Elanco's robust innovation pipeline is powered by people. Behind every research initiative, product launch, communication effort and industry milestone stands a team of dedicated professionals, including Elanco's own interns, working to shape the future of animal health. The Elanco internship program is more than just a summer learning opportunity, it provides college students with the opportunity to contribute first-hand to business advancements, build lasting connections and develop the technical and interpersonal skills needed to succeed in their future careers. With meaningful work, dedicated mentorship and opportunities to grow both professionally and personally, Elanco empowers interns to go beyond — making an impact today while preparing to become the next generation of leaders in animal health.
For at least a decade, Elanco has selected college students with high character and strong skillsets to dedicate 12 weeks of their summer to immersing themselves in animal health, expanding their skills to prepare them for the workforce and contribute to advancing the industry. Elanco offers several intern positions throughout the organization, which include:
- Manufacturing & Quality
- Research & Development
- Pet Health
- Farm Animal
- IT
- Finance
For the Summer of 2026, 74 interns were selected from a pool of 4,100 applicants and supported by 37 intern coordinators — full-time Elanco employees who dedicate part of their role to helping manage interns across different departments. Interns spend their summer fully immersed in their team and department, learning from leading professionals in animal health. Additionally, they own their own personal project throughout the 12-week program. Through this aspect of the internship program, each intern takes initiative by solving an Elanco system, creating something new or advancing the technologies and resources used in the different departments. This unique opportunity allows them to take charge of the development and execution of their projects and highlight their ability to deliver outcomes.
While no two internships look the same, each one represents a different piece of the same mission. One intern may spend the summer visiting veterinary clinics and producer operations across the country, helping customers understand how Elanco's products fit into their everyday work. Another may be in an Indiana manufacturing facility, ensuring that those same products are produced safely, consistently and to the highest quality standards. Others may be developing new innovations in the lab or supporting the teams that keep the business moving behind the scenes. Together, these experiences give interns a firsthand look at how every function within Elanco is connected — and how collaboration across teams ultimately helps improve the health of animals around the world.
The extensive industry exposure they receive also helps Elanco interns get one step closer to their own unique goals. Hear from some of the 2026 cohort on how this program has helped them prepare for their future and taught them valuable lessons:
- "As I am preparing for a graduate degree, this internship has been a vital opportunity to learn skills that will help me be a great scientist. From being able to explain key concepts, present my data to those unfamiliar with the topic and conduct on-the-spot analysis of my outcomes, this internship has helped me work on all of that." - Lana Malek, R&D SynTD intern, Purdue University
- "This internship has given me valuable hands-on experience working in a collaborative R&D environment. It has helped me better understand the development pipeline, how the R&D team operates and how cross-functional teams work together to achieve project goals." - Di Cao, Indiana University, R&D CLD group intern
- "It has been instrumental in identifying my areas of weakness, both in terms of analysis and laboratory techniques, and with interpersonal work relationships. I’ve been able to fill in a lot of gaps that were missing from my training prior to starting at Elanco, and I’ve been able to build skills in diverse areas through thoughtful and supportive guidance." - Sydney Womack, R&D intern, Cornell University
- "I plan to attend vet school, so this internship has given me a ton of animal handling experience, veterinary research experience and has really showed me that I would love to do a job like this in the future." - Casey Gannon, Manufacturing/Quality Control intern, Iowa State University
- "Elanco has prepared me with the skills to be able to carry professional conversations with producers, consumers and fellow companies around problems and solutions in today's industry. I feel prepared and excited to step into the workforce thanks to Elanco's guidance!" - Lauren Beyer, Swine Sales intern, Iowa State University
Elanco teaches students how to go beyond in the workforce and their own lives. During their 12 weeks at the company, interns develop years' worth of valuable experiences, connections and skills that will directly contribute to their personal goals and the industries they join after graduation.
