Internship Programs and Job Opportunities in Biology

Internship Programs and Job Opportunities in Biology (12/06)

Here is a list of a few websites with links to internship programs and jobs in the biological sciences.

REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) website for general searches:

http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/reu/start.htm

Smithsonian Opportunities for Research and Studies:

Provides general information about the internship program and links to specific institutions and programs, including the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater Maryland, the Natural Museum of Natural History (NMNH), and the National Zoological Park (NZP) Conservation and Research Center. Many projects are offered only during specific seasons while others may be offered year round. http://www.si.edu/ofg/internopp.htm

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

The basis of the Summer Intern Program is a highly individualized research experience for each student coupled with group activities. As an intern in the VIMS/SMS program, students will work closely with a mentor, and often within the context of a research team, to develop an individual project. Depending on the project, the summer may involve lots of 'hands-on' experience in the field or laboratory, or both. http://www.vims.edu/sms/intern/summer.html#stipend

Great Lakes Summer Student Fellowships

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, and the Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research (CILER), administered by the University of Michigan announce a Great Lakes Summer Student Fellowship Program. http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pr/ssfp/cur/

CILER is committed to the protection and sustainable use of Great Lakes Basin resources through supporting activities in research, education, and outreach. http://www.ciler.org/funding/index.html

Each year CILER joins with the NOAA/Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to sponsor student summer fellowship opportunities. Announcement of these fellowships occurs late January for positions starting in May. Relevant fellowships from other organizations will be posted here also.

Other Ecology and Field Research Opportunities:

The Student Conservation Association (SCA)

SCA is the nation's leading provider of conservation service opportunities, outdoor skills and leadership training for young women and men. Every year, in all 50 states, thousands of high school, college, graduate students and others join together through SCA to care for our national parks and forests, historic and cultural resources, and urban green spaces -- the benefits of which extend far beyond our environment:

http://www.thesca.org/ci_select.cfm

Maryland Department of Natural Resources Student Internship Program

Internships for academic credit are available either during the academic year or in the summer.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/humanresources/internships/

Organization of Biological Field Stations (OBFS): http://www.obfs.org/

University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS): http://www.umich.edu/~umbs

Semester in Environmental Science at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA http://courses.mbl.edu/SES/ also check http://www.mbl.edu/

Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ): http://www.bamz.org

Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia: http://www.mlbs.virginia.edu/

Marine Ecology Internships at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab

http://univ-prog.disl.org/internfellow.html

ORNITHOLOGICAL JOBS: Positions and Opportunities Available

http://www.osnabirds.org/on/ornjobs.htm

This site lists a variety of interesting positions doing biological field work, including but not limited to work on birds. Many are volunteer positions as research assistants, some provide a stipend, and all are potentially great experience for those interested in "getting their feet wet" doing research in the field. Check it out.

NIH (National Institutes of Health)

This site is a source for information on job openings, senior management positions, the Management Intern Program, research training, and summer internships.

http://www.jobs.nih.gov/

Clinical Neuroscience Research Program – UMD and VA medical center in Baltimore (Summer 2006)

http://neuroscience.umaryland.edu Contact Dr. Linda Coughlin or Dr. Aileen Bailey for more information.

University of Pennsylvania – Division of Medical Genetics (The web site has not been updated for 2006).

Program URL: http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/penngen/education/05summer.html

University of Pittsburgh

Neuroscience Program http://cnup.neurobio.pitt.edu/undergraduate.cfm

Biomedical Sciences Program http://www.gradbiomed.pitt.edu/summer_surp.aspx

Other Web sources:

http://www.life.umd.edu/internship/internship_sites.html

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/ug/intern.html

http://www-marine.stanford.edu/HMSweb/careers.html (Jobs and Internships in Marine Biology)

For more information about internship opportunities in biology:

· Join the biology list serve. Job and internship notices are sent to members as they are received. To join the list serve, send an Email to listmgr@lists.smcm.edu. Place nothing in the subject line. In the text box type: join biodept-l@lists.smcm.edu

· Go the SMCM Career Center web page and talk to the counselors at the Career Center

· Look for notices about jobs or internships posted in the Schaefer hallways. Internship opportunities are posted opposite the environmental rooms in the second floor of Schaefer (near genetics lab- 209)

· Talk to your professors

· Search the web

General guidelines for requesting reference letters from faculty members:

1. Give as much lead time as possible –preferably allow at least three weeks before the due date.

2. Give a detailed description of the program to which you are applying and the name of the person to whom the letter is to be addressed.

3. An updated resume.

4. A copy of your transcript.

5. If the letter is not to be electronically submitted, then provide a stamped, addressed envelope (with the appropriate postage) for each destination.