MLSC Internship Programs

MLSC Internship Programs

Runs Paid internship subsidies across five tracks for MA life sciences employers through the MLSC Internship Programs.

The MLSC Internship Programs umbrella is a workforce subsidy initiative administered by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) that spans five distinct tracks targeting different populations and employer types. The five tracks are: the Internship Challenge (paid internships at life science companies with 100 or fewer employees, open to college students pursuing life sciences careers, funding up to 12-week placements); the High School Apprenticeship Challenge (paid internships plus pre-internship lab training for underrepresented and low-income high school students statewide); the Data Science Internship Program (placements of up to four months for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral-level candidates at research institutions and small life sciences companies); the Ernest E. Just Life Sciences Initiative (Boston-area internships for students from HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions, run in partnership with the United Negro College Fund); and Project Onramp (paid summer internships with wraparound support for under-resourced and often first-generation Massachusetts college students).

Eligible employers span for-profit companies, nonprofits, universities, and research institutions within the Massachusetts life sciences sector, though the Internship Challenge track restricts employer size to 100 employees or fewer. The program funds intern stipends paid through the employer rather than disbursing cash directly to students. Specific award amounts per intern or per employer are not published on the MLSC program page. The landing page references 2024 cycle materials and had not been refreshed as of May 2026, indicating the program operates on a rolling or annually renewing basis.

Employers seeking to participate should contact internship@masslifesciences.com directly to confirm 2026 cycle availability, submission requirements, and stipend reimbursement rates. Organizations targeting underrepresented pipeline development, particularly those enrolling students from HBCUs or providing wraparound support to first-generation students, will find the Ernest E. Just Initiative and Project Onramp tracks most relevant.