From Classroom to Biotech: Nate Klein’s Co-op Journey
For Nate Klein, pursuing a career in pharmaceutical sciences is about more than professional growth. It's also about honoring a family legacy. "I was originally inspired to pursue this field mostly because of my mom," Nate shares. "My mom was studying pharmacy when she had me. She never actually graduated, so when I was growing up, I always wanted to continue in her footsteps and do it for her." Beyond his mother’s influence, Nate credits several important role models for encouraging him to aim higher throughout his life, including his grandfather, his father, and an aunt who works at Biogen. Their support, guidance, and example inspired him to challenge himself and pursue opportunities that would help him reach his full potential.
Originally from Fall River, Massachusetts, Nate recently received a master's degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from University of Massachusetts Lowell. After spending four years working as a pharmacy technician while in school, he wanted to expand his understanding of the pharmaceutical industry beyond the retail setting. "Biogen was a great opportunity for me to get into the R&D and manufacturing side of pharma, broadening my scope of the industry," he says.
Today, Nate serves as a Clinical Sites Support Co-op within Biogen’s Global Clinical Supply Chain team. In his role, he helps support clinical trial operations by managing drug return discrepancies, ensuring shipment details and documentation are accurate, and working closely with clinical sites to provide guidance and support. As his co-op progresses, he’s looking forward to an AI-focused project aimed at improving team processes and efficiency.
Like many students entering a large global company for the first time, Nate was excited about the opportunity while also navigating the learning curve that comes with a new professional environment. "I was worried about imposter syndrome, especially working with people who have years of experience," he says. "However, since day one, I've been welcomed and supported by my team.” That welcoming environment quickly helped Nate find his footing.
Nate working in the Cambridge office.
Through his co-op, Nate has gained firsthand exposure to concepts he had previously only studied in the classroom. "Learning about all the phases of drug testing was always a huge topic of discussion in my classes," he says. "Now seeing and learning about that as it's happening, and understanding what it means at Biogen, has been really cool."
He's also developed valuable professional skills, particularly around organization, communication, and note-taking, while having the opportunity to apply technology and coding experience gained through his studies.
Beyond day-to-day work, Nate has taken advantage of the many offerings from Biogen’s University Programs team, including professional development workshops and a leadership speaker series. "There are a lot of programs for interns and co-ops here," he says. "The patient speakers have been really inspiring. It helps you see how the work you're doing can really have an impact."
Nate’s advice for students considering a future at Biogen is straightforward: "Put in the hard work. It's difficult to get a position in this industry. If you're lucky enough to get one, put 110% into it," he says. "You're only here for a short amount of time. Show your improvement and show that you deserve to be here."
As for what's next, Nate remains eager to keep learning and exploring new possibilities. "This position has really excited me," he says. "You never know where you'll end up. I’m looking forward to seeing where this experience takes me at Biogen and beyond."
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