NYCEDC Announces LifeSci NYC Internship Program Achieves Milestone With 1,000 Student Placements
The LifeSci NYC Internship is the City’s Innovative Paid Internship Program to Develop the Next Generation of Life Sciences Leaders
The Program is Part of the City’s $1 Billion Initiative to Create Jobs and Establish New York City as a Global Leader in Life Sciences
NEW YORK, NY—Today, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced its LifeSci NYC Internship Program, which continues to build an equitable talent pipeline for a rapidly growing life sciences industry, has placed 1,000 students at over 220 partner companies over the past seven years. The program provides quality internships for New York City undergraduate and graduate students, while also pairing host companies with diverse talent and support across scientific and business functions. This milestone comes on the heels of the New York City Council voting to approve two generational projects—the Science Park and Research Campus (SPARC) Kips Bay and Innovation East—as part of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), signaling a historic win for New York City’s thriving life sciences industry and economy.
The LifeSci NYC Internship Program is supported by LifeSci NYC, a $1 billion initiative overseen by NYCEDC to create 40,000 jobs over the next 10 to 15 years. The program prepares students from diverse backgrounds for good-paying jobs in the life sciences field and accelerates the growth of the life sciences industry in New York City.
“Congratulations to the New York City Economic Development Corporation, their partners and all of the 1,000 student participants of the LifeSci NYC Program,” said First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres Springer. “This project shows the power of creating high-impact talent development models for New York City's key growth sectors and signals that, with New York City's best and brightest at the lab bench and behind the code, we will continue to lead the world in scientific research, discovery and commercialization in the life sciences.”
“Since its creation, LifeSci NYC has made tremendous strides in building an equitable talent pipeline for this rapidly growing industry through initiatives like SPARC Kips Bay, BioBus and the LifeSci Internship - preparing our city's diverse students for good-paying jobs in a field poised to drive significant economic impact,” said NYCEDC President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “The program's placement of its 1,000th intern is a testament not only to its impact but also to New York City students' eagerness to shape the industries of tomorrow.”
“The LifeSci NYC Internship program is a resounding success,” said Council Member Keith Powers. “With the recent passage of SPARC, New York City is on track to become a hub for the life sciences industry, and the talent pipeline that has educated 1,000 students is being extended to include educational and work opportunities in this growing field. I’m proud to support these crucial investments in the workforce, and I look forward to seeing these students continue to succeed.”
“The LifeSci NYC Internship Program is a game-changer for our city’s youth and our growing life sciences industry. Reaching 1,000 student placements is a testament to the power of investing in diverse talent and creating equitable pathways to high-quality, good-paying jobs,” said Majority Leader Amanda Farias. “As we continue expanding opportunities in STEM, programs like this ensure that New York City remains a global leader in innovation while launching the next generation of scientists and researchers. I look forward to seeing even more students thrive through this initiative and contribute to groundbreaking advancements in life sciences.”
“By providing valuable work experiences through the NYC EDC internship program, the City makes a powerful investment in the next generation of scientists,” said Lasker Foundation President and Co-chair NYC LifeSci Advisory Council Claire Pomeroy MD. “We celebrate the key milestone of placing the 1000th intern, a reflection of the exciting work to advance the life science research ecosystem in our community. We will all benefit as these talented young minds progress in their chosen careers, creating new knowledge and driving scientific innovation.”
“This milestone underscores the critical role the LifeSci NYC program plays in building a diverse, homegrown talent pipeline for one of New York City’s fastest-growing industries,” said Partnership Fund for New York City President and CEO Maria Gotsch. “By equipping students from all backgrounds with hands-on experience at leading life sciences companies, LifeSci NYC ensures that the sector’s economic potential is accessible to the full breadth of talent our city has to offer and that we remain a global leader in life sciences innovation.”
“The LifeSciNYC Internship Program has set a gold standard for giving our students—the students of NYC—hands-on expertise is the latest trends in sophisticated trends in biotech, bioengineering, and related fields,” said Director of Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center Kevin Gardner. “Seeing the 1,000th intern in this program is a wonderful milestone, and emblematic of how today's investments will pay off for decades to come as these students go on to become tomorrow's leaders in these areas.”
Students have been placed at pharmaceutical and biotech companies, digital health companies, research organizations, and various startups. There is tremendous demand for internships. Some key highlights of the program include:
- In the 2024 cycle, over 3,600 college and graduate students have applied for the program seeking summer or academic-year internship opportunities, which grew from 2,400 applications from the year before. Last year was a record-breaking year regarding placements, with over 160 students selected to participate in an internship.
- Since the program’s inception in 2017, the program achieved a milestone of placing the 1000th intern.
- To date, nearly 45 percent of internships have been extended or expanded into offers of employment for college or graduate students.
- Additionally, 50 percent of program alumni work in the New York City life sciences ecosystem.
With the development of new talent will come new research, translating to more companies, jobs, medicines, and advanced technologies, which will ensure New York City remains the leader in developing treatments and cures for some of the most pressing public health challenges of the time.
New York City is cementing itself as a global leader in Life Sciences. Through LifeSci NYC, New York City is on track to create 1,000 companies and 40,000 jobs, unlock 10 million square feet of wet- and dry-lab real estate and generate $82 billion in overall economic impact over the next 10 to 15 years, making the city a global leader in life sciences.
In October 2022, Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled plans for the Science Park and Research Campus (SPARC) Kips Bay, a job and education innovation hub that will be the first-of-its-kind in the state. Driven by an historic investment from the city and state, SPARC Kips Bay will help New York City become a global leader in creating and attracting accessible jobs in life sciences, health care, and public health by creating a pipeline from local public schools to careers in these growing and essential fields. On February 13th, 2025, the City Council voted to approve the SPARC Kips Bay and Innovation East projects, as part of the Uniform Land User Review Procedure (ULURP).
Additionally, last October, NYCEDC joined the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), State and City leaders to launch Chan Zuckerberg Biohub New York, which is catalyzing collaboration among scientists in the New York area from Columbia University, The Rockefeller University, and Yale University, to harness and bioengineer immune cells for the early detection, prevention, and ultimately treatment of a wide variety of human diseases.
To support New Yorkers interested in entering the Life Sciences industry, NYCEDC and Genspace, the world’s first community biology lab, announced the launch of its groundbreaking workforce development program, Break into Biotech, in New York City.
Additionally, to support women-and-minority-led life science startups, NYCEDC and CURE, supported by Deerfield Management, announced the two winning teams of the fourth annual XSeed Award. The program is dedicated to supporting women- and minority-led life science startups in New York City by providing critical funding to bridge the gap from promising preclinical drug development research to the marketplace and commercial success.
About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city's future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
