LifeSci NYC Summer Internship Program
Last year, the City of New York launched an innovative summer internship program for students interested in pursuing careers in the life sciences industry, providing an opportunity to work in a range of companies from early-stage startups to large pharmaceutical and biotech firms. Now entering its second year, the LifeSci NYC Internship Program invites talented and dedicated college and graduate students to apply for science track or management track internships for summer 2019.
Students enrolled in a New York City-based college or university or New York City residents enrolled in any college or university are eligible to apply. DO NOT APPLY IF YOU DO NOT MEET AT LEAST ONE OF THESE CRITERIA.
We are looking for talented and dedicated students interested in pursuing business or science careers in the life sciences sector. Host companies and organizations range from early-stage startups to large pharmaceutical and biotech firms to businesses that serve the industry in specific capacities, including marketing, public relations, or capital investment. More than 40 companies served as hosts in 2018.
Eligible majors and areas of study include, but are not limited to:
Science Track
- Biology
- Cell Biology
- Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Biomedical Engineering
- Computer Science / Data Science / Statistics
- Immunology (including Immuno-oncology, Immuno-virology, etc.)
- Pharmacy
- Public Health
- Regulatory
- Other life sciences / STEM fields
Management Track
- Business
- Marketing
- Communications
- Finance
- Accounting
- Computer Science/IT
- Supply Chain / Operations
- Public Affairs/Regulatory
- Public Policy
- Human Resources
- Journalism
Eligibility
- Open to students currently enrolled in a New York City-based college or university, or New York City residents currently enrolled in (or within one year of graduating from) any college or university
- Students must be US citizens or US permanent residents (including DACA participants), or holders of visas that allow completion of the internship without sponsorship
- Preference will be given to rising juniors, seniors, and graduate students. LifeSci NYC may consider those who have already graduated if they are within a year of graduation, meet all other criteria, and are willing to commit to the program for the full duration of the internship period.
- Students must be at least 18 years of age.
- Students should have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Students with a GPA under 3.0 may apply but must write an explanation of extenuating circumstances.
- Participants must be able to commit to a standard, full-time work week for the ten weeks of the program, must commit to the work requirements of their host site, and are expected to attend and actively engage in all scheduled seminars, events, and activities, and remain active as program alumni.
Program Details
- Internships will take place June 1 – August 7, 2020. All internships will be full-time,10-week paid positions.
- Host companies can be located anywhere within commuting distance of New York City.
- Companies that served as hosts for Summer 2018 include:
- A2A Pharmaceuticals Inc, Allied Microbiota, Amabiotics, Amplicare, Autonomous Therapeutics, Basepair, BioBAT, Inc., BioBus, Inc., BioHealthWays, Biotech Without Borders, Bonbouton, Bristol-Myers Squibb, COFFE, Cureatr, Inc., Deerfield, Envisagenics, EpiVax Oncology, ERbuddy, Inc., FesariusTherapeutics, Force Therapeutics, Genspace, GritBIO INC, Havas Health & You, Ichor Biologics, Janus Partners LLC, Kinnos, Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., Legomics, Lucerna, Inc., MDCalc, MEND Nutrition, Mirimus Inc., Monogram Orthopaedics, Mount Sinai Innovation Project, Mymee, Neochromosome, New York Stem Cell Foundation, OneThree Biotech, OpticSurg Inc., Ovid Therapeutics Inc., Pfizer Inc, Solvuu, Inc, Stern Investor Relations, Veta Health, and Xylyx Bio
- Interns will be invited to participate in a dynamic range of events including a pre-internship Boot Camp (May 26 - 28, 2020), networking receptions, industry career panels, and site tours, and will have opportunities to meet industry leaders and more.
- Please note that the LifeSci NYC Internship Program cannot provide housing, meals, and/or transportation costs for the summer. Students must make their own arrangements for accommodations, meals, and travel.
Sample internships may include:
SCIENCE TRACK
- R&D: Conduct research on coagulation, polymer chemistry, rheology, biochemistry, and material science.
- R&D: Perform research on functional annotation of the human genome with respect to fertility potential.
- Molecular Biology/Biochemistry/Cell Biology: Design, clone and test constructs using molecular and cell bio techniques; conduct protein expression, purification and characterization studies; develop and optimize experimental conditions to improve assay development workflow.
- Bioinformatics: Build pipelines and tools to manage large volumes of sequencing data and assist with generating and assessing meta-data to support R&D efforts.
- Data Science: Collect and analyze data which demonstrates the value of clinical decision tools in addressing public health issues; conduct outreach with calculator creators for virtual interviews and feedback; develop data-driven process for ongoing identification and prioritization of new EBM content and tools.
- Neuroscience: Receive training and mentorship by Ph.D.-level scientists while developing own independent neuroscience projects using research-grade microscopes. Gain teaching and leadership experience by serving as co-instructors in organization's weekend and summer programs,
- Medical Device Design: Assist in designing and assembling proprietary hardware for use in hospitals and nursing homes.
- Regulatory Affairs: Assist regulatory department on all operational aspects of regulatory affairs, including establishment of electronic submission capabilities, publishing and submission of documents to the FDA and other regulatory authorities.
- Quality Assurance: Help maintain central document control system, implement OSHA requirements, participate in inspections and report any non-conformances.
- Manufacturing: Assist with supply chain logistics, optimization of processes / process flows, creation and revision of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and batch records, and equipment installation and qualification.
BUSINESS TRACK
- Business Development: Provide support for patent status and descriptions for marketing & licensing purposes. Analyze technologies for market potential. Develop commercial evaluation reports.
- Market Research: Perform market research, develop marketplace analysis, provide strategic assessment, use market research data to support existing and new marketing sales strategies.
- Public Relations/Communications: Assist through brainstorming, research, creating competitor profiles, and assisting in development of proposal submissions. Exposure to consulting, team management, general financial and HR management.
- Finance: Develop new financial projections and budget model for existing and new clinical programs. Develop risk-adjusted valuation models for clinical programs.
These are examples of internships that have been offered in the past. Some may not be available this year, and each has specific academic and skill requirements. There may also be positions available that require students to be knowledgeable in specialties not mentioned here.
Application Overview
Students who have sought opportunities to gain experience at their university, who put effort into their application, and who effectively communicate their experiences and interests are more likely to be successful in securing internship placements.
The application consists of several parts including general contact information, information about your university studies, and your skills and interests.
There are several parts that will take some time to prepare:
- Personal Statement: Please explain your interest in participating in the LifeSci NYC internship program. (Up to 500 words)
- Relevant Courses: Provide a list of any relevant courses you have taken, as well as specific skill sets
- Transcript / Resume: Provide a copy of your latest academic transcript (unofficial copy is acceptable) and your current resume
- Optional Video: You have the option (not required) of providing a video of up to 3 minutes expressing the reasons why you are interested in participating in the LifeSci NYC internship program. While this isn’t required, students who complete the video have been more successful in securing placements.
- References: You will need 1-2 people to provide letters of reference for you. You should ask professors, advisors, work supervisors or personal references as long as they aren’t family members or friends, and give them plenty of time to submit a reference for you.
Key Dates
- October 2019 - Application opens for students and hosts
- December 31, 2019 - Early deadline for applications
- March 21, 2020 - Final deadline for applications
- Now - May 2020 - Rolling selection and placement of students with hosts
- May 26 - May 28, 2020 - Pre-internship training "Boot Camp" intensive training for placed interns
- June 1 – August 7, 2020 - Internship period
For more information, visit: https://www.lifesci.nyc/students