About the role#
Zoo New England is hiring a Data Science Intern for a 16-week, full-time research project. You will study the genetic predictors of cardiomyopathy in gorillas and meerkats to help understand the condition in humans. This position is based at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. You will receive training in computational genomics and gain experience across the full lifecycle of scientific research. There is a potential opportunity to contribute as a co-author to a scientific publication.
What you'll do#
- Manage and process large, next-generation genomic datasets.
- Use Unix environments and shell scripting on a computer server.
- Perform quality control, genotyping, and genomic data processing.
- Conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS).
- Apply statistical models to health and genomic data using R.
- Create visualizations to display statistical and genomic results.
- Use GitHub to track, manage, and document your analytical code.
- Review findings with research mentors to interpret the results.
- Document methods for reports, presentations, and scientific manuscripts.
- Collaborate with researchers at the Broad Institute and the Center for Zoonomics.
What you'll need#
- A Masters degree in bioinformatics or a related field.
- Experience working with genomic data.
- Residency in Massachusetts.
Location & details#
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts (On-site).
- Term: 16 weeks (640 hours).
- Compensation: $25 per hour.
About Zoo New England
Zoo New England is a private, non-profit corporation that operates the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Massachusetts. The organization manages wildlife and conservation programs, research, and educational initiatives. Funding for these operations comes from earned revenue along with state, private, and corporate sources. It employs approximately 230 people.
How to get in at Zoo New England
Securing an internship at Zoo New England requires a proactive approach to their application cycle. Because early applicants are often reviewed before the candidate pool becomes crowded, you should use Intern Insider to receive an instant alert the moment a new role is published. This helps you submit your materials among the first, which is a significant advantage when competition for conservation-focused roles is high. You can also improve your response rates by reaching out to the recruiters behind these positions directly. Intern Insider surfaces the specific people managing these roles, allowing you to ask informed questions or request a referral before you hit submit.
