Shift Health’s Internship Program for Black and Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) Graduate Students

Shift Health brings a science mindset to strategy consulting for the health research and innovation ecosystem. We blend scientific depth, sector leadership and global perspective, tackling our clients’ most challenging questions with curiosity, rigour and courage. Delivering sharp insights and customized solutions, we’re helping to create the future of healthcare.

Internship Position
Application deadline: February 26^th, 2021.

Shift Health is seeking two interns to join our dynamic team in May 2021 for a four-month internship. 

Our team is driven by passion to deliver scientific, health and economic impact by coupling scientific and clinical depth with business and management acumen. We look for courageous, curious, intellectually nimble professionals who are committed to asking tough questions, applying analytical rigour and generating insights that matter; self-motivated collaborators who are committed to results and driven to excel; and creative, cutting-edge thinkers with the aspiration to design, develop and deliver innovative solutions to advance human health and wellbeing.

As an intern, you will work closely with our experienced consulting team, rapidly building exposure to a wide range of project areas and quickly gaining increasing responsibility for project research, analysis and deliverables. Shift Health’s interns are expected to perform the following duties and responsibilities:

• Gather, mine, and interpret research from diverse secondary sources
• Conduct primary research, including designing consultation guides, identifying and engaging key informants, participating in consultations and documenting insights
• Analyze and synthesize large data sets to generate insights and support the development of presentations and reports
• Communicate results and recommendations to project teams and clients
• Contribute to business development by working collaboratively on the development of compelling proposals and marketing materials

Required/Desired Skills and Experience

Required academic status:

• You must be enrolled in or have completed a research-based graduate degree program in the life sciences (e.g. MSc or PhD)

Desired attributes that will be considered when shortlisting candidates for interviews and making hiring decisions:

• A history of strong academic performance and knowledge of science, healthcare and/or the life sciences sector
• Track record of professional growth, teamwork and collaboration
• High degree of personal initiative as demonstrated through diverse experiences in academic, work or community settings

Required skills tested during the interview process:

• High level of research, problem-solving and analytical skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to cope effectively and productively with ambiguity
• High degree of professionalism
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office

Location

Shift Health is located in Toronto, ON.

COVID-19 Update: To protect the health of our team, Shift Health’s physical offices are currently closed. We expect to work remotely until at least mid-2021. Interns should expect to work remotely from a Canadian location during this internship.

Commitment and Compensation

This is a full-time (40h/week), paid position; a competitive hourly wage will be provided.

To support professional development, interns will be assigned a performance coach and mentor, participate in a structured onboarding program and join ad hoc training activities. During the pandemic, as needed, interns will receive a modest, one-time contribution to home office improvements (e.g. improved internet connectivity). Interns will also benefit from Shift Health’s Self Care Allowance, which provides employees $200/month for services/items that can improve overall wellbeing while we are advised to work from home.

How to Apply

This position is ONLY open to Black or Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) graduate students.

To apply for this position, please forward a cover letter and résumé to careers@shifthealth.com.

Please indicate in your cover letter whether you are Black and/or Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis). We ask Indigenous applicants to provide an indication of their Indigenous community engagement. The purpose of collecting this information is related exclusively to the recruitment of eligible candidates. This information will not be shared with anyone beyond those involved in hiring.

Shift Health welcomes and encourages applications from people with diverse abilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates in all aspects of the selection process.

The application deadline is February 26^th, 2021.

About Shift Health

Shift Health brings a science mindset to strategy consulting for the health research and innovation ecosystem. We blend scientific depth, sector leadership and global perspective, tackling our clients’ most challenging questions with curiosity, rigour and courage. Delivering sharp insights and customized solutions, we’re helping to create the future of healthcare.

The measure of our success is evident in some of our proudest achievements: leveraging over $1 billion in public and private sector financing for our clients; working with most of the world’s ten largest biopharmaceutical companies; and driving more than 50 healthcare and innovation partnerships globally. Every member of the Shift Health team started as a health and life sciences researcher and possesses the unique ability to couple scientific and clinical depth with business and management acumen. Our work across the health research and innovation ecosystem has shifted thinking about healthcare in more than 40 countries in North America, Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Shift Health’s Commitment to Anti-Racism

At Shift Health, we believe anti-racism cannot simply be a corporate value: it must be central to our corporate mission. Shift Health is committed to combatting systemic racism and creating opportunities for Black and Indigenous Peoples to develop skills and experiences required to build a career in the health and life sciences. Our determination to help dismantle systemic racism is guided by the following five commitments:

1. We will appoint and appropriately resource internal leaders who will work with the broader Shift Health team to drive and sustain our anti-racism agenda.
2. We will undertake an immediate review and renewal of our policies, codes and practices through the lenses of anti-racism and white privilege.
3. We will invest further in formal and experiential learning opportunities to ensure that all members of our team have the knowledge, awareness and literacy to engage fully in anti-racist praxis.
4. We will create safe spaces for frank dialogue about racism, oppression and discrimination.
5. We will reach into our communities, building respectful partnerships that uplift Black, Indigenous, and other racialized and minoritized groups, and helping our team both serve as and find role models who inspire personal and professional growth.

You can read more about Shift Health’s commitment to anti-racism HERE.

Shift Health’s Work Environment

Shift Health cultivates a fast-paced, high-energy work environment that provides diverse experiences and opportunities. Our consultants are highly collaborative, working as members of high-performing teams on a variety of projects across sectors. In addition to the opportunity to work on a spectrum of exciting projects with clients who are world leaders in their fields, Shift Health is committed to fostering performance excellence through training, mentorship and professional growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the deadline to apply for this Internship Program?
   The deadline to apply is February 26th. Please submit your cover letter and résumé to careers@shifthealth.com.
2. When does this internship start and how long does it last?
   We are ideally looking for interns to join our dynamic team in May, but have some flexibility on the actual start date. The duration of the internship is four months.
3. I have completed my graduate degree and am no longer enrolled in a graduate program. Am I eligible for this Internship Program?
   Yes. Eligible applicants can be either currently enrolled in or have completed a research based graduate program in the life sciences (e.g. MSc or PhD).
4. I have an MBA but no scientific experience. Am I eligible for this Internship Program?
   Unfortunately, no. Eligible applicants must have academic experience (graduate-level, research based) in the life sciences—either by having completed or are in the process of completing a research based graduate program in the life sciences (e.g. MSc or PhD).
5. What is the compensation for the intern position?
   This internship is a paid position, and a competitive hourly wage will be provided. Additionally, during the pandemic (as needed), interns will receive a modest, one-time contribution to home office improvements. Interns will also benefit from Shift Health’s Self Care Allowance which provides employees $200/month for services/items that can improve overall wellbeing while we are advised to work from home.
6. What does the interview process look like?
   Shift Health’s Recruitment Team will review all cover letters and résumés and will select a group of candidates to progress to the interview stage. As part of the interview stage, there will be a 30-minute interview with one of the Recruitment Team members, followed by a 60-minute written assignment and a 30-minute debrief of the written assignment. The interviews are behavioural and the written portion is an exercise designed to assess writing skills, data analysis and logic. A final decision on successful applicants will then be made.