Cepheid

Mechanical Engineering Intern

June - August 2021 • Sunnyvale, CA

What I liked

I appreciated the friendly and productive work environment. Every person I spoke with was very engaging and willing to discuss and help me with any problems or questions.

What I wish was different

There are no problems or changes I would make, this experience was flawless.

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask questions and take on challenging problems. As long as you put in your work and effort, others will see that and will be willing to lend a hand in need.

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In Process Testing Technician

May - August 2021 • Sunnyvale, CA

What I liked

The work environment was great and the experience was invaluable.

What I wish was different

I wish I knew more about the position prior to the start date.

Advice

You have to be prepared to go through extensive training, whether you need it or not. Additionally, the hours can be long sometimes, as you might need to work a bit of overtime, but they compensate well for it, so if you are willing, it's a great opportunity to learn and earn more.

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Sequencing Intern

June 2020 • Sunnyvale, CA

What I liked

I liked that there was a project with legitimate business impact that I was in charge of. The team was very supportive and engaging.

What I wish was different

Nothing!

Advice

Try to make the most out of the experience and learn as much as possible about the company

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Product Transfer Intern

June - September 2019 • Santa Clara, CA

What I liked

It has a great company culture and its mid-size makes your project (as an intern) feel relevant and useful.

What I wish was different

I wish there had been more side-learning opportunities and programming, such as workshops on different biotech fields.

Advice

Go into it ready to commit and learn a lot.

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Assay Development Intern

June - September 2018 • Bothell, WA

What I liked

I was a unique situation--I was not hired as part of the "actual" company-wide intern pool but as a contract worker in an intern role (allegedly, because there was not enough room for me originally but the managers wanted me to come work for them over the summer). Either because of that or because of great mentorship, I got to delve right into company work. I was present at every research/technical meeting my mentor was at, I interacted with my manager on a daily basis, and I was in charge of presenting my own data (as well as my team's data at times) at meetings that sometimes were broadcast to the company headquarters. I believe I got to make great professional connections and really get a feel for what a research associate position would be like. While I was given a greater grace period than a standard hire, I appreciated that other employees would be quick to critique my data or presentations. I'm a better presenter, and better scientist, because of it.

What I wish was different

Location

Advice

Be on your A game. They threw the interns straight into the midst of proprietary assays, and we had to quickly learn about various acronyms and materials that weren't public knowledge (and thus, lacked PubMed or other informative outside resources). Part of being on your A game is to be flexible (with deadlines, people, and plans), and to invest some outside time in really understanding what you're doing. What really helps is knowing how and why your project is relevant--something that I got lucky with at Cepheid because every day felt like it mattered.

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Manufacturing Engineer Intern

May - August 2018 • Sunnyvale, CA

What I liked

Loved the company- fantastic company culture and overall values. Working for a biotech company is something that has always been important to me and I loved knowing that the company I worked for was making a real impact on people. I love the internship program and was trusted with a huge, expensive, and important project. I actually saw the results at the end and the project was implemented after my internship ended. Also, I thought the interaction with management was excellent, I felt like a real engineer not "just an intern".

What I wish was different

Did not do a lot of technical ME work, but that was to be expected since it was the summer after sophomore year and I don't have vast design knowledge/experience.

Advice

Don't be afraid to try experiences out of your comfort zone in areas you don't know if you'll be interested in. I found that I loved California even though I hadn't expected to and enjoyed manufacturing even though I had thought I definitely wanted to work in R&D.

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Medical affairs intern

May - August 2017 • Sunnyvale, CA

What I liked

I loved how welcoming and friendly everyone was. I learned a lot and was able to learn a lot about myself and how I operate in a professional environment efficiently

What I wish was different

I wish it had been a bit busier but it was still a fun internship!

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask for help! People are generally willing to give you a hand.

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Marketing Intern

June - September 2018 • Sunnyvale, CA

What I liked

I was able to get an in-depth and hands-on understanding of marketing and the multitude of skills and roles required for this field, specifically in relation to the healthcare industry.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Sequencing Intern

June - September 2018 • Sunnyvale, CA

What I liked

Interesting research, product-driven, impactful

What I wish was different

N/A

Advice

Next generation sequencing is a powerful tool for any biologist to know and a summer internship provided a thorough introduction

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Global Logistics Intern

June - September 2018 • Sunnyvale, CA

What I liked

I enjoyed working in a fast-paced, diverse, and friendly environment, and Cepheid's work truly makes a difference in the world. The internship program as a whole was great as well. There were various presentations available for interns to learn about other departments in the company.