Our ten-week Summer of Science Internship Program provides research training opportunities for students to actively contribute to a team project in industry research. At the heart of our internship program lies a vibrant community where interns live, work, and learn together, fostering lifelong connections and collaborative growth as they gain research experience that enhances their preparation for careers in biomedical research and application to top graduate programs. A unique aspect of this program that accelerates peer-peer mentoring is the residential component wherein interns reside in a college dormitory at a local university, thus providing a warm environment to grow and solidify a meaningful, professional network of peers.
Interns will learn about BR’s approach to patient-driven research as they work on their own research project under the guidance of a BR scientist mentor at our research facilities in Cambridge, Massachusetts or San Diego, California. BR's research covers many disease, science, and technology areas that allow us to closely match each intern’s specific interests with one of our labs. Double majors and/or minors in both STEM and business or finance are also encouraged to apply for a limited number of slots to be paired with BR finance supervisors.
About the program
A BR Summer Internship is a unique opportunity for all qualified college students who meet the eligibility requirements to gain research experience in a biomedical industry setting and who wish to learn, live, and thrive in a supportive environment of fellow interns where they will share experiences, challenges, and successes as part of a close-knit intern cohort and biomedical research community that drives their scientific, personal, and professional development and collective learning.
Interns are supervised by BR scientists who are passionate about patient-driven approaches to drug discovery research and motivated to enhance students’ preparation for doctoral degree programs. We encourage students from all backgrounds, including those who are attending Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) or Tribal Colleges & Universities (TCUs) to apply. We also encourage students to apply from IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) programs, which are statewide biomedical research networks of higher education and research institutions in IDeA-states and Puerto Rico.
Program highlights
As a Summer Intern, you will design and conduct your own project with mentoring from a BR scientist. You will also participate in a vibrant research community while engaging in opportunities for professional development. Our internship program is built on the foundation of science, leadership, and community. These pillars are interwoven to provide a holistic experience that prepares interns for future success in biomedical research. Within the Summer of Science Program, you will be engaged in multiple areas for innovation and growth:
- Research project: designing and executing experiments; analyzing your own data, learning new experimental techniques, and building your understanding of scientific concepts
- Cohort Model: Our internship program model fosters a vibrant learning community where interns live together in dorms, work as a team, and support one another as they grow as scientific professionals. This model encourages collaborative learning, growing together through shared experiences, and learning from each other —building strong bonds and developing essential skills for working in inclusive teams
- Scientific development: learning about drug discovery projects from Life Sciences industry experts and Subject Matter Experts from across a Global Pharma environment, showcasing your results to the broader Novartis BR community, and evaluating scientific articles in a fun and interactive setting
- Professional development: With a team focused approach, interns will explore a wide range of career options for scientists in the Life Science industry, while cultivating your network with fellow interns and BR scientific leaders while participating in group projects, workshops, and team-building activities that strengthen bonds and enhance your collaborative skills
- Social activities: fostering collegial interactions during formal and informal social activities; participating in welcome and farewell events
Through hands-on scientific research, leadership development workshops, and community engagement activities onsite and cohort-led residential events, interns gain a well-rounded experience that equips them with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their careers in the biomedical research fields.
Eligibility
We encourage applications from qualified candidates of all backgrounds and encourage those who may be first-generation college students, aspiring first generation scientific professionals, and individuals with a disability that inhibits one or more major life activities. We also encourage Military veterans to apply who are currently enrolled in a 4-year college/university. We strongly encourage applications from community minded individuals seeking to learn, grow, and contribute to a robust cohort.
All candidates would need to meet the following criteria:
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age at the start of the program
- Applicants must have completed at least three semesters or four quarters at an accredited U.S. college or university before the start of the internship
- Applicants must attend a school in a U.S. state or territory and be eligible to work in the United States
- Applicants must have a strong desire to pursue a Ph.D. in a biomedical field
Students who are enrolled in Ph.D., Master’s, PharmD, or M.D. programs are not eligible to apply to this program.
Pay
The program is a paid, full-time, research opportunity. Pay is competitive with local internship wages.
Housing and Travel: Financial support for housing, travel, and local transit systems will be provided based on the Company's non-discriminatory assessment. Residential housing (college dorm) will be provided to interns at a local university within the heart of the city, where access to local transit systems is readily available.
Health Insurance: The Massachusetts Health Care Reform Law requires that all adult residents (permanent and temporary), age 18 and older, must have health insurance. In Cambridge, health insurance will be provided to those who will not have continuous coverage from another source during the summer.
Locations: BR Summer Internships are available at our research headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts or our West Coast site in San Diego, California.
Application process
Deadlines
| Application Deadline | Intern Notifications | Start Date | Program Length |
| December 1, 2025 | February 2026 | End of May/Beginning of June 2025 | 10 weeks |
Online application
To apply, you must use the link to the application portal below. Please note that this on-line application process requires uploading a Cover Letter, Personal Statement, Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV), 3 letters of references, and an official transcript from your academic institution. All documents uploaded must use the pdf file format.
Please click the link below to apply. The application link will be active only during the open application period. All application materials must be received by the deadlines indicated in the application portal.
Use this link: https://nibr-bei.smapply.io/ to begin the application process. You will have the opportunity to select one or more areas of interest in the on-line application.
All applicants will receive an automated email notification that their application has been received. Applicants chosen for interviews will be contacted between late January through February. Successful applicants will be notified for offers on a rolling basis through the end of February.
For questions regarding the BR Summer of Science Internship Program that are not answered previously on this page, please contact us at the following email: [email protected]. Please note, we are not able to accept or respond to applications sent by email.