The Research Alliances intern helps to define and document our de-risking success criteria and establish a robust, systematic approach to tracking MJFF’s de-risking impact.
About Us:
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) was founded in 2000 with one clear objective: accelerating meaningful therapeutic advances and, ultimately, a cure for Parkinson’s disease (PD). The Foundation applies extraordinary scientific, business and media assets to this singular focus—thus creating a unique and dynamic organization. Since inception, MJFF has quickly grown into the largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s disease research, having funded over $1.75 billion in research projects in both academic and industry labs worldwide.
Core to our philosophy is how we think of our capital and its risk profile relative to other stakeholders in the drug development pipeline. We work aggressively to de-risk various therapeutic strategies and tools in the hopes of building a robust pipeline of new treatments for patients. In order to achieve our mission of finding a cure for PD it is critical that we engage with, and bring together, members of the PD community including researchers, physicians, health professionals and most important, people with Parkinson's and their families.
We believe that to find a cure for PD as quickly as possible, our capital needs to push research forward today—we therefore deliberately hold no endowment or excessive reserves. We instead seek to deploy funds raised as quickly and wisely as possible. MJFF raises over $100 million annually. Today, the Foundation has approximately 250 full-time employees. We offer a collegial and collaborative environment where optimistic problem-solvers and entrepreneurial, resourceful individuals can thrive and make a tangible difference for millions of people living with Parkinson’s disease.
Position Summary:
The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) is seeking a summer intern within our Research Alliance Department. The Research Alliances team at MJFF acts as dot-connectors between MJFF priorities & resources and the range of external stakeholders working in Parkinson’s. We support relationships & partnerships with these stakeholders, as well as serve as a centralized intelligence source within MJFF on the landscape of Parkinson’s stakeholders.
MJFF works to de-risk Parkinson’s research & therapeutic development by funding new ideas and helping groups develop the initial data package needed to attract follow-on support. The intern will help to define and document our de-risking success criteria and establish a robust, systematic approach to tracking MJFF’s de-risking impact. Specifically, this will include developing a framework to evaluate whether therapeutic programs MJFF has funded to date have progressed in development and/or gone on to receive follow-on support (e.g., from investors, industry partners). This work is expected to lay the groundwork for a de-risking tracking mechanism that will continue to be used going forward. It will not only inform MJFF’s funding strategy, but it will yield metrics to support storytelling around the impact of MJFF’s work.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation offers three ways of working: office first, hybrid-flex, or remote work. We trust all interns to work closely with their manager to determine when, where and how programs and projects get done.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
- Conduct internal stakeholder interviews to distill our definition of de-risking, aspirations for better tracking and expectations around tracking’s broader use.
- Helping to document de-risking success criteria and develop a robust, systematic tracking mechanism to assess MJFF’s de-risking impact (over time and for future use).
- Conduct de-risking analysis on funded therapeutic projects since 2013.
- Gather intelligence on the proportion of therapeutic programs currently in development in Parkinson’s that MJFF has directly funded.
- Share progress updates in weekly check-ins with manager.
- Present aggregated work to MJFF Research Leadership & team members at conclusion of internship.
Qualifications and Skills:
- Experience in one or more of the following:
- Working in a relevant discipline within the healthcare (life sciences, and/or biotech & pharma) or within business space.
- A bachelor’s degree.
- MBA candidates.
- Strong problem-solving, analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
- Conscientious working style with great attention to detail.
- Proven ability to be resourceful and work independently.
- Comfortable using Microsoft Office, specifically PowerPoint and data gathering in Excel.
Salary and Benefits:
The hourly range for this position is:
- Undergraduate Students: $15-$18/hour
- Graduate Students: $18-$20/hour
Vaccine Statement:
At The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), the health and safety of our team and our community is a priority. MJFF has made the decision to require all staff receive the COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment. Successful applicants for this position must be fully vaccinated by date of hire and proof of vaccine is required. Full vaccination is defined as two weeks after both doses of two-dose vaccine or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine has been administered. Anyone unable to be vaccinated, because of medical or religious reasons, can request a reasonable accommodation for consideration.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and thoughtful cover letter describing their specific qualifications and interest in the position. Applicants who best match the position's needs will be contacted.
MJFF is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from individuals who will contribute to our efforts to build and support a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce. Diversity may refer to characteristics including, but not limited to, race, religion, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic circumstance, geographic background, ability and disability, political ideology and age.