Research Scientist Intern (Summer 2027)

Promega•Madison, WI

6d•Onsite

About The Position

We are Promega - an international biotech company made up of scientists and non-scientists, with over 4,000 high-quality products that have been sparking inspiration and discovery in science for over 40 years. We support scientists researching life and disease, pharma companies developing new treatments, forensic labs matching DNA from crime scenes and clinical labs running and confirming health tests – and that’s just the beginning. This internship is intended for graduate-level students. Preference will be given to PhD candidates in forensic science or a closely related field; master's students will be considered only if they are specifically enrolled in a forensics program. Undergraduate students are not eligible for this role. The Genetic Identity R&D team develops the short tandem repeat (STR) genotyping systems used by forensic, paternity and human identification laboratories around the world. Our work spans the full development path: multiplex PCR chemistry, allelic ladder design and formulation, and capillary electrophoresis method development. The systems we build are used to resolve criminal casework, identify missing persons, and establish biological relationships, so the accuracy and robustness of what we do matters directly to the people who rely on those results. We are a collaborative group whose work combines bench science with a substantial amount of data analysis. We are actively building out AI-assisted analysis tools to make our development and documentation work faster and more reproducible. We like solving hard technical problems, and we make a point of teaching each other what we learn.

Requirements

Currently enrolled in a graduate program in genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, forensic science, or a similar life sciences discipline.
Ability to maintain a safe and clean laboratory environment.
Ability to work independently with moderate supervision and with other team members in a cooperative manner.
Ability to organize, analyze and present quantitative data accurately, with careful attention to detail in recordkeeping.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Demonstrated proficiency in digital tools and technology, including Microsoft applications and mobile platforms, with the ability to adapt and leverage emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to improve efficiency, automation, and collaboration.
Graduate student in genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, forensic science, or a related field.
Hands-on laboratory experience.
Comfortable working with data as well as at the bench.
Ability to organize a dataset, notice when something does not look right, and clearly explain those findings.
Reliable, and work and education history demonstrate motivation and attention to detail.
Curious about forensic DNA analysis and about how products used by forensics labs around the world are developed.
Enjoy working as part of a team and want to develop both technical skills and scientific communication.

Nice To Haves

Experience with core molecular biology techniques including PCR, nucleic acid quantification and electrophoresis.
Coursework or hands-on experience in genetics, population genetics or forensic DNA analysis.
Experience with capillary electrophoresis instrumentation and/or STR genotyping software.
Experience handling biological samples.
Experience with using AI.
PhD candidates in forensic science or a closely related field.
Master's students enrolled in a forensics program.

Responsibilities

Formulate and amplify allelic ladder mixes, prepare and run samples on capillary electrophoresis instruments, and carry out supporting PCR and quantification work.
Process genotyping data to evaluate locus balance against performance specifications, build the tables and charts that drive formulation decisions, and support the development of AI tools to assist this work.
Document work in an electronic laboratory notebook and present results to the team.
Use and help improve AI-assisted tools for data analysis and documentation.
Amplify DNA with clean technique. Prepare and run samples on capillary electrophoresis instrumentation. Analyze and communicate the results of that data.
Communicate experimental goals, methods, results and conclusions through written reports and oral presentations at team meetings.
Maintain clear and complete records of laboratory procedures, data analysis and results in the electronic laboratory notebook.
Understand and comply with all elements of the Promega Quality System outlined for the position.
Demonstrates inclusion through their own words and actions and is accountable for a safe workspace. Acts with kindness, curiosity and respect for others.
Embracing and being open to incorporating Promega’s 6 Emotional & Social Intelligence (ESI) core principles in daily work.
Understands and complies with ethical, legal and regulatory requirements applicable to our business.