Summer 2026
Software Graduate Intern
Ginkgo Bioworks
501-1,000 employees
Platform for cell programming and engineering
Compensation Overview
$21.68 - $30.58/hr
Oakland, CA, USA
In Person
Onsite five days a week.
 Software Engineering (2) |
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- Enable "Protocols as Code": Develop and refine Python-based protocols using the Catalyst Client to control liquid handlers, plate readers, and robotic arms.
- Build the AI Scientist: Assist in the development of Catalyst Agent, our LLM-based interface that allows scientists to launch experiments using natural language.
- Integrate Lab Data: Work on data pipelines that automatically harvest, structure, and upload experimental data from RACs into our data lake for AI model training.
- Develop Device Drivers: Help integrate new hardware instruments into the Catalyst ecosystem, writing the drivers that allow our software to "talk" to new lab tools.
- Recent graduate (BS/MS) or current student in Computer Science, Bioengineering, or a related STEM field.
- Strong proficiency in Python; experience with hardware control or APIs is a plus.
- Enthusiasm for "Lab-in-the-Loop" technologies where AI models drive physical experimentation.
- Interest in biological data standards and laboratory automation.
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
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- OpenAI GPT-5 collaboration cuts protein synthesis costs 40% across 36,000 experiments.
- Bioworks7 expands capacity for biopharma and mammalian therapeutics programming.
- ARPA-H PREDICTS and EMBODY fund RNA designs and datasets for drug safety and CAR therapies.
What critics are saying
- Q1 2026 revenue falls 49% to $19M as cell engineering declines 26% yearly.
- $125-150M 2026 cash burn drains $474M reserves, forcing dilutive financing by mid-2027.
- BTIG cuts target to $5 doubting Nebula autonomous lab monetization post-biosecurity divestiture.
What makes Ginkgo Bioworks unique
- Ginkgo engineers custom organisms via Design-Build-Test-Learn platform for partners.
- Reconfigurable Automation Carts enable modular, scalable end-to-end biological workflows.
- Ginkgo Cloud Lab offers AI-driven EstiMate for natural language experiment submission.
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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
↑ 3%1 year growth
↑ 1%2 year growth
↑ 0%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.
Ginkgo Bioworks reported fourth quarter 2025 total revenue of $33 million, down 24% from the prior year, with a GAAP net loss of $81 million. Full year revenue reached $170 million, down 25% from 2024, with adjusted EBITDA improving to negative $167 million from negative $293 million. The synthetic biology company announced it will divest its biosecurity business to a consortium of investors in exchange for a minority equity stake, with the transaction expected to close in the first half of 2026. CEO Jason Kelly said Ginkgo will now focus investment on autonomous laboratory offerings. Ginkgo is expanding its Boston autonomous lab to include over 100 robotic automated cells by year-end and recently completed a collaboration with OpenAI achieving a 40% improvement in cell-free protein synthesis. The company ended 2025 with $423 million in cash and expects total cash burn of $125-150 million in 2026.