Program Description
In 2008, the Biotechnology Center instituted a fellowship program for Ph.D.-trained scientists interested in transitioning into scientific careers in industry. This program places fellows into NC biotechnology companies for two-year fellowships to gain industry-oriented research experience and thus improve their competitiveness for high-level industry scientific positions.
The NCBC Industrial Fellowship Program provides a significant part of salary and benefit support to trainees. The sponsoring company is expected to provide a portion of the salary as a match for the fellow (please see table below). The salary for the first year fellow is $40,000 and $12,000 for benefits for a total funding of $52,000 per year. It is assumed that second year fellows will recieve a 3 percent cost of living increase.
Trainees are brought in as fixed-term employees of the sponsoring companies, and are subject to company standards as regards to performance, behavior, confidentiality and benefits. The sponsoring company agrees to provide appropriate scientific and business mentorship.
Upon completion of the two-year fellowship, the trainee will:
- Have been given an opportunity to contribute to the R&D or developmental efforts of the sponsoring company;
- Gain a working knowledge of relevant business drivers (e.g., intellectual property, regulatory, investors, competition), deadlines, deliverables and team behavior; and
- Be more readily employable by virtue of contacts established and legitimate industry experience
The Biotechnology Center will monitor progress through periodic reports and gatherings of trainees and sponsors, as well as provide access to parallel business-oriented professional development opportunities (courses or workshops on various aspects of entrepreneurism, etc).
Company Contribution
| Company Employee Size | Company Contribution |
Biotechnology Center Contribution toward salary and benefits | Total Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 25 | $5,000 | $35,000 + $12,000 | $52,000 |
| 26 to 100 | $10,000 | $30,000 + $12,000 | $52,000 |
| more than 100 | $15,000 | $25,000 + $12,000 | $52,000 |
For questions concerning the NCBC Industrial Fellowship Program, please contact Shobha Parthasarathi at (919) 541-9366, or e-mail ncbcfellowship@ncbiotech.org.