Elanco

Elanco

Global animal health pharmaceutical company

R&D Laboratory Intern - RBI & Technical Development

Summer 2027Posted on 9/24/2026
$20 - $40/hr

+ Housing financial support

Internship
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
Indianapolis, IN, USA
In Person

About the job

Requirements
  • Currently enrolled in a STEM degree-seeking program and returning to the program for the fall semester following the internship; accepted fields include chemistry, biology, biochemistry, chemical engineering, pharmaceutical science, molecular biology, microbiology, biomedical engineering, or another related field.
  • Pursuing a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree.
  • Experience with hands-on laboratory work gained through independent research, teaching laboratories, or a prior internship.
  • Comfort working at the laboratory bench, including pipetting, solution preparation, aseptic technique, and basic instrumentation, while following written protocols.
  • Basic proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint for data organization, analysis, and presentation.
  • Ability to think critically and solve problems.
  • Ability to work effectively in team environments and communicate clearly with technical and non-technical colleagues.
Responsibilities
  • Design and execute hands-on experiments in an R&D laboratory, such as synthetic chemistry, formulation development, analytical development, upstream or downstream bioprocess development, cell culture, immunoassays, molecular biology, or protein sciences, while following established safety protocols and guidelines.
  • Prepare solutions, reagents, media, and test articles; operate relevant instrumentation; analyze and interpret experimental data; summarize findings; and propose next steps with the supervisor and project team.
  • Perform independent laboratory work under appropriate supervision, including troubleshooting and optimizing experimental procedures.
  • Provide recommendations on experimental design, instrumentation, or process improvements that may improve robustness, efficiency, or scalability.
  • Participate in regular check-ins and present progress and results to the supervisor and cross-functional stakeholders.
  • Document experimental plans, procedures, and results in laboratory notebooks while maintaining data integrity.
  • Present final project results orally, summarizing project objectives, methods, results, and key learnings to R&D colleagues and the intern community.
Desired Qualifications
  • Expected graduation date between December 2027 and August 2028, with intention to enter industry following degree completion.
  • More than one semester of sustained performance in an undergraduate or graduate STEM research laboratory, with demonstrated technical growth.
  • For synthetic or analytical development: organic synthesis, route scouting, analytical method development, chromatography, spectroscopy, physicochemical characterization, or solid form characterization.
  • For formulation development: preparing dosage forms such as solutions, suspensions, tablets, or injectables; working with excipients; conducting stability and compatibility studies; and working with synthetic molecules, peptides, or biologics.
  • For bioprocess or upstream development: mammalian or microbial cell culture, aseptic technique, bioreactor operation, media or feed preparation, process optimization, or scale-up studies.
  • For antibody or biologics work: immunoassays such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, protein expression and purification, molecular cloning, flow cytometry, or related techniques.
  • Familiarity with statistical or data analysis tools such as R, JMP, Python, or Minitab, and/or data management systems.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team with appropriate supervision.
  • Demonstrated interest in animal health, sustainability, veterinary medicine, or data-driven approaches to R&D.
  • Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to present scientific results clearly.
  • Strong organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced research environment.

About the company

Elanco is a global animal health company that develops medicines, vaccines, and preventive care products for livestock and pets. Its products include prescription medicines, vaccines, and parasite-control solutions used by veterinarians, farmers, and pet owners to protect animal health and welfare and improve productivity. After separating from Eli Lilly in 2019, Elanco expanded its scale by acquiring Bayer Animal Health in 2020, which broadened its reach in the companion-animal market and added direct-to-consumer capabilities. Its goal is to advance animal health and welfare worldwide by providing effective, accessible products and services while growing sustainably as a standalone company.

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Indianapolis, Indiana

Founded

1954

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Q2 2026 revenue rose 10% to $1.368 billion; guidance increased again.
  • Befrena demand runs 2x expectations, with unconstrained supply targeted for early 2027.
  • AHV International closed April 30, 2026, expanding Elanco’s farm-animal digital platform.

What critics are saying

  • Zoetis, Merck, and Boehringer pressure Elanco’s pet-health launches in 2026.
  • Elanco will close Monheim and Kansas City in 2026, disrupting R&D and manufacturing.
  • If Befrena stalls after 2027, Elanco’s innovation narrative collapses under debt and restructuring.

What makes Elanco unique

  • Elanco owns only two USDA-approved animal mAbs: Befrena and Trutect.
  • Elwood’s fourfold capacity expansion secures in-house biologics supply control.
  • Zenrelia, Credelio Quattro, and Befrena give Elanco multiple pet-health attack vectors.

