R&D Summer Intern

By joining Bio-Techne, you’ll join a company with a powerful and positive purpose of enabling cutting-edge research in Life Sciences and Clinical Diagnostics. Bio-Techne, and all of its brands, provides tools for researchers to further treat and prevent disease worldwide.

All internship positions are designed to give college students an opportunity to apply techniques learned in an academic setting while obtaining new skills. This is a paid internship offering full-time hours during the summer months. All interns are required to conclude the program by giving a formal presentation on their work.

Position Summary:

As a Summer Intern at Bio-Techne Bristol, you will join the Small Molecules R&D team to contribute to the design, synthesis, and testing of new fluorescent, organelle-targeting probes. This role offers a hands-on opportunity to work with advanced fluorophore technologies to develop novel compounds that have the potential to enable significant breakthroughs in cellular fluorescence imaging applications. You will engage in all aspects of small molecule product development, from chemical synthesis and purification to analytical characterization and biological testing preparation. Through expanding Bio-Techne’s fluorescence imaging portfolio, your work will help empower researchers globally and catalyze the latest advancements in the life sciences industry.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and synthesise fluorescent probes with distinctive properties to target specific cell organelles and other sub-cellular structures.
• Purify compounds using chromatographic techniques such as silica gel column chromatography and preparative reverse-phase HPLC.
• Perform analytical characterisation including NMR, LCMS, HPLC, and UV/Vis/fluorescence spectroscopy to confirm compound identity and purity.
• Using on-site laboratory robotics and automated equipment, prepare synthesised probes into customer-ready formats for downstream biological evaluation and commercial distribution.
• Collaborate with external partners to validate probe specificity and imaging performance within biological models.
• Participate actively in team meetings and contribute to ongoing innovation activities within the small molecules R&D team.

 Program Requirements:

• Must be a currently enrolled student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry or other relevant field.
• Must be able to work full-time during the duration of the internship program.

Experience Qualifications:

• Strong foundational knowledge of organic chemistry and analytical chemistry.
• Excellent practical skills – must be proficient in using standard laboratory equipment for chemical synthesis following good laboratory practice.
• Solid understanding of analytical chromatography and purification methods (LCMS, HPLC), as well as various spectroscopic techniques (NMR, UV/vis, fluorescence). Practical experience is highly desired but not essential.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills to document experimental work and present findings.
• Good organization skills, with excellent attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Keen interest in scientific research and product development

Bio-Techne is committed to product quality, customer satisfaction, continued improvement, minimising environmental impacts and conserving natural resources.  Environmental and quality management is an integral core value and vital part of the Bio-Techne culture.