5 Great Nutritional Science Internships

  • Allegheny County Cooperative Extension Office
  • Anthem
  • Kagome
  • Wilton Brands
  • Ultimate Fighting Championship

A nutritional science internship can bring many great benefits. According to Forbes, organizations use internships to identify potential employees. This makes gaining this experience worthwhile in that it provides advantages in a graduates career search. Here are five internships available to nutritional science students that exemplify the breadth of options out there.

Resource: 15 Most Affordable Online Master's in Nutritional Science Degree Programs 2016

1. Allegheny County Cooperative Extension Office

The Allegheny County Cooperative Extension Office at Penn State is looking for a food systems student intern to work from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The extension office provides people in the community with scientific information to help them resolve their problems. The paid student intern will helps the Ag. Entrepreneurship and Community Economic Development staff with their projects that focus on improving the food system in the area. Duties may include writing reports, creating blog posts for their newsletter, developing educational material, conducting research, and providing other program support that includes outreach and marketing. The intern must be a junior or senior.

2. Anthem

Anthem is in search of a health educator intern to work from Indianapolis, Indiana. This Fortune Top 50 Company that provides health benefits will have their paid intern work with their Federal Employee Program Medical Management organization which deals with approving service benefits. The intern will recognize determinants of health, such as access to care or barriers from socio-economic status, and work to improve them. Interns must have completed at least two years of college and preferably be a nutrition or health science major, have a grade point average of 3.0 or above, and have experience as a student leader.

3. Kagome

A food compliance intern is needed at Kagome in San Carlos, California. Kagome, which has been in existence since 1899, is known for making a variety of health sauces, juices, and spreads. The student intern will work in the research and development department assisting senior scientists, food scientists, and the executive chefs. Duties will include performing analytical tests on sauces, evaluating new ingredients, preparing customer samples, providing technical support to other departments, conducting sensory tests, and conducting plant trials. Interns must be a junior or senior with at least 60 credit hours and be a nutrition or food science major.

4. Wilton Brands

A food compliance intern is needed for Wilton Brands in Naperville, Illinois. Wilton Brands is the leading supplier in the craft industry in the United States. Student interns will create and review the labeling on products while ensuring compliance standards are met as set by the United States' Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the European Union (EU). Interns will also help implement the policies and practices to help ensure that all the products meet all the international, federal, state, and local regulations. Interns should be majoring in nutrition, business, or supply chain.

5. Ultimate Fighting Championship

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has a unique opportunity in Las Vegas, Nevada for a sports nutrition intern. The UFC is the largest promoter of mixed martial arts. The intern will help assist the director of sports nutrition in providing nutrition services to their athletes. Duties include managing fuel stations, preparing snacks and meals, providing nutritional information, and maintaining clean nutritional environments. Interns must be a college student, be receiving course credit for the experience, be in pursuit of a registered dietician (RD) certification or certification as a specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD), and desire to work with combat athletes.

There are many opportunities for hands-on learning in nutrition science. An internship would greatly benefit nutritional science students by providing invaluable experiences, enhancing resumes, and improving job prospects.