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Benefits

Flexible Work Hours

Hybrid Work Options

401(k) Company Match

Parental Leave

Annual Bonus

Relocation Assistance

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

↑ 4%

1 year growth

↑ 4%

2 year growth

↑ 4%
Feedstuffs
Sep 18th, 2026
Bimeda USA expands anti-parasitic line for cattle.

Bimeda USA expands anti-parasitic line for cattle. Moxisolv Pour-On is an FDA-approved bioequivalent option containing 0.5% moxidectin. September 18, 2026 Bimeda is expanding its anti-parasitic portfolio with MoxiSolv Pour-On (moxidectin), initially available in 5 L and 10 L sizes for cattle producers. Bimeda is pleased to announce the expansion of its anti-parasitic portfolio with the addition of MoxiSolv(TM) Pour-On (moxidectin). MoxiSolv Pour-On is the first available Food & Drug Administration-approved, bioequivalent alternative to Cydectin(R) Pour-On (moxidectin) by Elanco and is initially available in 5 L and 10 L sizes for producers. MoxiSolv Pour-On is a ready-to-use topical parasiticide containing 0.5% moxidectin and is labeled for use in beef and dairy cattle of all ages, including lactating dairy cows. It provides treatment and control of gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, cattle grubs, mites, lice and horn flies. Moxidectin pour-on products offer a zero-day milk withdrawal and a short pre-slaughter withdrawal time, giving producers flexibility compared to pour-on products that carry longer withdrawal periods. MoxiSolv Pour-On features a purple dye for visible application and is formulated for consistent pour and absorption across the hide. It is manufactured in the U.S. under strict quality standards and offers producers a trusted bioequivalent option in a familiar pour-on format. A unique benefit of moxidectin is that it is dung-beetle friendly. Healthy dung beetle populations have been shown to play a key role in maintaining soil health in pastures, and they also aid producers' efforts in controlling internal and external parasites. As dung beetles disperse manure, they reduce breeding environments for horn flies and limit further exposure to gastrointestinal nematodes. Dr. Eric Moore, DVM, head of technical services North America at Bimeda, said, "Producers continue to look for parasite control solutions that balance efficacy, safety and environmental stewardship. MoxiSolv Pour-On delivers reliable moxidectin performance in a convenient pour-on format while supporting dung beetle populations that contribute to healthier pastures. It's a product that aligns with both animal health and long-term sustainability goals." Feedstuffs is the news source for animal agriculture

dvm360
Sep 10th, 2026
Elanco completes $120 million expansion of its Kansas biologics plant.

