R&D Laboratory Intern – RBI & Technical Development

• Academic Progress: Expected graduation date between December 2027 and August 2028 with intention of entering industry following degree completion.
• Research Experience: Sustained performance (>1 semester) in an undergraduate or graduate STEM research laboratory (academic, industry, or prior internship/co-op) with demonstrated technical growth.
• Area-Specific Experience (depending on interest and placement):
  • Synthetic/Analytical Development: Organic synthesis, route scouting, analytical method development, chromatography, spectroscopy, physicochemical characterization, or solid form characterization.
  • Formulation Development: Experience preparing dosage forms (e.g., solutions, suspensions, tablets, injectables), working with excipients, or conducting stability and compatibility studies. Experience with synthetic molecules, peptides, or biologics.
  • Bioprocess/Upstream Development: Mammalian or microbial cell culture, aseptic technique, bioreactor operation, media/feed preparation, process optimization, or scale up studies.
  • Antibody/Biologics: Immunoassays (e.g., ELISA), protein expression and purification, molecular cloning, flow cytometry, or related techniques.
• Familiarity with statistical or data analysis tools (e.g., R, JMP, Python, Minitab, or similar) and/or data management systems.
• Ability to work exceptionally well both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, with appropriate levels of supervision.
• Demonstrated interest in animal health, sustainability, veterinary medicine, or data driven approaches to R&D.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to clearly present scientific results.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced research environment.

• Synthetic Technical Development – Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient, Formulation, or Analytical
• Biopharma Technical Development – Bioprocess Development, Formulation, or Analytical
• Early Research Antibody Discovery

• →Design and execute hands-on experiments in an R&D laboratory (e.g., synthetic chemistry, formulation development, analytical development, upstream/downstream bioprocess development, cell culture, immunoassays, molecular biology, or protein sciences), following established safety protocols and guidelines.

• →Prepare solutions, reagents, media, and test articles. Operate relevant instrumentation. Analyze and interpret experimental data, summarize findings, and propose next steps in collaboration with your supervisor and project team.

• →Perform independent laboratory work under appropriate supervision, including troubleshooting and optimizing experimental procedures.

• →Provide recommendations on experimental design, instrumentation, or process improvements that may enhance robustness, efficiency, or scalability.

• →Participate in regular check-ins, presenting progress and results to your supervisor and cross-functional stakeholders.

• →Rigorously document experimental plans, procedures, and results in laboratory notebooks, maintaining high standards and data integrity.

• →Present final project results in an oral presentation summarizing your project objectives, methods, results, and key learnings to R&D colleagues and the intern community.

• Travel:  0% 
• Location: Indianapolis, IN – 100% On-site

• Internship Dates: May 17th – August 6th, 2027
• Competitive Salary: $20-$40/hour (dependent upon major and year in school) 
• Professional Development: Networking events, assigned mentors, and learning resources are provided.
• Housing: Financial support and help securing housing is available
• Future opportunities: High-performing interns may be considered for full-time roles or additional internships, based on business needs.

Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status

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