Panther: Better Health Is Skin Deep

Panther is unlocking the tremendous biological power of our skin, delivering efficacious, shelf-stable treatments directly to customers. Panther's precisely engineered smart microarray patches (SmartPatches) address a wide range of needs in Skin Health (cosmetics, medical aesthetics) and are designed to treat conditions in Systemic Health (infectious diseases, allergies, cancer, autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders). Billions of people around the world lack access to effective treatment, and we will change this.

SmartPatches enable effective, tech-enabled customer experiences, and our AI platform provides valuable insights for improved patient outcomes and the development of even better treatments. SmartPatches are affordable to manufacture and distribute, and easy to apply, resulting in greater access and market expansion. Panther is developing clinically validated products, the first of which launches in 2027.

The Opportunity:

This is a fall internship based in Pittsburgh, running from October through December, with the potential to extend beyond the initial internship period.

This internship is a hands-on opportunity to work directly on the development of Panther’s SmartPatch technology. You’ll make and test SmartPatches, evaluate how they perform in skin models, investigate failures, design controlled experiments, analyze data, and build custom testing tools in 3D CAD.

What makes this internship especially valuable is the breadth of experience you’ll gain across device development, materials, formulation, testing, and manufacturing. Rather than working on one small piece of a project, you’ll see how an early-stage medical technology is developed, tested, improved, and prepared for scale.

You’ll leave with practical experience in experimental design, device characterization, failure analysis, statistical analysis, CAD, technical documentation, and hands-on product development. This foundation is highly relevant for future careers in medical devices, biotech, pharmaceutical development, biomedical engineering, R&D, product development, and manufacturing engineering.

Responsibilities

• Conduct microneedle characterization studies using pre-clinical skin models, including donor skin

• Perform failure mode analysis and material testing to inform critical design decisions, including stability, force, and optical testing

• Fabricate dissolvable microneedle arrays for testing and characterization, applying working knowledge of Panther's formulation and manufacturing processes

• Design and prototype custom test fixtures in 3D CAD to enable controlled, repeatable device characterization

• Design experiments (DOE) to isolate test variables, and perform statistical analysis to support design decisions

• Document work thoroughly and write technical reports summarizing findings and conclusions

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing or obtained a degree in Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field

• Hands-on laboratory experience building, preparing, testing, or characterizing materials or devices, ideally involving biomaterials, polymers, medical devices, or drug delivery

• Experience with mechanical or material testing, such as force, strength, stability, failure, penetration, or other material properties

• Experience using test results to troubleshoot problems and improve a material, process, or device design

• Experience with CAD, prototyping, experimental design, DOE, statistics, and/or analyzing test data to support engineering decisions

What We offer

• Exposure to breakthrough health technology and insight into how next-generation drug delivery systems move from concept to product.

• Real impact from day one. Work on projects that directly contribute to Panther’s microneedle array platform and product development.

• Hands-on experience participating in the design, development, and testing of real technologies alongside senior engineers and scientists.

• Meaningful ownership of discrete projects with clear outcomes and the opportunity to present your work to the team.

• Startup-level responsibility within a small, fast-moving team where your ideas and contributions genuinely matter.

• Work alongside a small group of thoughtful, curious people who care a lot about the mission. We collaborate closely, help each other out and work together.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Panther Life Sciences is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital or partnership status, age, national origin, citizenship, veteran or military status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, caregiver status, or any other characteristic protected by law.