Internship Description
Title: Intern, Immunobiology
Location: IAVI Vaccine Design and Development Laboratory (DDL), Brooklyn, NY
Reports To: Principal Scientist
Duration: June 2024 to August 2024
To apply, submit a resume and cover letter stating your interest in the internship and apply through IAVI's career page by April 15th, 2024.
Internship Summary:
The goal of this program is to provide interns with an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the immunological techniques, methods and approaches utilized in the development and testing of viral vaccines at the preclinical stage under BSL-2 conditions. The intern will first receive training on lab safety/regulations and routine lab duties, followed by training in at least one basic immunological assay, e.g. ELISA. The repertoire of methods may be expanded to include other assays, such as ELISpot and flow cytometry, depending on the intern's performance and lab needs. All work will be supervised by senior lab personnel within the Immunobiology Team. The intern will have an opportunity to interact with scientists and researchers, attend staff meetings and acquire practical lab skills.
Responsibilities:
- Assist in routine lab duties, such as autoclaving, reagent preparation and stocking, inventorying.
- Assist in the processing of potentially infectious animal samples, e.g. blood and tissues, under BSL-2 containment conditions.
- Maintain a lab notebook.
- Follow all DDL lab safety regulations.
- Share findings with a presentation at the end of the internship.
IAVI and the intern acknowledge that the intern's responsibilities do not displace regular IAVI employees' responsibilities. It is also understood that the intern is not entitled to full time employment at IAVI at the conclusion of the internship.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn to perform standard immunological assays, e.g. ELISA, ELIspot, or flow cytometry.
- Learn how to analyze the data generated in these assays.
Goals to accomplish:
- Gain hands-on experience in the immunological techniques, methods and approaches utilized in the development and testing of vaccines at the preclinical stage under BSL-2 conditions.
- Present results at internal group meetings.
Education Requirement:
- Must be in pursuit of an undergraduate or graduate degree in the Life Sciences or a related field. Students graduating in May 2024 may also be considered.
Hours and Compensation:
- Full-time, approximately 35 hours per week.
- $18/H for undergraduate students, $22/H for graduate students.
Note:
Throughout the internship, the intern will be given opportunities from across the organization to learn about IAVI as an organization and its business. To support their professional learning, a written evaluation will also be provided by the manager at the end of the internship.
Organizational Overview:
IAVI is a nonprofit scientific research organization dedicated to addressing urgent, unmet global health challenges including HIV and tuberculosis. Our mission is to translate scientific discoveries into affordable, globally accessible public health solutions. Through scientific and clinical research in Africa, India, Europe, and the U.S., IAVI is pioneering the development of biomedical innovations designed for broad global access. We develop vaccines and antibodies in and for the developing world and seek to accelerate their introduction in low-income countries. IAVI programs and partnerships are grounded in the regions of the world where the disease burden is the greatest, and our approach emphasizes sustainability. Our network of clinical research center partners in Africa and India helps strengthen in-country research capacity and supports the training and education of the next generation of scientists. The global impact of our science includes fundamental contributions to understanding the biology of HIV infection, which IAVI and others are applying toward advancing vaccine science and immunology. IAVI accelerates scientific discovery and development by fostering unique collaborations among academia, industry, local communities, governments, and funders to explore new and better ways to address public health threats that disproportionately affect people living in poverty. Our global reach, including a clinical research network in five countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in India, has allowed us to make fundamental contributions to understanding the epidemiology, transmission, virology, and immunology of HIV. This work played a key role in facilitating the design of promising HIV vaccine candidates, as well as the discovery of broadly neutralizing antibodies that are now being advanced as promising approaches for HIV prevention. Our integrated capabilities in vaccine and antibody discovery, development, and clinical research take advantage of bio-pharmaceutical industry expertise to accelerate the development and testing of prevention methods for HIV and other diseases. Through the Product Development Center, we support external researchers with technical and scientific expertise to accelerate the development of their own products.
IAVI CORE VALUES:
- Dedication to the Mission: We are committed to the translation of scientific discoveries into affordable, globally accessible public health solutions.
- Innovative Evolution: We are committed to solving complex problems in creative and innovative ways, learning from our mistakes and successes and never giving up
- Integrity: We are committed to meeting the highest ethical and professional standards in everything we do and to taking responsibility for our actions to earn respect
- Collaboration: We are committed to embracing diversity, the power of global teamwork and the belief that by working as one we can make a difference
Disclaimer: Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required of personnel so classified. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at-will" relationship. IAVI is an equal opportunity employer and applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
IAVI IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER actively committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive global organization. IAVI believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a representative candidate pool. At IAVI, we celebrate the spectrum of colleagues' experiences and believe that dedication to our mission above all is essential to our success as a scientific global non-profit. IAVI upholds these principles through IAVI's Global Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
IAVI has zero tolerance for discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, caste, national origin, home language, ancestry, religion, marital or civil partnership status, age, physical or mental disability, HIV status and any other medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and veteran status, in addition to any other status protected under the law in any of our locations worldwide.
Compensation and Benefits Information for US-Based Candidates:
$18/H for undergraduate students, $22/H for graduate students.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)