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Charles River Laboratories Careers & Entry-Level Jobs | Explore Careers
A Charles River scientist in a lab coat and safety glasses using a pipette at a laboratory workstation
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Charles River
Science, Technology & Analytics · 130+ sites worldwide · Hiring students & new grads · Summer Intern Program
This is your moment.

Together we create healthier lives.

At Charles River Laboratories, you’ll contribute to work that helps advance life-changing medicines and therapies. From science and technology to operations and business, discover opportunities to gain hands-on experience, build your skills and make an impact on global health.

View opportunities Career areas
1947
Founded
130+
Sites worldwide
18,000+
Employees
80%
of FDA-approved drugs supported
02 · Get to know Charles River
Charles River laboratory scientist wearing protective eyewear

Where science becomes possibility and careers make an impact.

Charles River Labs is a global partner to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, government agencies and academic institutions. Our teams support research and drug development across the development journey, helping turn scientific discoveries into potential treatments for patients around the world.

03 · Career paths

Explore careers beyond the lab.

There’s more than one way to make an impact at Charles River. Explore career paths across science, technology, data, finance, human resources, sales, marketing and business operations – and discover where your skills and interests could take you.

Explore all opportunities →

Science & Research

Hands-on laboratory science and research that helps accelerate treatments for rare diseases, cancer and life-threatening conditions.

Information Technology

Build and support the cloud platforms and digital tools powering a leading, digitally-enabled CRO on its Digital Journey.

Data & Digital

Turn research data into insight, working in agile, cross-functional teams that use modern skills to speed drug development.

Finance

Support the business behind the science — planning, analysis and stewardship for an industry-leading, publicly traded company.

Human Resources

Help build a workplace where 100 nationalities and five generations can bring their authentic selves and grow their careers.

Sales & Marketing

Connect clients across pharma, biotech, government and academia with the services that move their programs forward.

Business Operations

Keep a global organization running smoothly — the coordination and processes that help deliver reliable results worldwide.

04 · Early career opportunities

Find your first opportunity.

Ready to put your skills into practice? Explore examples of roles where students and new graduates can start building their careers at Charles River.

See all early-career roles →
In Vivo · Safety Assessment
Research Technician I
Availability and requirements vary by vacancy
Career example

Charles River Laboratories is seeking a Research Technician I for our In Vivo (In Life) Team within our Safety Assessment sites across the US. The Research Technician I will collect and record data with minimal supervision in the performance of studies.

Key responsibilities
  • Handle and restrain animals
  • Carry out clinical observations
  • Collect samples and monitor food consumption
  • Perform animal husbandry
  • Complete accurate data collection and reporting
  • Administer test substances by various basic methods
Good to know
  • Multiple US locations
  • Full-time role
  • In Vivo (In Life) team
  • Safety Assessment sites
Explore opportunities →
Multiple departments
Lab Assistant
Availability and requirements vary by vacancy
Career example

Lab Assistants perform tasks across office/administrative, laboratory, animal care and facilities/maintenance work, plus other related duties as assigned.

Key responsibilities
  • Office/Administrative: clerical and administrative tasks, including filing, typing, copying and collating documents, preparing mailings and answering phones
  • Laboratory: laboratory tasks, including glass washing and lab clean-up
  • Animal Care: simple animal husbandry tasks, including watering, feeding and cleaning cages
  • Facilities/Maintenance: simple maintenance and upkeep on buildings and grounds — carpentry repairs, exterior and interior painting, minor equipment repairs and snow removal — plus custodial tasks and simple preventative maintenance
Good to know
  • Multiple US locations
  • Full-time role
  • Returning seasonal help may perform advanced skills listed in training records
  • Perform all other related duties as assigned
Explore opportunities →
Animal Care
Animal Care Technician I
Availability and requirements vary by vacancy
Career example

As the Animal Care Technician I, you will provide husbandry and veterinary assistance in a laboratory for small animals, as well as monitor animal health and report findings.

Key responsibilities
  • Prepare caging for cagewash
  • Perform daily animal health observations and report any abnormal conditions or behavior
  • Monitor and report irregularities in environmental conditions that may affect animals
  • Clean assigned animal rooms, facility and animal care equipment, and associated animal facility areas
  • Obtain weekly animal census
  • Ensure logbooks, checklists and other records are completed accurately and in a timely fashion
  • Provide environmental enrichment feed and other enrichment stimuli, and/or provide behavioral assessments
Good to know
  • Requirements and locations vary by vacancy
  • Review the official listing for current details
Explore opportunities →
Animal Care
Cagewash Technician
Availability and requirements vary by vacancy
Career example

The Cagewash Technician will assist in cleaning and disinfecting animal housing, feed and water containers using the automated cage washer, and cleaning of laboratory areas.

Key responsibilities
  • Clean and disinfect animal housing, feed and water containers using the automated cage washer
  • Clean laboratory areas
  • Record all required tasks on relevant logbook records accurately and completely
  • Assist with animal care technical duties such as changing liners
  • Sanitize animal room walls and floors
Good to know
  • Multiple US locations
  • Full-time role
  • Paid position
Explore opportunities →
Safety Assessment
Necropsy Technician I
Availability and requirements vary by vacancy
Career example

We are seeking a Necropsy Technician I to support safety assessment laboratory operations. This role involves performing basic necropsy procedures, assisting with dissection and tissue collection, and ensuring accurate documentation of all laboratory activities.

