ISB Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences Program

Are you a current undergraduate student with an interest in biology, chemistry, computer science, information science, applied mathematics, and/or engineering? An internship at the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB), might be a good fit for you.

Our application process occurs in two stages. The preliminary stage is open to everyone and the application does not require any prior preparation. Those students who are a best fit for our program will be invited to complete a full application. The preliminary application opens on Monday, December 2 and closes Tuesday, January 21 (11:59 ET).

Go to the preliminary application.

Important Dates for Summer 2025:

• December 2, 2024 – Preliminary application opens
• January 21, 2025 –Preliminary application closes
• January 31, 2025 – Full application opens (invitation only)
• February – Info sessions and office hours for invited applicants
• February 28, 2025 – Full application closes
• March – ISB Scientists review applications, conduct phone interviews and make informal offers
• First week of April – Formal offer letters sent to selected applicants
• Late April – All applicants notified of their status
• June 23 – August 8 – Required weeks at ISB facility, additional 3 weeks determined by student and mentor schedules

To support learning, student interns will:

• Be paired with a mentor based on their interests. Students with a demonstrated interest in fields such as biology, chemistry, computer science, information science, applied mathematics, and/or engineering are all good fits for the types of research projects available.
• Complete a research project developed with/by the student intern’s mentor
• Be included in all events at ISB, including lab meetings and retreats
• Participate in ongoing professional development including attendance at workshops, seminars, & team tasks
• Complete a poster with the support of their mentor and other ISB staff to be shared at an ISB-wide mini-symposium
• Be included (where applicable) on the development of publications that result from their research project

Logistics of research experiences at ISB:

• The program selects a broad range of students, from current freshmen through to seniors with a diversity of backgrounds, career goals and experiences
• The program prioritizes students who have fewer opportunities to participate in research activities based on their current academic context
• Student interns will work 30-40 hours per week at the state of the art research facility in Seattle, WA
• Student interns receive a stipend of at least $625/week or equivalent hourly wages
• ISB does not  provide housing but some students will qualify for a housing stipend of $4200 and can choose from a variety of options including  summer intern housing at UW
• To allow students from a variety of institutes to participate, interns will participate for 10 consecutive weeks during the summer that must include the seven weeks from June 23 to August 8. (e.g. a student from a semester system school might participate from June 2 to August 8 and a student from a quarter system school might participate from June 23 to August 29.)

Participant Requirements:

• Authorized to work in the US
• An undergraduate student who is enrolled in a degree program (part-time or full-time) leading to a baccalaureate or associate degree
• A student at an accredited college or university in the United States
• Planning to attend either an undergraduate or graduate program in Fall following participation in the program
• In possession of a high school diploma or equivalent before applying to this program. (Note: current Running Start students are not eligible)
• Check our frequently asked questions page for more information

Please direct questions to internships@isbscience.org with Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences question in the subject line.