I connected with interns from various schools and ethnicities. It was also a great learning experience for me, as they all bring something new to the table in terms of experience in a professional and personal setting.
Name: Arjun Palat Meethale
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Employer: Amgen
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA
How did you find the internship/co-op? What was the interview process like? Amgen truly lives up to its title as one of the best workplaces in Biotech. My interview process involved a casual discussion and questioning with different Engineering Directors and others in senior leadership. I got to connect with them personally and soon learned that I'll be a part of their summer internship program.
What have been the most interesting aspects of your internship? It certainly has to be the amount of connections I have made during the last few weeks. I even got the opportunity to travel to their new site in Ohio on a fully sponsored trip to learn more about their next-gen finished drug product facilities. Looking at a fully automated packaging line for medicines created by the company you are working in is truly a site to behold!
What campus activities or courses do you think helped you, or would have helped you, with this internship? The most helpful aspect would be managing projects within my courses. Although the courses themselves may not have directly related to what I did during my internship, the course projects taught me how to manage time, plan effectively and collaborate in a diverse team setting.
How would you describe the company culture? What was the most helpful thing your supervisor did to make you feel comfortable at the organization? The company is very diverse, and their employees are super supportive when you need help. I haven't faced a single situation where someone has turned me down for help. My manager has been an amazing source of support for my project. He made sure I understood what I was doing and connected me with the right people to progress in a steady manner.
Was there diversity among your colleagues within the department and throughout your internship/co-op experience? Amgen's teams were extremely diverse, with people from around the globe working to achieve the company's mission of serving patients. During my internship, I connected with interns from various schools and ethnicities. It was also a great learning experience for me, as they all bring something new to the table in terms of experience in a professional and personal setting.
Was there a formal program for all interns at the company? Was peer support available throughout the internship? We had a week of orientation where all the engineering interns traveled to the Thousand Oaks office during the initial period of our internship. We were given Amgen merchandise as a welcome gift, and there were plenty of networking opportunities with the senior leadership team and connecting with peers. It was a great experience overall.
How have your career or academic goals changed as a result of this internship experience? I have realized that biotech is something I really want to explore more. I want to convert this opportunity into a full-time position, learn more about the drug development process, and be a part of major engineering projects that ultimately impact patient lives.
What advice would you give other UMD engineering students seeking an internship or co-op position? Be persistent when you approach someone regarding an internship opportunity. When you initially contact a hiring manager, make sure you express a clear interest in why you feel you want to be a part of their company because most of them look for interns who can work there full time.
During the interview process, make sure you express yourself well, stay confident, and ask intriguing questions. And finally, during your internship, express your interest in the company through your work so they know you would make a great addition to their team!
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