How to hire a laboratory internship

How to hire a laboratory internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step laboratory internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a laboratory internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new laboratory internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a laboratory internship do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a laboratory internship, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A laboratory internship's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, laboratory interns from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of laboratory interns.

   Type of Laboratory Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Laboratory Internship	Biological technicians help biological and medical scientists conduct laboratory tests and experiments.	$12-23
   Research Fellow	A research fellow is an academic researcher who conducts research and analysis of comprehensive literature, data, and results and provides literature reviews. He/She supervises research assistants and recruits study participants to interview them for a particular study... Show more	$18-34
   Microbiologist	Microbiologists are responsible for studying the microscopic organisms causing infections and environmental damage, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Their work focuses on the identification and growth of these microbes to better understand their characteristics that may help in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious and bacterial diseases... Show more	$18-36

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lab Procedures
   • Chemistry
   • Python
   • C++
   • Laboratory Procedures
   • Laboratory Equipment
   • Data Collection
   • Cell Culture
   • Data Analysis
   • Lab Equipment
   • PowerPoint
   • R
   • RT-PCR
   • DNA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage patient, and corporate information with compassion and confidentiality.
   • Perform various laboratory experiments with instructor including DNA electrophoresis, forensic studies, and DNA extraction.
   • Process postmortem tissue for sectioning.
   • Help the students learn about the basics of biology, including cells to ecology.
   • Mix reagents in order to create fruit fly food through the use of autoclaves.
   • Perform experiments concern with the synthesis of polyurethane base polymer surface modifiers (PSMs).

   More laboratory internship duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your laboratory internship job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A laboratory internship salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a laboratory internship in South Dakota may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level laboratory internship usually earns less than a senior-level laboratory internship. Additionally, a laboratory internship with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average laboratory internship salary

   $35,305yearly

   $16.97 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level laboratory internship salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average laboratory internship salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$45,964	$22
   2	California	$42,393	$20
   3	Massachusetts	$41,456	$20
   4	Illinois	$39,603	$19
   5	District of Columbia	$38,281	$18
   6	Pennsylvania	$38,115	$18
   7	Texas	$37,648	$18
   8	Virginia	$35,809	$17
   9	Maryland	$35,298	$17
   10	Washington	$35,044	$17
   11	Wisconsin	$33,651	$16
   12	West Virginia	$31,663	$15
   13	North Carolina	$31,579	$15
   14	Colorado	$31,461	$15
   15	Nebraska	$31,091	$15
   16	Indiana	$27,073	$13
   17	Florida	$25,250	$12
   18	Oregon	$25,165	$12

   Average laboratory internship salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Pacific Northwest National Laboratory	$63,831	$30.69	76
   2	Santa Clara Valley Water District	$43,464	$20.90
   3	Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute	$42,745	$20.55
   4	National Renewable Energy Laboratory	$42,213	$20.29	4
   5	HDR	$41,612	$20.01	17
   6	BNP Paribas	$40,763	$19.60	1
   7	Intel	$40,615	$19.53
   8	Schreiber Foods	$38,759	$18.63	1
   9	First Solar	$38,384	$18.45	3
   10	Washington State University	$38,065	$18.30	4
   11	Johns Manville	$37,714	$18.13
   12	Elementis	$37,355	$17.96	2
   13	Renesas Electronics	$37,132	$17.85	3
   14	Veolia Water Tech	$36,732	$17.66	8
   15	Tenet Healthcare	$36,696	$17.64	209
   16	New America	$36,610	$17.60
   17	Sierra Lobo	$36,230	$17.42
   18	City of Philadelphia	$36,098	$17.35
   19	Kelly Services	$36,042	$17.33	40
   20	Treasury Wine Estates	$35,674	$17.15

4. Writing a laboratory internship job description

   A job description for a laboratory internship role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a laboratory internship job description:

   Laboratory internship job description example

   ANALYTICAL LAB INTERN ORRVILLE, OH Why Smucker is the Place for You Looking for a world-class internship program at a Fortune 500 company? At Smucker, we're committed to offering you that world-class experience and the opportunity to: Learn: Realize your potential in a collaborative, supportive environment where you're part of the Smucker Family and challenged to be your best.
   
   Grow: Receive hands-on training from a dedicated mentor and connect with peers and leaders across our Company. Lead: Contribute to high-profile projects that support our strategic priorities along with opportunities to get involved in many ways including our continued progress on the journey to become the organization we expect to be on inclusion, diversity and equity. We firmly believe that an inclusive environment and diverse organization strengthens our Company and enables every employee to reach their full potential. You deserve a positive and encouraging work environment. One that allows you to deliver your best work and become your best professional self. That is exactly what you will find at Smucker. You'll also benefit from intern-housing assistance, should you qualify based on proximity, to ensure you have a positive experience and are financially supported for the length of your internship. Your Opportunity
   
   As an intern within our Analytical Lab you will gain experience in our corporate analytical laboratory. You will enhance your food product analytical attributes knowledge base. You will operate analytical equipment (i.e. GC or LC , pH, Aw, viscosity, color, % protein, %moisture, and density) for food categories. You will perform laboratory projects and create analytical reports within Smucker databases. You will assist with general laboratory upkeep, inventory management, and ISO 17025 Certification support. You will manage an individual analytical project requiring a presentation at the end of the internship
   
   You will gain meaningful and translatable experience from the real work you will be provided, relationship management, and professional development.
   Is this Role a Fit for You?
   Are you a driven student with a passion for delivering high-quality work while expanding your skillset and maintaining a continuous learning mindset? Are you eager to share your opinions (and have them heard) and make a positive impact through your work? Do you share in our dedication to continuous improvement and growth? If so, you are the type of student we are looking for to join our Internship Program!
   The ideal candidate for this role will have:
   A Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior standing in school with prerequisite educational experience in Chemistry, Biology, Food Science, or relevant field A GPA of 3.0 or higher A well-rounded skill set including strong chemistry and mathematics background, general laboratory experience, computer knowledge and skills, highly adaptable and flexible to a dynamic environment, self-motivated, high-energy level Learn More About Working at Smucker
   Our Total Rewards Benefits Program Our Thriving Together Philosophy Supporting All Impacted by Our Business Our Continued Progress on Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Follow us on LinkedIn

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find laboratory interns for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any laboratory interns they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level laboratory interns with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your laboratory internship job on Zippia to find and recruit laboratory internship candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit laboratory interns, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new laboratory internship

   Once you have selected a candidate for the laboratory internship position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a laboratory internship?