K.1.12 – MBL Undergraduate Intern Policy

Date: October 1, 2020

The MBL provides paid undergraduate internships through designated and resourced programs, e.g. NSF REU, UChicago Metcalf, Dartmouth E.E. Just.  Most of these programs operate during the summer months. As opportunities arise, the MBL may add additional internship programs to the existing suite. Two examples include the MBL Sponsored Northeastern University (NEU) Co-op program and the Blue Economy Internship Program (BEIP). For designated MBL intern programs, the MBL provides resources to students who participate in them. Below is additional information on internship programs that receive MBL resources.

• Selection Process: Students are chosen for a respective internship program based on a set of criteria determined by the specific grant, program, or by strategic priority needs of the MBL in collaboration with the Division of Education.
• Financial Support: Designated internships may provide a variety of financial support including: 1) room and board coupled with stipends; 2) stipends without room and board; or 3) room and board in MBL residential buildings without stipends.
• Administration: Interns are administered through and overseen by MBL’s Division of Education. Summer interns staying in MBL residential buildings are overseen by Resident Assistants (RAs) vetted, hired, and trained by the Division of Education.
• Capacity: Summer undergraduate housing is limited (44 beds). Therefore, interns in the designated internship programs are given housing preference.  Any remaining space is assigned to independent paid and unpaid interns as determined by the Director of Education and the Director of Research in consultation with the Director.
• Mentor and Mentee Compact: All undergraduate interns and their supervisors will agree to and follow the guidelines set out in the Compact. See Appendix A for the Mentor and Mentee Compact template.

Outside of the designated programs described above, MBL faculty may also invite interns to work in their labs on either a paid (supported by PI funds) or unpaid status at any time throughout the year. Below is additional information on interns invited for an internship at the MBL.

• Payment: The payment process for paid interns must be organized through Human Resources. Paid interns are paid through MBL’s payroll process and are designated as “interns” in the payroll system.
• Administration: Paid and unpaid interns are administered through and overseen by MBL’s Division of Education.

Paid Interns:

• The identification, hiring, payment, and registration process of a paid intern must be coordinated with both Human Resources and the Division of Education.
• The MBL requires a letter from the supervisor in whose lab the intern will work stating: 1) the scope of work; 2) the number of hours/days per week they will work; 3) confirmation of lab safety training; and 4) the schedule for regular and ongoing meetings with the supervisor.
• Individual supervisors are responsible for communicating with their respective intern(s) regarding their schedule, lab meetings, etc., as stated in the Mentor and Mentee Compact.
• If hired in the summer, interns may be eligible for housing and dining on the MBL campus if space is available and if the required funds are provided by the supervisor.
• If hired during non-summer months, the intern may be eligible for on-campus housing if space is available and if the required funds are provided by the PI.

Unpaid Interns:

• A letter from the MBL supervisor as stated above is required as well as a letter from the intern’s institution confirming recognition of the student’s internship and the type of credit, honor, etc. the student will receive for the internship.
• Individual supervisors are responsible for communicating with their respective intern(s) regarding their schedule, lab meetings etc., as stated in the Mentor and Mentee Compact.
• On-campus housing and any other costs of the internship is the responsibility of the supervisor. As a result, it is critical that supervisors do not make any promises or guarantees to prospective interns about housing or any other support from the MBL without first consulting with the Division of Education.

See Appendix B for examples of paid versus unpaid interns and other MBL non-employment categorizations.

See Appendix C for example of a letter from MBL supervisor.

COVID-19 impacts:

For current COVID-19 protocols please visit MBL's Go Forward website.

Appendixes:

Appendix A: Mentor and Mentee Compact
Appendix B: Internship and Related Categories
Appendix C: Letter Template from Supervisor