R&D Laboratory Intern – RBI & Technical Development

At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!

As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.

At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.

Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!

Your Role: R&D Laboratory Intern

As an R&D Laboratory Intern at Elanco’s global headquarters in Indianapolis, you will contribute directly to our Research and Breakthrough Innovation and Technical Development organizations by performing hands-on laboratory work in support of new and existing animal health products. You will own the progress of an innovative project and work alongside scientists and engineers to design and execute experiments, generate and interpret data, and contribute to robust processes and products for companion and/or farm animals.

Interns may be placed in one of several teams, including but not limited to:

• Synthetic Technical Development – Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient, Formulation, or Analytical
• Biopharma Technical Development – Bioprocess Development, Formulation, or Analytical
• Early Research Antibody Discovery

Your Responsibilities:  

• Design and execute hands-on experiments in an R&D laboratory (e.g., synthetic chemistry, formulation development, analytical development, upstream/downstream bioprocess development, cell culture, immunoassays, molecular biology, or protein sciences), following established safety protocols and guidelines.

• Prepare solutions, reagents, media, and test articles. Operate relevant instrumentation. Analyze and interpret experimental data, summarize findings, and propose next steps in collaboration with your supervisor and project team.

• Perform independent laboratory work under appropriate supervision, including troubleshooting and optimizing experimental procedures.

• Provide recommendations on experimental design, instrumentation, or process improvements that may enhance robustness, efficiency, or scalability.

• Participate in regular check-ins, presenting progress and results to your supervisor and cross-functional stakeholders.

• Rigorously document experimental plans, procedures, and results in laboratory notebooks, maintaining high standards and data integrity.

• Present final project results in an oral presentation summarizing your project objectives, methods, results, and key learnings to R&D colleagues and the intern community.

What You Need to Succeed (Minimum Qualifications):

Education: Currently enrolled in a STEM field such as chemistry, biology, biochemistry, chemical engineering, pharmaceutical science, molecular biology, microbiology, biomedical engineering, or other related fields

• Degree: Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD
• Academic Progress: Students must return to a degree seeking program for the fall semester following the completion of the internship.
• Technical Skills and Core Competencies:
  • Experience with hands-on laboratory work grained through independent research, teaching labs, or prior internship experience.
• Comfort working at the bench (e.g., pipetting, solution preparation, aseptic technique, basic instrumentation) and following written protocols.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint for data organization, analysis, and presentation.
• Scientific curiosity and a desire to innovate. Strong learning agility and willingness to acquire new techniques and concepts quickly.
• Demonstrated critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively in team environments and communicate clearly with technical and non-technical colleagues

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications):

• Academic Progress: Expected graduation date between December 2027 and August 2028 with intention of entering industry following degree completion.
• Research Experience: Sustained performance (>1 semester) in an undergraduate or graduate STEM research laboratory (academic, industry, or prior internship/co-op) with demonstrated technical growth.
• Area-Specific Experience (depending on interest and placement):
  • Synthetic/Analytical Development: Organic synthesis, route scouting, analytical method development, chromatography, spectroscopy, physicochemical characterization, or solid form characterization.
  • Formulation Development: Experience preparing dosage forms (e.g., solutions, suspensions, tablets, injectables), working with excipients, or conducting stability and compatibility studies. Experience with synthetic molecules, peptides, or biologics.
  • Bioprocess/Upstream Development: Mammalian or microbial cell culture, aseptic technique, bioreactor operation, media/feed preparation, process optimization, or scale up studies.
  • Antibody/Biologics: Immunoassays (e.g., ELISA), protein expression and purification, molecular cloning, flow cytometry, or related techniques.
• Familiarity with statistical or data analysis tools (e.g., R, JMP, Python, Minitab, or similar) and/or data management systems.
• Ability to work exceptionally well both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, with appropriate levels of supervision.
• Demonstrated interest in animal health, sustainability, veterinary medicine, or data driven approaches to R&D.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to clearly present scientific results.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced research environment.

Additional Information: 

• Travel:  0% 
• Location: Indianapolis, IN – 100% On-site

Elanco’s Internship Program Our internship program is designed to give students meaningful, hands-on experience as they kickstart their careers. Internships are project-based and focused on business-critical needs, giving every intern the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on Elanco’s success over the summer. At the heart of the experience is our belief that making life better for animals makes life better. 

• Internship Dates: May 17th – August 6th, 2027
• Competitive Salary: $20-$40/hour (dependent upon major and year in school) 
• Professional Development: Networking events, assigned mentors, and learning resources are provided.
• Housing: Financial support and help securing housing is available
• Future opportunities: High-performing interns may be considered for full-time roles or additional internships, based on business needs.

Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status

Elanco may use automated tools, including AI, to support parts of our recruitment process, such as reviewing applications against job‑related criteria and/or transferrable skills. These tools help ensure a consistent, structured evaluation, but they do not make hiring decisions. All decisions involve a human reviewer. For more information on how we handle personal data, please see our Elanco Workforce Privacy Notice.