Elanco completes $120 million expansion of its Kansas biologics plant. Executives told dvm360 the Elwood, Kansas site now has more than 4 times the biologics capacity it had before - scaling to meet high customer demand for its new dermatology product, 2 times greater than expectations. Elanco Animal Health has completed a 25,000-square-foot expansion of its biologics manufacturing facility in Elwood, Kansas, a $120 million project that increases production capacity more than 4 times and establishes the site as the company's center for monoclonal antibody (mAb) manufacturing, according to an announcement issued August 26, 2026. An additional $30 million is planned through 2028, bringing the total investment to $150 million. The build-out adds upstream and downstream processing equipment, a pilot plant for process development, a quality control laboratory, and additional support space. A second phase will add warehousing capacity. The Elwood site manufactures Trutect, formerly Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody, and Befrena (tirnovetmab), an anti-interleukin-31 mAb for canine allergic and atopic dermatitis, both regulated by the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics. Elanco acquired the Elwood, Kansas site from Kindred Biosciences in 2021 with intent to leverage the untapped potential of the mAb technical platform in animal health. "The site had no commercial products on the market at the time we acquired it but had tremendous potential for scale," Grace McArdle, executive vice president of manufacturing and quality at Elanco, told dvm360 during a tour of the plant. "We've made the necessary investments at the site so that we can not only bring products to market today but have positioned ourselves to be able to support our next generation pipeline as well." Elanco is 1 of only 2 animal health companies with mAbs on the market - and it owns the plant that makes them. "That was a deliberate bet on supply reliability," said Bobby Modi, executive vice president of US pet health and global digital transformation. "Having our own facility for a platform that we believe is the future for animal health gives us greater control, greater reliability, and allows us to control supply as well as investments as we think about platform expansion. We know that when a dog reaches remission on an itch therapy, it must maintain access or the dog goes right back to itching, which is why we have invested in the Elwood site and are committed to scaling capacity to meet consumer demand" Modi told dvm360. He said the platform's value is its precision: "What's really special about monoclonal antibodies is their ability to be really targeted, and that ability to be really targeted results in high efficacy and high safety." By his account, mAbs represent roughly 25% to 30% of available treatments in human health but less than 10% in animal health - a gap he called an opportunity in both companion and production animal medicine. What the added capacity buys. "Capacity is really important to allow us to expand to the full customer set," Modi said. "What I can say is the demand for Befrena is two times above expectations right now, which is a really good place to be, and that's why we need to keep investing in capacity to make sure we can support veterinarians with the innovative solutions that we're bringing to market going forward. Befrena has already shipped to nearly 1,400 U.S. clinics to date and we expect unconstrained supply in early 2027" The demand signal tracks the caseload. "It is the number one reason people take their dogs to the vet, and it's also a very common reason why people leave their veterinarian if their veterinarian can't give them a solution that gets their dog itch relief," Modi said of pruritus. Extended duration, he argued, changes the workflow as much as the outcome: "Convenience drives compliance, which is ultimately a good thing for both the pet and the veterinarian." The parvovirus case. Modi called Trutect transformative for clinical teams as well as patients. "Prior to the treatment, it was a huge burden, both mentally, emotionally, and physically," he said of parvovirus management. "What I love about this drug is we're giving puppies a much better chance of survival. The data in the market has shown that puppies treated with CPMA (now Trutect) spend 1.87 less days in the hospital and 93% of puppies survive in real-world usage." He also addressed the cost conversation that often precedes euthanasia in parvovirus cases, noting that Elanco has developed protocols for settings without isolation capacity, including shelters, and that the product recently received a prophylactic claim for in-contact puppies. "Although the drug cost is expensive, the standard of care over time is actually cheaper," Modi said, once days of hospitalization and staff labor are counted. Building inside the animal health corridor. McArdle called the site's position in the animal health corridor an operational asset rather than a competitive liability: a cluster of similar manufacturers builds a shared ecosystem of academic institutions, suppliers, and available talent that an isolated plant cannot draw on. The construction itself was executed inside a live manufacturing environment. "Designs like this are complex. You're also doing it in a facility which you're manufacturing, and then you take it down to do the construction, and then you bring it back into operation as well," McArdle said, crediting her site team, Elanco's global engineering group, and design-build partner Burns & McDonnell. "There's a pride. There's a huge amount of pride here with the team." Headcount has grown from about 30 employees 5 years ago to more than 200 today with new, high-demand manufacturing roles continuing to be added to the site, according to McArdle. What practitioners should take from it. When asked what practitioners should understand about where their biologics originate, both executives returned to supply integrity. "I want you to know that we have invested heavily both in people as well as capital, and what's important to us is making sure we continue to deliver reliable supply for the products that you need and that your pet parents want, and we do it not just reliably, but we do it at the highest quality, and we take that very, very seriously," Modi said. McArdle expanded, saying "As we continue to draw insights from monoclonal advancements in human health, we believe that antibody-based therapies have untapped potential in animal health. More than 8,000 U.S. clinics are already served by the monoclonal antibody products manufactured at our Elwood, Kansas site. The expanded monoclonal antibody capacity ensures that as Elanco continues to pioneer breakthroughs in animal health, we are ready to meet pet owner and veterinarian demand with a safe and reliable supply." Elanco Scales Biologics Capabilities with Expansion of Kansas Manufacturing Facility. News release. Elanco Animal Health. August 26, 2026. Accessed September 4, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elanco-scales-biologics-capabilities-with-expansion-of-kansas-manufacturing-facility-302860005.html

International Pet Food
Sep 1st, 2026
Elanco completes expansion of Kansas biologics facility.

Elanco completes expansion of Kansas biologics facility. September 1, 2026 Elanco Animal Health has completed a 25,000-square-foot expansion of its manufacturing facility in Elwood, Kansas, strengthening its capacity to produce monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments for companion animals. The expansion was completed on schedule, the company announced on 26 August 2026. The US$120 million investment increases the site's production capacity by more than four times through additional upstream and downstream processing equipment. It also adds a pilot plant for process development and clinical testing materials, a quality control laboratory and additional support areas. Elanco plans to invest a further US$30 million through 2028, including additional warehousing, bringing the total investment to US$150 million. Burns & McDonnell led the design and construction project. The expanded facility comes as Elanco increases its focus on biologics. The company recently began the phased launch of Befrena (tirnovetmab), an anti-IL-31 monoclonal antibody injection for canine allergic and atopic dermatitis. The Elwood site also manufactures Trutect, which received full approval in 2025 as the first and only approved therapeutic solution for canine parvovirus. The expansion comes as pet owners continue to prioritise pet health and wellness despite rising costs. Elanco's survey of 1409 US pet owners, conducted earlier this year, found that pet health and wellness remained a protected spending priority even as costs increased across categories, including higher fuel prices. The trend points to continued demand for treatments and solutions aimed at supporting companion-animal health. "When we announced the expansion two years ago, we recognised that executing the most exciting pipeline in Elanco's history required a manufacturing footprint capable of matching our innovation ambition," said Grace McArdle, Executive Vice President, Manufacturing and Quality. McArdle said the expanded monoclonal antibody capacity will help Elanco meet demand for its animal health products while maintaining a safe and reliable supply. The expansion is also expected to bring jobs to the region. Jeff Simmons, President and CEO, said "With customer demand for Befrena two times above expectations, this expansion was key in ramping capacity to meet demand as we anticipate reaching unconstrained levels in early 2027."

