Our R&D summer interns typically work on a self-contained research and development project. R&D interns are fully integrated members of our R&D group and participate in all activities such as research presentations and group meetings. They also have access to the excellent resources that are available to employees of a large company like ThermoFisher such as online R&D library, corporate network and a broad array of state-of-the art laboratory equipment. As typical for industrial R&D scientists, time on any typical day will be split between planning experiments, laboratory work, analyzing data, and reviewing and contextualizing results with the broader team.
At the beginning of the internship the intern will receive detailed guidance from their mentor on the background of the project, assays and technology that will be used, use of laboratory equipment and suggestions on how the question at hand might be addressed efficiently. Weekly one-on-one meetings with the project mentor offer opportunity to address general and project-related questions, review progress and plan next steps.