Key responsibilities
  • Perform basic necropsy procedures
  • Assist with dissection and tissue collection
  • Handle and process samples
  • Prepare materials for shipment and archiving
  • Maintain detailed records
  • Learn and apply correct anatomical terminology
Good to know
  • Multiple US locations
  • Full-time role
  • Paid position
Explore opportunities →
05 · Why Charles River

Why start your career at Charles River?

Make meaningful contributions

Build experience while contributing to work that supports scientific discovery and drug development.

Learn by doing

Gain hands-on experience and learn alongside experienced professionals.

Build skills for what’s next

Develop practical skills and experiences that can support your long-term career growth.

Be part of something bigger

Join a global team connected by a shared purpose: Together We Create Healthier Lives.

06 · Meet our people

Meet the people behind our purpose.

Every career at Charles River has a story. Meet colleagues across our organization and hear how they’re building their careers while contributing to work that matters.

Video thumbnail: Paula Miliani de Marval, Associate Director of Research at Charles River► Watch
Paula Miliani de Marval
Associate Director, Research — on the science that moves treatments closer to patients.
Video thumbnail: Jonathan Hill, Scientist in Analytical Development at Charles River► Watch
Jonathan Hill
Scientist, Analytical Development — on the everyday problem-solving behind safe medicines.
Your story next?
From summer internships to long-term growth, there's a place for you on the team creating healthier lives.
View opportunities →
07 · Hear from Charles River interns

Read about their internship adventures.

Come on in, be part of our team and experience Charles River from the inside. Here's what current interns say about starting their careers with us.

Sophia Wilson, Charles River Research Technician II
Sophia Wilson
Research Technician II
Why Charles River?“When I was attending college, I debated a lot of careers after school, and my grandmother was diagnosed with ALS. After that I decided to pursue a career in animal research!”
Advice to students“Do your research! We have a lot of people come through the door and say this job isn’t what they expected, but for those of us that knew what to expect, love our jobs and love continuing the mission to save lives!”
Why I like working here“They have a robust and generous compensation and total rewards program.”
Studied: Animal Science with a specialization in beef science
Brennen Nalley, Charles River IT Technician
Brennen Nalley
IT Technician (Site Services L1)
Why Charles River?“I wanted to learn how computers are utilized within a real-world setting, and I also like science and appreciate the work being done here.”
Advice to students“Willingness to learn and appreciation of soft skills such as interpersonal communication.”
Why I like working here“Good co-workers, each day is never the same. Lots of different projects to expand my knowledge to different areas.”
Studied: B.S. Computer Science with minors in Mathematics and Information Systems
Olivia Turske, Charles River Histology Lab Assistant
Olivia Turske
Histology Lab Assistant
Why Charles River?“My previous teachers had both worked here and told me it is a great place to work, and getting the internship at the age I was seemed like an amazing opportunity. I also love science, so it just fueled my desire to work here.”
Advice to students“Don’t give up, make good connections and impressions.”
Why I like working here“Charles River is an amazing place to work and to intern; it teaches you amazing skills that you can take with you throughout other careers.”
Emily Thurmon, Charles River Research Assistant in Formulations
Emily Thurmon
Research Assistant, Formulations
Why Charles River?“I had heard great things about the facility and the opportunity to get experience. I thought this internship could give me some perspective of what I wanted.”
Advice to students“Just go for it, be confident in yourself and what you have learned in your college courses.”
Why I like working here“The biggest reward for working here is knowing that we could be potentially testing the next new drug treatment that could directly impact people’s lives.”
Studied: Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Summer Intern Program

Experience Charles River from the inside.

We offer internships across science, information technology, finance, human resources and sales & marketing — gaining hands-on experience, building relationships with leaders and colleagues, and developing personally and professionally. The right internship can help you take the next critical step before you graduate from college.

Hear from five of our recent interns Explore internship opportunities →
Darby E., Charles River intern
Darby E.
Fall 2022 Intern I · Summer 2023 Intern II

“My time interning at Charles River allowed me to experience my field outside of an academic setting. Academically, engineers are taught how to find solutions with given parameters. During my internship, the department projects taught me how to theorize and solve complex projects with unknown parameters. My time at CRL taught me that internships are more than just learning technical and industry proficiency — it’s allowing you to get your foot in the door, begin networking with colleagues, and establishing professional development.”

Kristen C., Charles River intern
Kristen C.
QC Flow Cytometry Analyst I
Spring 2022 Intern I

“The Charles River intern program gave me the tools and knowledge I needed to get prepared for working in a clinical pharmaceutical company. The diversity of my team helped me grow not only in my career but my mentality as well. It also was an opportunity for me to give back to our community in ways I couldn’t have done by myself.”