Petfood Industry
Aug 31st, 2026
Elanco completes Kansas facility expansion for monoclonal antibodies.

Elanco completes Kansas facility expansion for monoclonal antibodies. The $120 million expansion of Elanco's Elwood, Kansas, U.S., site boosts monoclonal antibody production capacity more than fourfold to support the company's growing biologics pipeline. August 31, 2026 Elanco Animal Health completed a 25,000-square-foot monoclonal antibody manufacturing expansion at its Kansas facility, increasing production capacity more than fourfold with a $120 million investment to meet surging demand for its innovative pet health treatments including Befrena and Trutect. * Expansion scope: 25,000-square-foot facility completed on time at Elwood, Kansas site with fourfold production capacity increase * Investment total: $120 million completed now, plus planned $30 million through 2028 for warehousing (total $150 million) * Key products: Befrena (tirnovetmab) for canine allergies and Trutect for canine parvovirus, both manufactured at the facility * Market position: Elanco is one of only two animal health companies with monoclonal antibody solutions currently on the market * Demand signal: Customer demand for Befrena is two times above expectations, with unconstrained production anticipated by early 2027 Elanco Animal Health Inc. announced the on-time completion of a 25,000-square-foot manufacturing expansion at its Elwood, Kansas, U.S., site. The company said the project strengthens its position as one of only two animal health companies with monoclonal antibody (mAb) solutions currently on the market. "When we announced the expansion two years ago, we recognized that executing the most exciting pipeline in Elanco's history required a manufacturing footprint capable of matching our innovation ambition," said Grace McArdle, executive vice president, manufacturing and quality. "The expanded monoclonal antibody capacity ensures that as Elanco continues to pioneer breakthroughs in animal health, we are ready to meet pet owner and veterinarian demand with a safe and reliable supply," added McArdle. The company said the expansion increases the site's production capacity more than fourfold through new upstream and downstream processing equipment. The $120 million investment also included a new pilot plant to accelerate process development and produce materials for clinical testing, a new quality control laboratory and additional support space. Elanco plans a further $30 million investment through 2028 for additional warehousing, bringing the total investment to $150 million. Antibody-based therapies. Elanco recently announced the phased launch of Befrena (tirnovetmab), an anti-IL-31 mAb injection for treatment of canine allergic and atopic dermatitis. The company's first mAb product, Trutect (formerly Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody), received full approval in 2025 as the first and only approved therapeutic solution for canine parvovirus. Both products are manufactured at the Elwood facility. "Pets are integral and central to our lives, and Elanco's charge is clear to keep innovating to make life better for animals," said Jeff Simmons, president and CEO. "With customer demand for Befrena two times above expectations, this expansion was key in ramping capacity to meet demand as we anticipate reaching unconstrained levels in early 2027. Our R&D and manufacturing engine is stronger than ever to deliver a consistent flow of high-impact innovation to meet higher pet owner expectation of care now and into the next decade." According to an Elanco survey of 1,409 U.S. pet owners conducted earlier this year, pet health and wellness remain a protected budget item even as costs rise across other spending categories, including gas prices. "Today's milestone reinforces Elanco's commitment to going beyond to deliver differentiated, high-impact innovation in key therapeutic areas," said Dr. Ellen de Brabander, executive vice president, research, development and regulatory affairs. "As we continue to draw insights from monoclonal advancements in human health, we believe that antibody-based therapies have untapped potential in animal health. With the expansion of our Elwood manufacturing site, we are now better positioned to scale the future of our innovation portfolio." Unlock Personalized Content! Sign up and the recommendations below will be more personalized for you!

Qcountry 92.7
Aug 28th, 2026
Ribbon cutting held for Elanco expansion in Elwood.

Ribbon cutting held for Elanco expansion in Elwood. Elanco Animal Health completed a major expansion and renovation of its Elwood manufacturing facility, bringing increased production capacity and 70 new jobs to the area. The 25,000-square-foot expansion has increased production capacity by more than four times through the addition of new equipment. The company plans a broader $150 million investment at the Elwood facility through 2028. Elanco manufactures USDA-approved monoclonal antibody products for canine parvovirus and allergic dermatitis at the site, with additional positions expected as capabilities grow. Local and state officials attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening.