Biology Internships for Undergraduates: A Comprehensive Guide

An internship is a valuable professional learning opportunity offered by employers, providing meaningful and practical work experience related to a student's field of study. For undergraduates in biology, internships serve as a crucial stepping stone toward developing career goals and enhancing their resumes. Employers, in turn, benefit from the contributions and fresh perspectives that student interns bring to their companies.

Benefits of Biology Internships

There are significant benefits to completing an internship. Experiential Learning is central to the Biology Department. While also valuable, a classroom experience can never match the feel of seaweed in your hand or the satisfaction of successfully completing a laboratory experiment. Our students gain valuable training in laboratory skills that directly translate into health profession and industry careers in addition to preparing them for graduate studies. Field research projects can connect you with local efforts in sustainable agriculture and climate change remediation. Participation in theoretical and modeling research offers opportunities to gain valuable computational skills that are in large part the future of Biology. Students who join faculty to work on research projects gain valuable experience in teamwork, publish research articles, and have opportunities to share their research with other scientists at conferences both on and off campus.

Academic Credit

Many universities recognize the value of internships by offering academic credit for participation. For instance, some Biological Sciences programs offer up to six credits towards a student's major for completing internships. This typically involves finding an internship opportunity and then enrolling in a designated course, such as BIO SCI 289 or BIO SCI 489.

Skill Development

In your biology internships you’ll gain skills in research, teamwork, organization, accountability, and problem-solving among many others. Internship opportunities for biology students can foster great exploration of the field, since there are so many paths in biology to consider and understand. Along with networking and gaining mentorship, biology interns will spend time working on skills great for later in their career journeys. Biology interns will learn research practices, how to plan and execute projects, communicate their visions effectively, manage and collaborate with a team on a shared goal.

Career Exploration

Internships in biology can fall under any of the following roles we’ve listed here for you! Internships are meant to guide you towards your true desired career path and your summer 2021 biology internship could kick it off in the right direction.

Finding and Applying for Biology Internships

Think of finding an Internship like looking for a job. Start looking at least six months in advance of when you would like to start an internship. Although most employers will not expect you to have previous work experience, be sure that you meet the stated requirements. Some companies may have you complete an online application, some may decide on candidates based on a cover letter and resume, while others may require interviews.

Timing

It is advisable to start your internship search well in advance. A good rule of thumb is to begin looking at least six months before your desired start date.

Requirements

Although most employers will not expect you to have previous work experience, be sure that you meet the stated requirements.

Application Process

The application process can vary. Some companies may have you complete an online application, some may decide on candidates based on a cover letter and resume, while others may require interviews.

Paid vs. Unpaid Internships

It depends. Whether or not you will be paid depends solely on the employer that is offering the Internship. Some internships are paid, and some are on a volunteer basis. When applying for internships this information should be made available by the employer. Keep in mind that paid internships are often very competitive and do not often provide a very high wage. The average annual pay for full time biology jobs range from $63,270 to $94,490.

Read also: Undergraduate Biology Research

Types of Biology Internships

As a major with so many career path options, choosing to study biology gives you many types of internships to consider. There will always be an opening for a great biology internship, as the field is always looking for capable biology focused college students to help and hire. For internships, it doesn’t matter if you’re on the hunt for marine biology internships or paid biology internships or biology internships in NYC summer. The following job roles and suggestions on where to apply for biology internships can guide you in the right direction for whatever you’re looking for.

Microbiologist

Microbiologists study and research microorganisms. They often work in labs and clinical environments to further knowledge on life forms such as fungi, parasites, and bacteria.

Environmental Scientist

Environmental scientists and specialists work with companies to inform policy decisions, conduct research, and advocate for environmental causes. They also often work with nonprofit organizations to inform lawmakers and the general public on important environmental and conservation issues.

Zoologist

Zoologists study and work with animals and how they interact with their ecosystems.

Biochemist

Biochemists study, conduct, and analyze experiments pertaining to chemical and physical properties.

Read also: Best Biology Schools in Florida

Tips for Landing a Biology Internship

Resume and Profiles

Before you get started on sending out applications, make sure that you have your resume up to date and have fully filled out all your Handshake profile details. With a complete profile, an impressive biology internship is more attainable than ever. Recruiters are much more likely to message a student with a complete profile that says you want to work in biology than an unfinished one. When putting together your resume, make sure to have all your skills, courses, and accomplishments laid out for employers to view. Also having your preferred job role and location on your Handshake profile is a great way to signal your interest to potential recruiters. For biology interns, some great skills to list would be specific technical skills, time management, ability to follow through and execute, and ability to contribute and collaborate in a team setting.

Internship Interview

When you do land your first interview, be it a virtual interview or in person, make sure to come prepared and dressed to impress. Review your resume and cover letter to make sure you have specific examples of your experience to share, from clubs or coursework. You can even schedule a mock interview with your university’s career center or, if you’re tight on time, ask a trusted friend to grill you on some common interview questions.

Networking

Once you’ve landed an internship in biology and settled into the flow of day-to-day life at the office, start chatting with your coworkers. Whether they’re industry professionals or fellow interns, it’s important to treat them with equal respect. You never know what insights they could lend, or who could be a valuable connection down the line, five or ten years from now. Don’t be afraid to ask your new colleagues out for quick coffee chats, or request 15-minute informational interviews about their career trajectory.

