Research and Development Intern - Commutable/Local Only
This opportunity is available through Project Onramp, a program to help Pell-granted undergraduates gain access to paid summer internships, industry mentors, and early career training in the Life Sciences sector and related industries. We are partnered with 100+ companies across the country, and have placed 1,000 students in summer internships since 2019. You can read more about us here.
PROJECT ONRAMP
THIS PROGRAM HAS NO COST TO STUDENTS. IT IS FREE.
Intern, Research and Development
🚨 IMPORTANT ELIGIBILITY NOTE:
Applicants MUST permanently reside or ALREADY HAVE CONFIRMED HOUSING within a commutable distance of the facility. Housing/relocation is NOT provided.
- Location: Bridgewater, NJ (On-site)
- Duration: Summer 2026
- Compensation: $20.00 per hour
The Corporate Partner
Our Corporate Partner is a pioneering, well-funded biotech firm operating the world’s first Integrated Development and Manufacturing Organization (IDMO) for advanced cell therapies. By taking an Industry 4.0 approach and leveraging end-to-end automation, they are drastically lowering manufacturing costs and accelerating global patient access to life-saving, living drugs. They are headquartered in California, with a brand-new, commercial-scale Smart Factory located in Bridgewater, New Jersey.
The Role
Our partner is seeking an innovative, highly motivated intern ready to thrive in a hands-on, collaborative, and fast-paced environment. Interfacing across multiple departments, the intern will support ongoing research and development initiatives, contributing directly to laboratory experiments, data analysis, and cross-functional projects focused on an advanced automation platform.
Responsibilities
- R&D Laboratory Support: Assist with ongoing research, development initiatives, and laboratory experiments crucial to platform optimization.
- Data Analysis: Process and evaluate experimental data to contribute to cross-functional engineering and biology projects.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Interface across diverse teams to tackle technical challenges as the company scales out its automated technology.
Qualifications
- Education: Open to current undergraduates, including 2026 graduates. Ideal backgrounds include Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biology, Biotechnology, Mechanical/Software Engineering, or related STEM fields.
- Technical Skills: Demonstrated academic or lab experience with cell culture, phenotypic enrichment/selection, and/or genetic manipulation.
- Bonus Expertise: Additional exposure to mechanical, software, and/or systems engineering is highly preferred.
- Core Competencies: Excellent verbal, written, organizational, and presentation skills; self-awareness, integrity, authenticity, and a strong growth mindset.
- Requirements: Must be a Pell Grant Recipient for the current academic year.
How to Apply
-
Verify Pell Grant Status: Submit a screenshot of the Pell Grant section from your Financial Aid portal for the 2025-26 school year. You may black out dollar amounts.
-
Submit Documentation: Send the screenshot and your resume (saved as a PDF titled “First Name Last Name”) via Handshake message or directly to kevin.nicholas@lifesciencecares.org.
- Virtual Intro Meeting: Once verified, you will be invited to a 30–35 minute video call to learn more about the Project Onramp program and share your background. This is a preliminary step.