The New York Bioscience/Biotechnology Technician Program

The New York Bioscience/Biotechnology Technician Program represents a partnership among SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Hunter College, and the Workforce Strategy Center. The goal of the Biotechnology Scholars Program is to build a labor force to complement the development of the emerging biotech industry in New York City.

The program consists of an intensive, four-week workshop in biotechnology techniques, followed by a three-month internship with stipend and job placement opportunities in a biotechnology company, biomedical research laboratory, or biotech-related field. The curriculum is designed to reflect the needs of employers in biotech/research laboratories and is reassessed annually.

While the project represents an expansion of a pre-existing Hunter workshop, the program is now clearly focused on achieving employment goals. In addition, the workshop aims to create a new pipeline of students by recruiting students throughout the CUNY system. Another new feature is the creation of the Biotechnology Scholars Community, which will include networking sessions designed to keep students and scholars informed about project developments, the emerging biotechnology industry, the requirements of employers, and new career opportunities. Guest speakers will be biotech/academic employers, researchers, and career development specialists.