A formulae for success with summer interns

Internships in regulated bioanalytical laboratories often appear beneficial in theory, yet they present practical challenges. Hiring managers frequently express difficulty in finding candidates who possess the right blend of scientific knowledge, ambition, and strong laboratory skills. Utilizing summer internships to assess potential recruits and foster connections with local educational institutions is one strategy. However, the challenge lies in providing meaningful training for interns that justifies the investment of time and resources during the typical 2-3 month internship period.

The regulatory nature of bioanalytical laboratories also limits the scope of assignments for interns. Too often, summer internships devolve into short-term projects that address immediate needs but offer little educational or experiential value to the intern. While this approach can yield some results, I’ve always believed there must be a more effective way to attract high-caliber talent and create a mutually beneficial experience for both the intern and the company.

This past summer, I witnessed the successful implementation of a summer internship program in one of our regulated bioanalytical laboratories. It began with a clear plan for what we could offer high-caliber intern candidates. While paid internships are expected, this foundational commitment must be complemented by an engaging project with well-defined objectives and methods for assessing progress.

In bioanalytical laboratories, method development teams often identify emerging needs and opportunities. Rather than assigning an intern to develop a full bioanalytical method, we focused on assessing techniques, processes, or technologies that could enhance our efficiency—projects that we would pursue “if only we had the time.” For instance, one project involved evaluating commercially available products that improve the digestion of protein target analytes for subsequent surrogate peptide quantitation. This type of project allows interns to showcase their learning abilities, critical thinking, and practical problem-solving skills.

We found that clearly defined projects are essential for attracting strong intern candidates who seek meaningful work that includes skill development, goal achievement, and constructive feedback. At this stage, we successfully positioned ourselves to attract talent by presenting a compelling project while ensuring it was separate from any regulated project work.

A crucial third component was having a dedicated mentor available daily to support the intern. This mentorship can significantly elevate the internship experience, transforming it from average to exceptional. We identified an individual, from our method development team, with management aspirations and excellent laboratory skills to take on this mentoring role. It’s common to see talented scientists promoted to managerial positions, only to struggle with the new demands of leadership. Internships provide a unique opportunity to assign management responsibilities to someone with career objectives in this area, allowing them to train, grow, and mentor the intern effectively.

This formula was successfully implemented in summer 2024. While I won’t disclose specific names, I can confidently say it was a great success. We attracted an outstanding intern from a local university, gained valuable results and data from their work, and identified an internal team member for management track progression in the process. I would love to hear about other experiences and strategies related to internships in regulated bioanalytical laboratories, but I know our own 2024 experience is one we aim to replicate in 2025.