Careers

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 2 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).

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.