New

R&D Engineer Intern

Chicago, IL (Onsite)

Biohub is leading the new era of AI-powered biology to cure or prevent disease through its 501c3 medical research organization, with the support of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

The Team

The Biohub in Chicago is an independent nonprofit research institute that brings together three powerhouse universities - Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - into a single collaborative technology and discovery engine. Biohub itself supports some of the brightest, boldest engineers, data scientists, and biomedical researchers to make breakthroughs in medicine and develop new technologies, frequently in collaboration with our partner universities. We are guided by our values of scholarly excellence; disruptive innovation; hands-on engineering/hacking/building; partnership and collaboration; open communication and respect; inclusiveness; and opportunity for all.

Our Vision

  • We pursue large scientific challenges that cannot be pursued in conventional environments
  • We enable individual investigators to pursue their riskiest and most innovative ideas
  • The technologies developed at Biohub facilitate research by scientists and clinicians at our home institutions and beyond

Diversity of thought, ideas, and perspectives are at the heart of Biohub and enable disruptive innovation and scholarly excellence. We are committed to cultivating an organization where all colleagues feel inspired and know their work makes an important contribution.

The Opportunity

The Biohub in Chicago is seeking talented undergraduate-level students to join the organization for its 10-week Summer Internship Program, running from June 15, 2026, to August 21, 2026. R&D Engineering Interns are embedded within active research teams and contribute directly to ongoing technology development projects. Each project is thoughtfully scoped to be achievable within the internship timeframe while delivering meaningful technical impact.

Possible responsibilities/projects include:

Electrochemical Sensing Platform Development for Biomimetic Systems
This project focuses on the design and development of custom electronic instrumentation for spatiotemporal electrochemical sensing in engineered biological systems. The intern will contribute to multiple stages of the development cycle, including electronic design, simulation, fabrication, assembly, and experimental characterization.
The intern will work on custom circuit design and printed circuit board (PCB) layout, perform electrical benchmarking using laboratory instrumentation, and support mechanical fabrication of enclosures or scaffolds using 3D printing or CNC tools. Programming tasks will primarily involve Python and will support data acquisition, control, and analysis.
By the end of the internship, the intern will have helped design, build, and benchmark a custom electrochemical sensing rig, gaining transferable skills in electronics, instrumentation, and experimental research.

What You'll Do

  • Receive support through a 10-week research experience
  • Receive mentorship to support your personal and professional development
  • Gain and enhance your technical and transferable skills through trainings and seminars
  • Learn how to design, plan, and carry out laboratory and/or computational scientific experiments
  • Present at the end-of-program symposium
  • Build relationships with peers and colleagues

What You'll Bring

  • Currently pursuing a degree in engineering or physics (Electrical Engineering preferred; Mechanical, Aerospace, or related fields also considered)
  • Interest in electronics design, instrumentation, and experimental research
  • Hands-on experience with laboratory or project-based engineering work (coursework or research projects acceptable)
  • Initiative, curiosity, and interest in solving open-ended technical problems
  • Ability to communicate ideas and results clearly and collaborate effectively with peers

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with PCB design, circuit simulation, or electronics testing
  • Familiarity with Python or other programming languages used for instrumentation or data analysis
  • Experience with fabrication tools such as 3D printers or CNC machines

Program Eligibility

  • Must be a current graduate student (enrolled full time at a college or university both Spring 2026 AND Fall 2026 terms)
  • Must be able to commit to the 10-week Summer Internship Program June 15, 2026, to August 21, 2026.
  • Must be able to be on-site at the Biohub in San Francisco for the duration of the program

Compensation

The Chicago, IL pay for a new hire in this role is $51.41/hour. 

What We Provide 

  • Hands-on, one-of-a-kind experience
  • Hourly compensation
  • Invaluable relationships
  • Trainings and seminars
  • Transportation reimbursement of up to $150 per month

Housing & Work Location

Interns are responsible for securing and paying for their own housing for the duration of the internship. This internship is fully on-site, and interns are expected to be present on-site for the full program duration. The organization does not provide housing or housing stipends as part of the internship program.

What to Expect: Application & Program Timeline

We aim to make our internship hiring process transparent and predictable. Below is the anticipated timeline for the Summer 2026 Program:

  • January 16, 2026 – Applications open
  • February 1, 2026 – Application deadline
    • All application materials must be submitted by this date for full consideration.
  • Late January – February 2026 – Application review & interviews
    • Applications will be reviewed by the recruiting and research teams. Selected candidates will be invited to interviews during this period.
  • March 2026 – Offers extended and finalized
    • Internship offers will be extended on a rolling basis, with all offers expected to be accepted by early March.
  • June 16 – August 21, 2026 – Summer Internship Program
    • Interns join Biohub for a 10-week, immersive research experience, concluding with an end-of-program symposium.

Dates are subject to minor adjustments; candidates will be kept informed throughout the process.

#LI-Onsite

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The organization provides (and state and federal law requires) reasonable accommodations to be provided to qualified applicants with disabilities. Your recruiter will work with you during the interview process should you require any such accommodations. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.

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