Winter 2026
Software Engineer Intern
Autonomous Lab
Updated on 9/3/2026
Ginkgo Bioworks
501-1,000 employees
Platform for cell programming and engineering
Compensation Overview
$21.68 - $30.58/hr
Emeryville, CA, USA
In Person
Internships are onsite five days a week.
Bachelor's, Master's
 Software Engineering |
|---|
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- Strong proficiency in Python.
- Recent graduate with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, or current student, in Computer Science, Bioengineering, or a related STEM field.
- Develop and refine Python-based protocols using the Catalyst Client to control liquid handlers, plate readers, and robotic arms.
- Assist in developing Catalyst Agent, an LLM-based interface that allows scientists to launch experiments using natural language.
- Work on data pipelines that harvest, structure, and upload experimental data from Reconfigurable Automation Cells into a data lake for AI model training.
- Integrate new hardware instruments into the Catalyst ecosystem by writing device drivers that allow the software to communicate with new laboratory tools.
- Experience with hardware control or APIs.
- Interest in biological data standards and laboratory automation.
- Interest in Lab-in-the-Loop technologies where AI models drive physical experimentation.
Ginkgo Bioworks offers a platform-based approach to cell programming for diverse industries such as food, agriculture, pharma, and chemicals. Its Foundry is an automated lab system that designs, builds, and tests engineered organisms, while the Codebase is a growing library of genetic parts and experimental data that informs new projects, all tied together by a Design-Build-Test-Learn loop for fast prototyping. The company earns revenue from Foundry-based R&D services and from Downstream Value, which can include royalties, milestone payments, or equity in partner companies. Its goal is to make biology easier to engineer and speed up the development of biological products through end-to-end tooling and data-driven workflows.
Company Size
501-1,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts
Founded
2009
Get referred to Ginkgo Bioworks
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q2 2026 revenue of $20 million beat expectations and showed tighter cost control.
- Ginkgo held $373 million cash at March 31, 2026, with no bank debt.
- Invaio collaboration on February 18, 2026 expands crop-protection applications beyond pharmaceuticals.
What critics are saying
- Revenue fell 49% year over year to $19 million in Q1 2026.
- Management guided 2026 cash burn of $125 million to $150 million, despite cuts.
- If cloud lab adoption stalls, Ginkgo's shrinking revenue cannot fund Nebula before 2028.
What makes Ginkgo Bioworks unique
- Ginkgo Cloud Lab launched March 2, 2026, offering 70-plus instruments through browser access.
- OpenAI's GPT-5 collaboration validated 36,000 experiments and cut protein costs 40%.
- PNNL chose Ginkgo in January 2026 for one of DOE's largest autonomous labs.
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Benefits
Unlimited paid time off
Comprehensive health and parental leave benefits
Flexible work options
Commuter benefits
State-of-the-art labs, work spaces, and conference rooms
Competitive 401K contribution
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↓ -4%1 year growth
↑ 0%2 year growth
↓ -3%Ginkgo Bioworks is refocusing on autonomous laboratories following the divestiture of its biosecurity business, which closed on 3 April. The biosecurity spin-off created a new company called Perimeter and brought in $60 million, with Ginkgo retaining a shareholding. CEO Jason Kelly said the company's 2026 investment priorities centre on winning the autonomous lab category through running services on its Boston-based Nebula system and selling autonomous lab systems to early adopters like Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. First-quarter revenue from continuing operations fell 49% year-over-year to $19 million, though excluding a $7.5 million non-cash item from 2025, the decline was 37%. Operating expenses dropped significantly, with research and development costs down 38% to $30 million and general and administrative expenses falling 35% to $13 million.
Analysts have trimmed price targets on Ginkgo Bioworks, with bullish views dropping to $12 from $14 and bearish targets falling to $5 from $9. The revisions reflect mixed sentiment around execution risk and recent business changes. TD Cowen maintained a Buy rating at $12, citing multi-year growth frameworks and improving investor sentiment ahead of 2026 guidance updates. BTIG kept its Sell rating at $5, noting it wants better visibility into how Ginkgo will monetise autonomous labs following the biosecurity business divestiture. Ginkgo recently launched Ginkgo Cloud Lab, a browser-based platform for running benchwork on autonomous lab infrastructure. The company announced collaborations with OpenAI on GPT-5-based biological experiments and with Invaio Sciences on microbial strains for crop protection.
Ginkgo Bioworks has launched Ginkgo Cloud Lab, a web-based interface allowing researchers to access the company's autonomous laboratory infrastructure remotely. The platform runs on proprietary Reconfigurable Automation Carts, which combine robotic arms, maglev sample transport and industrial software. The Cloud Lab provides access to over 70 instruments covering biological operations including sample preparation, liquid handling and analytical readouts. Its AI-driven agent, EstiMate, enables scientists to submit protocols in natural language and receive immediate compatibility assessments and pricing. The launch supports Ginkgo's 2026 strategy to transition all R&D services to Nebula, its autonomous lab in Boston, and phase out traditional laboratory benches. The company is inviting researchers from academia and biopharmaceutical firms to test the platform at cloud.ginkgo.bio.
Ginkgo Bioworks has reported full-year 2025 results showing lower revenue at $170.16 million and a reduced net loss of $312.76 million, alongside announcing a collaboration with Invaio Sciences on peptide-based crop protection. Despite this, shares declined 30.48% in one day to $6.75. The biotech company has achieved $250 million in annual cost savings and maintains a strong balance sheet with $474 million in cash and no bank debt. Analyst estimates suggest the stock is 32.5% undervalued, with a fair value of $10 per share. However, the company faces significant headwinds, with shares down 22.41% year-to-date and 87.86% over three years. Key risks include slower adoption of its AI and automation platform and margin pressure from underutilised laboratory capacity.
Ginkgo Bioworks has outlined a 2026 strategy centred on autonomous labs, whilst reporting declining cell engineering revenue and improved cash burn. The company will concentrate capital on its Nebula system in Boston, expand capacity towards 100 racks, and commercialise offerings including Solutions, Datapoints and cloud lab services integrated with AI. Cell engineering revenue fell 26% year-on-year in Q4, with full-year revenue of $133 million versus $174 million in 2024. However, R&D and G&A cuts improved losses, reducing cash burn to $171 million for 2025. Management is guiding cash burn of $125–$150 million for 2026. The company plans to spin off its biosecurity business to outside investors whilst retaining a minority stake, freeing capital for autonomous lab investments.