Additional Opportunities

A good way to delve even deeper into your career path growth is to attend a virtual event or two. Not only will you be learning more about your own career, but there will also be chances to network with employers, industry specialists, and other students sharing different perspectives.

Where to Find Biology Internships

When searching for biology internships, it’s key to use the location filters provided on Handshake. You’ll be able to pinpoint biology internships exactly where you want to intern just by selecting the city you want in the search bar. Easy biology internships in your preferred city are just a search away. You can even research possible job roles that you might want to explore during your biology internship. Handshake also makes it easy to learn about roles in biology simply by using the job role search bar. And if you want to take your research one step further, you can even research top employers in the biology field on Handshake. Just by using the Handshake employer search feature you can discover companies that are hiring in your specific field by filtering by “Industry.” Some companies that would be great for biology majors looking for internships: Great Basin Institute, Abbott, or Clean Harbors.

Alternative Opportunities Within Biology Departments

Learning Assistants

Learning assistants provide an opportunity for students to reinforce their own learning by teaching others and students get the opportunity to learn about teaching. A common sentiment among teachers is that the best way to learn a subject is to be involved in teaching it to others. We offer two teaching opportunities in Biology. These opportunities also provide undergraduate students in biology courses with a chance to learn from peers who have recently been through the course: Biology Tutor Undergraduate (BTU): BTUs hold regular tutoring hours in the Biology Peer Tutoring Center, located in PSC B009, and Exam Review Sessions for our General Biology courses (Bi 211, 212, 213, 214, 281H, 282H, 283H). Tutoring is a paid position or volunteer. Biology Undergraduate Lab Assistant (BULA): BULAs assist teaching in the lab alongside the instructor and GE. Students can receive credit (Bi 402, supervised College Teaching) or volunteer. One of the educational objectives for BULAs and BTUs is that they will learn subject matter content at a much deeper level than they did as students in the class. A second objective is for these students to learn about teaching. Having to explain a concept to someone else sometimes means having to distill it to its essence, or having to get inside someone else’s head to understand the difficulty they are having in learning. These are valuable skills that are best acquired by doing. Some students may discover that teaching is a profession they wish to pursue; others may decide they don’t like teaching: either discovery is an important lesson. A third objective is for students to enhance their skills and abilities as learners and students through seeing the educational process from the perspective of a teacher. If you are interested in being considered for a BULA or BTU position, please visit the Biology Office in 77 Klamath Hall for an application form. In selecting BULAs and BTUs, consideration will be given both to the educational need of the student applying, and of that person’s ability to assist other students in learning.

Peer Advisors

Peer Advisors assist biology majors during drop-in advising hours. Advisors gain a deep understanding of the department undergraduate degree program and gain problem solving and analytical skills while working with their peers.

Lab Prep Assistants

Lab prep assistants provide support for our teaching labs where over 1000 students perform scientific experiments each week. Lab prep assistants gain scientific skills such as proper safety guidelines, preparing media and reagents, pipetting and sterile techniques.

External Opportunities

Biology offers practicum and volunteer opportunities with outside institutions such as Eugene Pediatrics, Sacred Heart Medical Center, and Buford Park.

Specific Program Guidelines

Guidelines and FAQs for BYU-Idaho Biology Internships (Updated April 2022)This document contains FAQs specific to internships for some Biology majors and may not apply to other majors or emphases within the biology major (i.e., Biomedical Science, Plant and Wildlife Ecology, Biology Education, and Biology Education Composite may have different internship requirements). Biology majors are required to have at least 10 consecutive weeks of internship experience at a minimum of 10 hours per week. We strongly encourage you to intern at a single location for the entire 10 weeks. Students must register for the internship course (Bio 398 or Bio 498R) and receive a passing grade. No. It’s best to find an internship off campus in an industry that you are considering for a career, but you may choose to take the Senior Seminar (Bio 497) in place of doing an internship. Please understand that although this fulfills university and department requirements for an internship, it does not provide any of the other advantages of an internship. The internship approval process takes about a week if everyone does their part immediately. Not usually. Because an internship must last 10 weeks, the 7 week break is not enough time to complete an internship. There are two aspects to your final grade. 80% of the grade is based on an evaluation that your mentor at the internship will fill out that rates you on various aspects of your work. Yes, but you can only take Bio 398 and Bio 498R one time each for credit. Yes. You can apply for many of the same kinds of financial aid you would have for your regular classes. BYU-Idaho also offers Internship Grants for students.

Rutgers Health Service Corps (RHSC)

Announcing the Rutgers Health Service Corps (RHSC)! The Internship in the Life Sciences is a 3-credit course, offered through the Division of Life Sciences for students from SAS and SEBS majoring in Biological Sciences or other Life Science majors (with permission), that accompanies participation in a Life Science-based internship. Students must complete either the specific hour requirement of their formal internship program or, if not designated by internship, a minimum of 112 hours during a summer 12-week to receive three credits. A professional at the internship site and the course administrator supervise the internship. This course aims to provide students with the opportunity to develop experience and knowledge regarding the expectations, qualifications, competencies, and responsibilities of professionals working within the life sciences through an internship experience with an academic component. This course may be applied toward the Biological Sciences life science elective credit and fulfill 1 lab course, effective Fall 2025. This course is part of our "Out of Classroom Learning Electives Courses," of which a maximum of 6 credits can be applied, and only one course may be used to fulfill a lab requirement. Offered Fall and Spring Semesters!

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