The NIH Biotechnology trainees spend two-plus months conducting research at many biotechnology firms or private laboratories. Trainees are encouraged to look at this internship as a “fourth rotation” that can inform subsequent graduate school and career decisions.
Trainees follow their interests to “choose their own adventure”), which is catalyzed by program courses, activities, and individual mentorship by program leadership. Occasionally, these internships will be linked to a collaboration between the trainee’s mentor at WSU and a biotechnology firm. Similarly, collaboration may also be a result of the trainee’s internship.
Resources for Finding an Internship
- Database of past trainee internships and alumni current job placements to facilitate internship searches. Current trainees should contact Matt to access these data.
- Concrete Steps to Create Industry Opportunities: Our program’s “Concrete Steps” curriculum for networking and securing industry collaborations.
- From WSU: the Academic Success and Career Center gave a presentation on career and internship searches which may be useful, found at the following link: ASCC Internships and Career Search (pptx)
- BioSpace
- Science Careers
- This post from Novoresume includes advice on constructing resumes, writing cover letters, contacting companies, and preparing for interviews for internships.
Past Internship Hosts
- Examples of recent hosts are shown on our Industrial Internship page.
- Trainees should contact the program coordinator for access to our full database of past internships and current alumni placements.
For Current Trainees
Database Access Request
To get access to the program’s database of previous internships and alumni current positions, email matthew.peck@wsu.edu
Securing Program Approval
All internships must be approved in advance by the Program Director to ensure (a) appropriate scientific and financial support and (b) satisfaction of program requirements.
Trainees, please fill out an Internship Approval Form. Start with the survey step, then check-in with program leadership (alert Matt), and finally show that your research advisor is aware of your plans by attaining their signature.
Internship Requirements:
A WSU-NIH Biotech internship…
- Is at least 8 weeks long.
- Is at a Biotech firm, NOT a government (.gov) or academic (.edu) location.
- Allowed to be a connection with trainee’s WSU laboratory, but the internship work must be distinctive from existing thesis project work.
- Is an experience that breaks from regular WSU interactions, allowing cultural emersion.
- Must involve a research problem and face-to-face experience with the company’s culture.
- Is financially supported in part by the firm, as salary or other compensation, to cover, at a minimum, additional living and travel expenses incurred.