United Therapeutics is a biotechnological company engaged in the development and commercialization of therapeutic products for patients with chronic and life-threatening cardiovascular, cancerous, and infectious diseases. In the summer, Unither provides three levels of summer employment for students at the college and graduate school level – Advanced Degree Interns, Interns, and Seasonal Support Associates. Depending on the completion of the job description for the potential internship I may receive, I will either apply to work as an Intern or Seasonal Support Associate.
Interns are college students that will work on a project related to their major or department. They will assist their team with specific tasks related to their department, enriching their education on how their department supports the overall institution. By the end of their 90-day employment, interns are expected to have worked on and completed a presentable project. A full internship will have an hourly salary rate of $15.00. However, it is unlikely that I will receive this level of summer employment because most interns are rising junior and senior undergraduates. Therefore, I expect to work as a Seasonal Support Associate, offering administrative support to an assigned team. Tasks will include, but are not limited to, filing, scanning, making binders, data entry, copying documents, etc. Meanwhile, associates will have exposure to the pharmaceutical industry and may work specifically in a desired field. The position that I will be applying for will have some application to the field of psychology and neuroscience.
Similar to Interns, Seasonal Support Associates will commit to 90 calendar days of employment at an hourly pay of $11.00. Nonetheless, Unither is flexible and offers breaks to its employees, as needed. Both interns and associates will begin working on either May 30th or June 13th, depending on their particular job. Orientation and any necessary training will occur around these dates.
Credentials and academic requirements are less robust for associates than for interns. Students must be 18 years of age with the intention of pursuing either a Masters or PhD. Other related academia is not required but preferred in the application process. Notwithstanding, a cover letter and CV are necessary along with a letter of recommendation prepared upon request. An interview process is also expected to follow any promising application.
Overall, the option of working at Unither this summer will prove beneficial in expanding my work experience in a professional, medical business. In terms of accessibility, the company location is a mere 20-minute driving distance from my house. I will have easy access to transportation to and from the Research Triangle everyday since my mother will also be traveling to Unither for work. In addition, I have previously visited the company and find the work environment to be very clean, safe, and comfortable. An internship at Unither will be most practical and of minimal cost. In contrast, working as an associate will not directly relate to my field of interest. Until the job description is developed, I will not know exactly what I will be applying for. Another concern is that both starting dates are during the final weeks of UNC summer school in which I plan to attend. If flexibility is permitted and I am able to commence three days after standard orientation, then I will have no other time conflicts with the internship. Unfortunately, by accepting the internship, I will not have much free time to travel in the summer.
I still have yet to know of the application deadline as well as the weekly hours of work, end date of employment, and specific job description.
Claudia Foubert