Internships

We frequently accept high school applicants to our internship program, with a preference for students local to LaFayette or the greater Syracuse area.

Competitive applicants will typically have >90% high school GPA or equivalent. Strong performance in STEM classes (e.g. AP chemistry, calculus, biology, or physics) and activities (e.g. robotics, programming, engineering) with letters of recommendation from supervisors is viewed favorably.

All applicants are strongly encouraged to engage the company early. Scheduling one or more shadowing experiences with different departments prior to applying for an internship will ensure a “good fit” and get a foot in the door with the team.

All applicants are encouraged to submit materials for an informal review and to identify gaps in the application before applying for an internship.

For inquiries about shadowing experiences or to have an informal review of application materials, please contact us.

The dos:

• Do reach out to us early for input on making your application competitive.
• Do schedule shadowing experiences with the company early.
• Do come in with an understanding of the company, its culture, and its team.
• Do bring a printed copy of your CV/resume and wear professional attire if shadowing or granted an interview.

The don’ts:

• Do not bring overbearing parents into the building. Shadowing and interviewing is about your qualifications and aspirations, not your parents’ impression of them.
• Do not be late for any reason.

The majority of our interns are undergraduates. We have a preference for students local to LaFayette or the greater Syracuse area, or attending school here. Students interested in continuing to work with the company during their education or interested in career opportunities after graduation are strongly preferred.

Competitive applicants will typically have a 3.5 GPA or higher, but we strongly value grit and a commitment to learn over GPA. We have a preference for students majoring in biochemistry, chemistry, biophysics, or bioengineering over other disciplines. Previous experience in a laboratory setting is also preferred.

All students are encouraged to engage the company early. Scheduling a shadowing experiences with the department of interest prior to applying for an internship is optional but can help the application by getting a foot in the door with the team.

All students whose applications are rejected may request an informal review to identify gaps to support a future submission. Several of our most successful students were not selected the first time around, addressed deficiencies based on our feedback, and were accepted the next application cycle.

For inquiries about shadowing experiences or material review following rejection of an application, please contact us.

The dos (application):

• Do submit your application by the deadline indicated. Late applications are not accepted.
• Do reach out to us early for informal input on making your application more competitive.
• Do schedule shadowing experiences with the company early to build relationships with a department.
• Do offer a fair assessment of your abilities. A modest application representing the applicant appropriately will be favored over an inflated application that overstates the student’s abilities.

The dos (interview):

• Do be on time for the interview. 15 minutes early is a good rule of thumb.
• Do bring a printed copy of your CV/resume. Frequently our interviewers are different from the staff who reviewed your initial application.
• Do wear professional attire if shadowing or granted an interview.
• Do come in with an understanding of the company, its culture, and its team.
• Do come in having read at least the abstracts (or even full-text) of our publications.
• Do ask lots of questions.
• Do be prepared to be uncomfortable. Grit is valued in a fast-paced start-up and some interviewers will intentionally throw curve balls to see how you respond.
• Do be prepared to talk in depth about any proficiency claimed in your application materials. If your CV indicates you are fluent in French, be prepared to have an interview in that language.
• Do bring documentation from your university to verify you are a current student in good standing.

Usually first time interns at the company are unpaid and complete their internship for college credit. Returning interns may be paid if funding is available. Students in paid internships or part-time employment typically work a minimum of 20 hours per week.

The following are general guidelines for internship time commitments, but actual hours can vary from student to student:

• Fall semester – minimum 15 hrs/week; 20 hrs/week strongly encouraged
• Winter break – minimum 20 hrs/week; 40 hrs/week strongly encouraged
• Spring semester – minimum 15 hrs/week; 20 hrs/week strongly encouraged
• Summer break – 40 hrs/week
• Shadowing – recommended 1-5 visits at 2-4 hrs/visit

Yes, including first authorship. All interns who have published interned for at least two semesters with the company, and most for longer.

Yes. We frequently work with universities to enable students to obtain college credit for their time at Ichor. Please contact us after acceptance into the program, but before the program starts, for information about obtaining college credit.

We do not have a formal direct to PhD pathway through the internship program at this time. However, all current graduate students in the PhD program began as interns at the company.

Exact dates are determined with each student on a case-by-case basis, but typically follow an academic year:

• Fall semester: August 20th – December 20th
• Winter break: December 20th – January 15th
• Spring semester: January 15th – May 15th
• Summer break: May 15th – August 20th

Inquiries can be submitted to info@ichorlifesciences.com. If you do not hear back within 1 week, please feel free to call us directly at 315.677.8400.