Gustavo Jimenez C., Charles River intern
Gustavo Jimenez C.
Biomanufacturing Technician I
Spring 2023 Intern I

“At the beginning of January 2023, I had the excellent opportunity to start in the validation internship program at Charles River. This opportunity was a great choice because I was able to learn and experience more about the pharmaceutical and cell therapy industry. The tasks assigned to me and seeing my coworkers helped me realize how our work impacts the lives of many people. At the end of the internship, I was able to perform different tasks while gaining knowledge about the industry.”

Josalynn H., Charles River intern
Josalynn H.
Quality Operations Specialist I
Spring 2023 Intern I

“My internship experience at Charles River better prepared me for my transition to a full-time employee for the company. I gained valuable insight into the day-to-day activities of what Charles River represents. This program helped ready me for my future in this field, gaining the skill set needed to progress in the cell and gene therapy pharmaceutical field.”

Danielle J., Charles River intern
Danielle J.
Human Resources Assistant Coordinator
Spring 2023 Intern I · Summer 2023 Intern II

“Working with Charles River Labs has offered me endless opportunities to develop several necessary skills to become successful in multiple aspects of my career, including mentorship, networking, problem solving and independence. As an HR intern, I was encouraged to advocate for myself and needs, which resulted in securing a full-time position here as an HR assistant coordinator. I am hoping to continue to maximize my learning experience with Charles River, as my career and perspective grows here.”

08 · Our Digital Journey

Transforming how we work through technology.

Our Digital Journey is reimaging how we work – bringing together modern cloud technology, digital tools, data and agile ways of working to help simplify processes, accelerate drug development and better serve our clients.

Work in agile teams

Collaborate across functions, solve problems and use agile ways of working to turn ideas into solutions faster.

Build what’s next

Help develop modern cloud platforms, digital tools and customer-facing solutions that are transforming how we work.

Grow with us

Be part of a digital transformation that creates opportunities to develop new skills, take on new challenges and help shape the future of Charles River.

Birgit Girshick, Chief Executive Officer of Charles River

Birgit Girshick

Chief Executive Officer

“Our employees are driven by our purpose: Together We Create Healthier Lives. For patients with rare diseases or other terminal illnesses, every day in the drug development process counts. We have a responsibility to do everything we can to accelerate this process. Our Digital Journey will equip us to accelerate the drug development process, impacting the lives of patients across the globe.”

When you work at Charles River, you will be the difference every day for patients across the globe.

09 · Evie’s story

See why your work matters.

Behind every discovery, every study and every advancement are patients and families waiting for answers. Evie’s story is a powerful reminder of why the work we do matters – and how the contributions of our people can help make a difference in the lives of patients around the world.

Video thumbnail: Evie’s Story ► Watch Evie’s Story
Evie’s StorySee how your work impacts the lives of patients like Evie every day
10 · Belonging at Charles River

Be our greatest discovery.

At Charles River, fostering a sense of belonging is at the heart of who we are. We are committed to creating a workplace where differences are valued, perspectives are respected, and every colleague feels supported, recognized, and empowered to succeed. Through fair and accessible processes, we provide opportunities for growth, development, and career advancement. Beyond our workplace, we are dedicated to supporting our communities and creating a positive, lasting impact.

Charles River colleague wearing medical scrubs
11 · Your questions, answered

Everything you wanted to ask, answered.

Charles River Laboratories is a global contract research organization that helps advance life-changing medicines and therapies. Founded in 1947 and headquartered in Wilmington, MA, we support basic research, discovery, safety and efficacy, clinical support and manufacturing for leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, government and academic organizations — and we've supported 80% of FDA-approved drugs over the last five years.

No — science isn't the only career path here. Alongside lab roles, students can pursue careers in technology, data, IT, finance, HR, marketing and business operations. Every role supports our clients and impacts millions of patients worldwide, even if you're not in a lab coat.

Career paths students and new graduates may encounter include Research Technician, Lab Assistant, Animal Care Technician, Cagewash Technician and Necropsy Technician roles, alongside internship, co-op and apprenticeship programs. Availability, locations and requirements change, so check the official Charles River careers site for current vacancies.

It's a program offering internships across science, information technology, finance, human resources and sales & marketing. You'll get hands-on experience, build relationships with leaders and colleagues, and develop professionally — helping you take the next step in your career before you graduate from college.

The Digital Journey is Charles River's reimagination of how we do business — building cloud platforms, digital tools and smarter systems to become a leading, digitally-powered CRO. You could work on modern cloud architecture and customer-facing solutions in agile, cross-functional teams to help deliver drugs to market faster.

Yes. As a global organization representing over 100 nationalities, five generations and expertise across 20 countries, we thrive when we learn from one another and embrace diverse perspectives. Fostering a culture where every employee feels a true sense of belonging is at the heart of who we are.

Explore current openings and apply on the Charles River students & new grads site. Whether you're interested in science, technology, problem-solving or making a real impact on human health, there's a path where your work can change lives.

This is your moment.

Ready to take the next step? Explore opportunities for students and new graduates and discover where your career at Charles River could begin.

Explore Charles River careers

Browse early-career opportunities and internships across science, technology and business, and apply for the role that fits you.

View opportunities →