Master of Biotechnology Internship Process
The Internship process mimics the real-world job search process. It’s competitive and an internship is not guaranteed.
Internships can take place with companies across Canada, the United States or internationally. Students can only pursue international internships to countries that are deemed low risk by Global Affairs Canada travel advisories. Low-risk destinations are those with an advisory that states travellers should practice normal or increased security precautions. Destinations with an advisory that states travellers should avoid non-essential or all travel will not be approved for an internship. Students must ensure they have the necessary work Visas to work for any companies outside of Canada. As many biotechnology companies are located outside of Kelowna, students who accept internships beyond the local area are expected to relocate for the duration of their placement.
Internship employment is directly related to job market conditions, as well as to the motivation, effort and performance of individual students, and therefore cannot be guaranteed.
- MBtec course grades are part of the criteria for determining internship priority. Students with low grades, particularly in lab courses, may not be recommended to employers for internships.
- The MBtec Program & Internship Manager, in consultation with the Instructors and Director, reserves the right to share postings and resumes between specific students and employers, based on student performance, interests, and suitability.
- Internships that students have secured on their own do not require the MBtec program’s assessment of student performance or interests, but the internship must still be approved by the MBtec program.
In the second internship, some employers may want an 8-month internship commitment. Students will be paid for the 8 months by the employer and students are also responsible for paying their regular tuition, lab, and student fees for Term 5.
Here is how it works:
The MBtec Student Internship Terms & Conditions document and forward it to the MBtec Program & Internship Manager.
Update your resume to include what you are learning in the MBtec program. You send your resume to the MBtec Program & Internship Manager for final review in a word doc format.
MBtec Program & Internship Manager shares internship postings with MBtec students. You review the job descriptions and apply for the positions that interest you and that you can commit to. You also need to search for internship positions outside of those provided by the MBtec Program & Internship Manager. Networking, and using multiple sources and job boards for job postings will increase your changes of securing an internship position.
Employers review the applications and identify candidates who best match their job requirements.
Selected candidates are invited for interviews.
After the interview, the employer decides which candidate to hire (if any) and extends an offer of employment to the successful candidate.
The successful candidate must decide whether to accept or decline the offer within 2 business days. Decisions to accept the internship must be communicated immediately to the Program & Internship Manager who will provide information/forms on next steps.
Many jobs are open to international internship students; however, some positions, particularly those with the federal government, may be restricted to Canadian citizens due to security clearance or funding requirements.
Internship or capstone
Students must complete 6-credits from capstone projects and/or internships. Both are beneficial in different ways.
Capstone Projects
Capstone projects are unpaid, full-time placements within labs on campus. Students gain valuable experience with cutting-edge academic research teams. This may result in co-authorship on publications, or other types of intellectual property.
Internships
Internships are paid, full-time placements with employers off-campus. Duties are assigned according to employer needs, and may include a range of industrially relevant tasks not limited to research. Internship availability varies due to factors beyond the program’s control, and availability is normally higher in Term 4 than Term 2.
Interested in hosting an MBtec intern?
Partner with UBC Okanagan’s Master of Biotechnology program to host skilled graduate interns in biotechnology and agri-tech.