Bioinformatics and Machine Learning Intern

About the Opportunity

About the Opportunity

About the Institute for Experiential AI and Northeastern University

Do you want to be part of an exciting new Institute focused on combining human and machine intelligence into working AI solutions?

We have launched a pioneering research and innovation hub in AI—one that will shape the way humans and machines collaborate for decades to come. Led by Dr. Usama Fayyad, the Institute for Experiential AI is built around the challenges and opportunities made possible by human-machine collaboration. The Institute provides a framework to design, implement, and scale AI-driven technologies in ways that make a true difference to society. Our ability to respond to the opportunities afforded to society will depend on training and building a workforce that is AI-capable and prosperous. 

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experience-driven lifelong learning. Our world-renowned experiential approach empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create impact far beyond the confines of discipline, degree, and campus.

The Culture

Here at the Institute for Experiential AI (EAI) we are committed to the highest standards in all that we do. Working at the EAI offers opportunities, an environment, and a culture that just aren’t found together anywhere else. This is the right place for you if you’re curious, motivated by the future of technology, and want to be part of a unique and diverse community that works on high-impact research, educational, business, and societal problems.

Position Summary

The Bioinformatics and Machine Learning Intern will report to Kelly Brock and Ayan Paul, research scientists at EAI. Projects will revolve around understanding how genotype influences phenotype, including applications like predicting enzymatic function from protein sequences in collaboration with industry partners. Key qualities include the ability to think independently and critically about biological research questions, to write well-documented code in Python, and to demonstrate familiarity with machine and deep learning methods. There will be opportunities to co-author publications and contribute to grant proposals. Tentative start date: June 2025 for the Summer 2025 (flexible) with possibilities of renewal. By joining our team, you can expect to gain a deeper understanding of how protein sequence informs function while working on a highly relevant partnerships with immediate impact to human well-being.

Qualifications

• MS in Bioinformatics or related fields or currently enrolled in a master’s program.
• Proficiency in Python. Experienced with Unix and remote computing clusters. Knowledge of other languages like R is a plus.
• Have demonstrable expertise in bioinformatics and a good grasp of statistics.
• Experience with machine learning, graph learning, or transformers (hands on work).
• Familiarity with protein bioinformatics (understanding of protein structure and function).
• An ability to write clean and well-documented code and work with Github repositories.
• Excellent organizational skills including attention to detail and multitasking.
• An ability to troubleshoot and problem-solve in response to challenges, especially in an unfamiliar domain.
• Experience with AWS is a plus but not required

Values & Abilities:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to communicate effectively with a variety of different stakeholders from various academic backgrounds.
• Respect for diversity and the importance of interdisciplinary teams.
• Self-starter and innovative thinker and a team-player who can collaborate effectively in a university setting.
• Open-minded, assertive, and professional when collaborating and working within our team and with other groups within Northeastern University, Harvard Medical School, and University of Virginia. 

Key Responsibilities:

The Bioinformatics and Machine Learning Intern will be responsible for a wide variety of data-oriented tasks, including:

• Working on challenging problems for predicting protein attributes from sequence information, including tasks like building classifiers and otherwise working with high-dimensional data.
• Documenting the entire process and all the codes generated and maintaining structured and regular commits in a Github repository.
• Write reports/prepare slide decks describing work performed.
• Contribute to scientific manuscripts and grant proposals where appropriate.

Position Type

Student Intern (Salaries are very competitive)

Position Type

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.  

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.  

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Pay Rate: