Host Organizations
Companies and research institutions interested in hosting interns register with the MLSC to gain access to our database of prospective interns to review applications, interview candidates, and select qualified interns. Companies that are approved for the MLSC’s Internship Challenge will automatically gain access to the Data Science Internship Program application database (the company application is the same for both programs). Research institutions must contact MLSC staff to register and gain direct access to the candidate database.
Eligible companies can only hire one subsidized Data Science intern per Program Year for a period of up to six months. Note: the Data Science intern will count toward the limit on subsidized interns that can be hired through the Internship Challenge. Research institutions can hire up to four subsidized interns.
The program aims to provide internships that introduce students to applications of advanced data analytics and data science relevant to the life sciences. These opportunities should allow interns to answer questions and solve problems that would not be available without data insights and analysis. The work should go above and beyond the normal data collection and analysis that occurs through the course of traditional life science lab work. Skills fostered through these opportunities could include computational sciences, computer sciences, bioinformatics, etc. Companies are required to include a brief description of the internship which must be approved by the MLSC in order to qualify for funding.
Intern applications available for review in the database are approved by the MLSC since candidates are required to indicate if they have proficiency in data science skills/tools such as the following: application software packages and libraries, database software, programming languages, and techniques such as data visualization, deep learning, machine learning, and statistical programming. Applicants must possess relevant qualifications to be eligible.
Through this program, the MLSC also seeks to increase access to internships for individuals traditionally underrepresented in the data science field, particularly those identifying as women, Black, Indigenous, and/or Latinx. Employers that share our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion are encouraged to reach out for assistance in connecting with such candidates.
The MLSC will reimburse host organizations for pay rates of up to $20 per hour for interns pursuing or having completed their Bachelor’s degree, or possessing comparable data science qualifications, for a maximum reimbursement of $20,800 per intern. Interns who have completed their Master’s degree or are doctoral candidates can have wages reimbursed up to $25 per hour for a maximum reimbursement of $26,000 per intern. Interns who have completed their Ph.D. are paid up to $40 per hour for a maximum reimbursement of $41,600 per intern. If interns have not completed their degree, host companies would be reimbursed at the rate just below the level of completion. For example, an intern who has not completed their Master’s degree would be eligible for the $20 rate.
Host Research Institutions:
- Must be located in Massachusetts.
- Must offer interns a hands-on learning experience and at least one mentor with advanced analytics expertise and who directly oversees the intern.
- Must be supporting Principal Investigators who have not previously employed the intern or hosted the intern in a prior internship.
Host Companies:
- Must be located in Massachusetts.
- Companies are required to be registered to do business in Massachusetts and must submit Certificates of Good Standing from both the MA Department of Revenue and the MA Secretary of the Commonwealth (click on links to request) that were issued no earlier than the previous calendar year.
- Companies will also need to provide MLSC with a signed copy of their Form W-9 (if not previously submitted).
- Must be small businesses (100 or fewer employees in MA and no more than 250 employees worldwide). Larger companies, including subsidiaries of larger companies, are welcome to utilize our intern database, however their internships would not be subsidized.
- Must be life sciences companies or companies that provide services to the life sciences industry. “Life sciences” is defined as: “advanced and applied sciences that expand the understanding of human physiology and have the potential to lead to medical advances or therapeutic applications,” – Massachusetts General Laws (MGL), chapter 23I, section 2.
- Must offer interns hands-on learning experience and at least one mentor that directly oversees the intern.
- Additional requirements for host companies are posted on the Internship Challenge webpage.
Please Note:
- Interns are to be hired and paid directly by the host company. Any employed intern shall be treated as a W-2 employee of the company (not a contractor or subcontractor) for compensation purposes. However, interns must be hired for a temporary internship experience and not hired as permanent employees (interns can be hired full time upon completion of the MLSC-sponsored internship).
- It is preferred that interns are paid through a third-party payroll service (e.g., ADP, Paychex, Intuit Payroll). If using an internal payroll system (e.g., QuickBooks) in which payroll is not processed by a third party, additional supporting documentation may be required for reimbursement. Companies are required to pay their interns at a frequency that is in accordance with Chapter 149, Section 148 of the Massachusetts General Laws, as amended, and any other applicable law and include in each payment all applicable employment taxes in accordance with state and federal law.
- Multiple companies that are “Related Parties” can participate, however will be limited to the maximum funding available for ONE company. Related Party Companies are defined as companies having common ownership and/or management personnel (including but not limited to the CEO, CFO, or COO). Related Party Companies are also considered to be related if at any time one company has the ability to Control (as defined below) the other company or exercise influence over the other company in making financial and/or operating decisions. Control is defined as:
- ownership, directly or indirectly, of more than one half of the voting power of a company, or
- control of the composition of the board of directors, or other governing body of a company, or
- a substantial interest in voting power and the power to direct the financial and/or operating policies of the company.
- Companies cannot hire an intern who is the spouse, child, grandchild, sibling, niece, nephew, cousin or spouse of a child, grandchild, sibling, niece, nephew, or cousin of ANY employee of the company.
- Interns cannot participate in more than one subsidized internship in the same Program Year.
- Interns cannot participate in more than two subsidized internships (over two Program Years) with the same company.
- Internships cannot also be subsidized by another state entity (such as MassTech or MassCEC). Companies participating in more than one state-funded internship program must hire different interns under each program.
- Companies must be in compliance with any and all grant agreements and contracts with the MLSC, including reporting requirements and reimbursement certification for past participation in an Internship program.
Resources/Application
The application for the Internship Challenge automatically offers the option to participate in this program. If you already have an account, please log in here.
For Research Institution registration, email: DataScience@masslifesciences.com.