Research Internship Cover Letter

Research Intern Cover Letter (With Examples)

Research is an essential function of many businesses today. It can be done on any topic from physics, chemistry, mathematics, to marketing or business research.

Being able to research effectively requires an individual to be a problem-solver, a good observer, and have unique conclusions based on their research. To develop research skills, many times, individuals will apply for research internships.

Research internships are usually jobs that students take in their final year of graduation or immediately after graduation. In a sense, research internships are like research projects of your own in which you’ll learn new skills like scientific techniques, design experiments, how to properly analyze results, and more.

You’ll likely work closely with a supervisor or professor, and your responsibilities may include attending lab meetings, symposiums, lectures, and doing research on credentialed sites. As a result of your internship, you may receive hourly or salaried pay or credit towards a college course.

As a research intern, you may be required to work in a college laboratory, a research organization, or with the research and development (RD) department within a business.

Working as an intern gives you the unique opportunity to do your own research on what excites you in your chosen career field, but also to network with like-minded peers.

This will help you not only understand the industry and job better but may open doors to letters of recommendation, new job opportunities once your internship is complete, or assistance in publishing research papers or findings.

When you’re looking to apply for an internship, you’ll want to give a lot of thought to your resume as well as a cover letter that can make you stand out from other candidates. If you’re still in school, there are a few different ways to think about your resume, but for the purpose of this article, we’ll discuss the different components of a cover letter for research interns.

Parts of a Research Intern Cover Letter

Just like a scientific research paper, cover letters should be outlined and planned for. As a research intern, you’ll want to be sure you touch on the right criteria that convince your hiring manager that you’re the right fit for the job.

Your cover letter should be anywhere between 200-300 words because you are applying as an intern. Focus on the following important elements for your research intern cover letter:

• Contact information. At the top of your cover letter, you’ll want to include your contact information just under your name. Your header should reflect your resume, so be sure it’s the same font type and size. For research interns, it’s important to add the contact details of the lead researcher or supervisor you’ll be working with.

• Salutation. For those looking for a research internship, you’ll want to get the information of the researcher or supervisor you’ll be working with, as mentioned above. Once you have that information, use their proper salutation, meaning they should be addressed as Dr. if applicable.

• Cover letter opening. Your cover letter opening is the thing that should capture the hiring manager's attention immediately.

  Since you’re working towards a research intern position, the most important thing to portray is that you’re excited and enthusiastic about the position. Surface any important skills here that you think are relevant to the internship you’re applying for.

• Cover letter body. The body of your cover letter should be the place where you showcase why you’re the perfect researcher for the job. If you’re looking to intern for a specific research project, discuss that too and what excites you about the opportunity.

  It’s okay to discuss what excites you and what you hope to benefit from the experience. Many internship hiring managers are simply looking for enthusiasm and passion. Skills are important, but they can always be taught to the right person.

• Closing. A call to action is important for your closing. You’ll want to instruct the reader of your cover letter to do something next, whether it be to schedule you for an interview or take a deeper look at your experience through your resume. Whatever the case, you’ll want a strong call to action before adding your complimentary close, such as “Sincerely.”

• Signature. If you are sending your cover letter through mail or handing it to the potential employer during a screening interview, it’s a great idea to add a handwritten signature as an extra touch. If you are submitting your cover letter via email, typing your name is acceptable.

Research Intern Cover Letter Opening

There is a lot of competition in the world of research interns. The demand for scientific jobs, in particular, is very high. That means you’ll want your cover letter to stand out from the crowd and leave with a positive impact on your hiring manager. That means that you should focus on two things during your opening:

• A catchy first line. This is imperative for a killer cover letter. It doesn’t have to be anything intricate, but it should absolutely show your enthusiasm. Don’t force it. A simple line about how you love your field of study or what excites you about the company or specific research project at hand should suffice.

• Your skills. Showcase your skills upfront. The hiring manager for an internship will be most interested in the skills you already possess to understand how much training they must commit to and if you have the essential foundational skills to complete the task at hand.

  Make sure you’re specific about your abilities and how they can provide value to the research opportunity at hand.

Showing your enthusiasm, confidence, and a peek into your background, and current experience is a sure way to grab the hiring manager’s attention.

Research Intern Cover Letter Body

The body of your cover letter is crucial to get right on a research intern cover letter. You’ll want to touch on a few different things in this paragraph.

• Why you’re right for the job. The hiring manager wants to understand why you believe you’re right for the job. This gives them a good indication about how well you understand the job ahead of you and if you understand the skills and qualifications necessary to get the job done.

• List your past accomplishments. Any past accomplishments that are relevant to the research intern position should be listed here. Your accomplishments are made even more memorable and promising if you include hard statistics.

  However, if you don’t have any hard data to refer to, consider listing certifications, research accomplishments, or even what you admire about the company.

• Demonstrate your research skills. What better place to demonstrate your research skills than within your cover letter? Highlight the research you’re proud of in a tasteful way to leave a long-lasting impression on your hiring manager.

The body doesn’t have to be extensive. In fact, just a few short paragraphs are often just enough. You want to get straight to the point, so leave out the fluff and get to the good stuff.

Research Intern Cover Letter Closing Lines

Finally, your closing — This should be short and straight to the point. In order to do this effectively, consider focusing on the following:

• Appreciation and enthusiasm. Reiterate how excited you are about the research internship at hand and even thank the hiring manager for the opportunity.

• A strong call to action. Don’t leave off your cover letter without a strong call to action. This can be combined with your appreciation and enthusiasm. But the purpose of the cover letter is to get the hiring manager to call you for an interview or look further into your experience on your resume. End on a strong close.

Finally, finish with a simple close and your name.

Example of a Research Intern Cover Letter