Individuals interested in internships that fall outside of our established partnership programs are encouraged to apply through LJI’s Immunology Intern posting. This serves as the primary pathway for prospective interns seeking research experience at the Institute.
Internships
LJI is dedicated to training tomorrow’s scientists. In order to deliver on this commitment, LJI offers various internships throughout the year. Students interested in receiving exposure to the field of biomedical research and are currently enrolled in high school or undergraduate programs are eligible. The primary goal of LJI’s internship program is to provide students with hands-on laboratory experience and mentorship to motivate and prepare them to continue a career path in the life sciences.
LJIdea Summer Internship Program - Strengthening San Diego’s Scientific Workforce Through Inclusive Mentorship
At La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), we believe that groundbreaking science thrives when diverse voices are given the opportunity to lead. LJIdea is LJI’s flagship internship and mentorship initiative, focused on providing meaningful, hands-on biomedical research experiences to local high school and undergraduate students.
LJIdea serves as a direct pipeline for students throughout San Diego County. The program has engaged students from a number of local high schools, colleges and universities, including Preuss High School, Clairemont High School, and University of California San Diego.
Since program inception in 2022, LJIdea has welcomed 28 students from the region, participating in internships across LJI’s 20+ research labs for 6-8 weeks every summer.
Participants receive mentored laboratory experience; training in experimental design, data analysis, and scientific communication; opportunities to present their research and collaborate on scientific publications; exposure to local and national STEM career pathways.
LJIdea program interns are recruited through school counselors, partner organizations, STEM outreach events, and open applications. One of the pillars of this program is providing opportunities to students who are first-generation college-bound, or attend Title I schools. Applicants are selected based on motivation, interest in science, and potential benefit from mentorship.
Thanks to generous philanthropic donors, this program fully covers the students’ hourly pay to fairly compensate work, a daily meal stipend to support well-being, lab supplies to fuel hands-on discovery, mentor stipend to recognize time and guidance, and off-site educational visits to broaden learning.
COMPASS Program
California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) and La Jolla Institute for Immunology have joined to launch the Creating Opportunities through Mentorship and Partnership Across Stem Cell Science (COMPASS) program. LJI faculty mentor interns in the program, providing opportunities to explore career possibilities.
Mesa Impactship Program
La Jolla Institute for Immunology is a proud employer partner of the Mesa Impactship Program (MIP), which supports Mesa Community College students with exploring careers, developing professional skills, and compensating hands-on experiences.
IPN and LJI
La Jolla Institute for Immunology and Instituto Politecnico Nacional (IPN), Mexico, have established a long-standing collaborative partnership that brings graduate talent from IPN to LJI each year. Through this program, a select cohort of IPN graduate students spends six months conducting hands-on research in LJI laboratories, contributing to ongoing immunology discoveries while gaining advanced training and experience.
This international exchange enriches both institutions: students work directly with world-class scientists and cutting-edge technologies, and LJI labs benefit from the fresh perspectives, diverse expertise, and scientific curiosity these trainees bring. The program continues to strengthen global scientific collaboration and foster the next generation of immunology researchers.
School Partnerships
LJI welcomes inquiries from schools and educational organizations interested in building collaborative internship or mentorship programs. We are especially committed to supporting local San Diego schools by creating meaningful research experiences, hands-on learning opportunities, and pathways into careers in science.