Mentorship and management were very guiding and friendly. The project goals were defined clearly. Feedback was given weekly. Management provided detailed introduction and training into the methods used on the job. Overall, the project and the lab work were interesting and engaging. Project goals and skills you develop are aligned with modern practices and will help find your next job/internship. The company has a strong scientific background in its practices and methods. You get the opportunity to connect with other talented interns as well as the higher management with diverse backgrounds and origins.
What I wish was different
The salary is not as competitive as other internship opportunities in the Bay Area. The company does not provide return offers or recommendation letters. Multiple steps of the project were vague. As an intern, I felt isolated from the company and team. The project was independently run by me without involvement and collaboration with other staff. I wish there had been more collaboration with colleagues and management during my internship.
Advice
It is a good first internship experience if you never had one before. The majority of other interns are first-timers too. If you previously had internships, seek better opportunities with competitive pay.
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Oncology Biomarker Discovery Co-op
January - June 2020 • Ridgefield, CT
What I liked
Everyone is nice and always ready for help. Also, the opportunities for employees to grow and connect, such as events, online sources, and academic seminars and lectures. And diversity and inclusion culture.
What I wish was different
Nothing. Actually I hope COVID-19 never came and I would not spend half of my internship on working from home.
Advice
Know more people. Make friends with them. Make good use of company resources to learn and grow.
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Immune Modulation Intern
May - August 2023 • Ridgefield, CT
What I liked
I had come in with significant lab experience and they were willing to bridge the gaps. They spend time teaching me the skills needed for the job. I was able to participate in meetings, present data, and assist in planning experiments, showing that the role extended beyond just a research technician position.
What I wish was different
Advice
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BioMES Administrative Support Summer Intern
June - September 2021 • Fremont, CA
What I liked
What I wish was different
Advice
Even simple tasks can be meaningful experience as long as you decide to put in effort and intent towards your interests. People are always willing to help you explore your options and learn.
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Human Resources Recruiting Intern
February - August 2020 • Biberach an der Riss, Baden-Württemberg
What I liked
I loved my experience here. I felt I got real hands-on, practical experience. My supervisors and leaders were all very trusting and knowledgeable.
What I wish was different
I wish I could have stayed differently and I wish I could have worked in person (couldn't because of Covid-19 crisis).
Advice
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Information Protection and Security
May - August 2019 • Ridgefield, CT
What I liked
Modern Campus. Virtual teams. Great place to start.
What I wish was different
I wish I had more work to do. Had to be very self motivated.
Advice
Ask a lot of questions. Don’t be a fly on the wall.
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Environmental Engineering Intern
May - August 2019 • St. Joseph, MO
What I liked
I really enjoyed the vibrant community and close knit values of the company. If I ever had a question or issue with anything I was working on there were plenty of people there to mentor me and guide me in the right direction.
What I wish was different
I wish there had been more events for the interns and more communication with others outside of my department so that I could understand the facility as a whole.
Advice
The company is forward thinking and really cares about its employees.
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Oncology marketing intern
June - August 2019 • Ridgefield, CT
What I liked
Working in a big pharma company
What I wish was different
Commute
Advice
Use connections from family members
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Computer systems validation and compliance intern.
June - August 2019 • St. Joseph, MO
What I liked
Putting both my long experience with technology plus my new skills as a technical communicator to practical use. The company culture and environment were both superior to many other places I have done business with.
What I wish was different
I wish there was a more clear path from intern to future employment.
Advice
Work hard, ask many questions. Explore and be curious about everything. Take notes of things that work, and explore even more deeply things that either don't work, or are frustrating.
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DMPK summer intern
May - August 2018 • Ridgefield, CT
What I liked
This was the second summer I worked at BI, and as such they knew that I had the skills necessary to work on my own project, so I was given a lot of autonomy to conduct my work as I saw fit. The freedom was a good experience, and I had not worked on an important project on my own before. The group I worked with was supportive and offered valuable advice when I needed it. The company has a good employee culture and made me feel included.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Marketing Intern
June - August 2018 • Gainesville, GA
What I liked
The entire experience. It was extremely unique being able to join the marketing team at Boehringer Ingelheim as they are a global pharmaceutical company with over 50,000 employees worldwide.
I was able to travel with the team on several occasions for sales meetings, conferences, and field visits.
I undertook several individual projects, attended meetings with the marketing/leadership team, and gave two presentations. One of which was presented in front of an international audience at the summer sales meeting; the other was given as a review of the internship in front of the marketing and leadership teams.
What I wish was different
Nothing, it was a great internship.
Advice
Be friendly in the office and get to know your coworkers. Most employees expect interns to be shy and hard to connect with. Everyone will appreciate the effort of getting to know them and will be more than happy to share their career experiences.
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Research and Development Intern
May - August 2018 • Ridgefield, CT
What I liked
I like that I was assigned a specific research project to work towards throughout the summer that was feasible for me to accomplish. In addition, everyone that I worked with was extremely friendly, helpful, and encouraging. In the pharmaceutical industry, I was able to work with top of the line equipment that is often too expensive for those in academia to use which was a very nice experience.
What I wish was different
Although my personal hiring manager was a great mentor for me throughout my internship, the internship program was not ideal. There were not many events or activities put on by the HR department for the interns to network. Those that were put on were not very well organized.
Advice
Don't be afraid to reach out to members of other labs and see if you can shadow them while they are doing an experiment or have them teach you a new laboratory skill in your down time. Everyone is very willing to help you achieve success!
