in the value you bring as a person, just as much as your technical skills. :)

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Protein Science Intern

May - August 2022 • South San Francisco, CA

What I liked

I appreciate how welcoming everybody at Denali was throughout my internship. Support was available to me inside and out of the lab from not only people within my department, but everybody at the company. Denali makes sure everybody feels valued in their contribution in the fight to defeat degeneration.

What I wish was different

Advice

Don't be afraid to reach out to new people and explore your interests! Denalians love to collaborate and share what they are working on, so take advantage of the wealth of knowledge at the company.

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Chemistry Intern

May - August 2022 • South San Francisco, CA

What I liked

I gained meaningful experiences working in industry as a chemistry intern at Denali and was really lucky to have worked with a wonderful team that really helped my personal and professional growth. At Denali, I had the opportunity to connect with people from different functions and learn about all the different roles in a biotech company.

What I wish was different

Advice

Connect with people from different functions, don't be afraid to ask questions, and keep in touch with others!

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Corporate Development Intern

June - August 2022 • South San Francisco, CA

What I liked

Denali has been such a wonderful place to spend the summer. It is clear that the leadership team cares a great deal about fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment. The corporate development team is a lean but agile team, with plenty of opportunities to be a part of high-impact decisions at the company.

What I wish was different

Advice

Take the time to build your network across different functions. Every person at Denali has unique knowledge and is more than willing to share!

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Clinical Operations

May - August 2022 • South San Francisco, CA

What I liked

I really enjoyed my intern experience at Denali. Everyone on the team was friendly and welcoming and the overall company culture was great! I had the opportunity to meet with multiple executives and director level employees who were all very knowledgeable and supportive during my internship. I was also able to learn in-depth about the clinical research process and the roles of a clinical operations team.

What I wish was different

Advice

Take advantage of the meetings you have with team members and network as much as you can!

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PhD Intern, Quantitative Pharmacology

June 2022 • South San Francisco, CA

What I liked

Denali is a unique company because it blends research and industry to really affect the world of neurodegeneration research and therapeutics. The modeling work I did in my internship actually affected choices at the company. It was so invigorating to be a part of a fast-paced impactful company! On the personal side, everyone at Denali was so eager to talk to me and tell me about their own experiences and help me with my projects. The free lunches and activities made for great camaraderie.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Talent Acquisition Intern

March - August 2022 • South San Francisco, CA

What I liked

I loved the lunch and learn series where interns were able to meet with various staff at Denali to hear more about their careers and steps that they took to end up in their current position. These informal meetings were extremely influential as I felt comfortable asking staff in-depth questions. Having free lunch each day also positively influenced the lunchtime experience!