Dartmouth HumanX Lab · 2 weeks ago
Research Engineer Intern – Bioreactor & Fluidics Systems
Hanover, NH
Internship
Hybrid
InternDartmouth HumanX Lab is focused on developing a reliable life-support system for human brain organoids. The intern will be responsible for designing, building, and testing fluidic and mechanical systems that sustain living neural tissue, ensuring optimal performance and sterility.
Government Administration
Responsibilities
Design sterile perfusion paths (tubing, chambers, reservoirs)
Select biocompatible materials (tubing, plastics, seals, adhesives)
Design and implement bubble-mitigation strategies
Calculate and tune flow rates to minimize shear stress
Evaluate and integrate low-pulsatility pumps
Calibrate and validate stable flow over 72+ hour runs
Design basic fail-safes (leaks, overflow, flow interruption)
Design chambers compatible with MEA interfaces
Ensure incubator compatibility or design standalone heated enclosures
Create alignment fixtures for reproducible organoid placement
Define sterilization protocols (UV, autoclave, ethanol, plasma)
Design closed-loop systems to reduce contamination risk
Select materials compatible with sterilization methods
Perform leak, pressure, and long-duration stability testing
Identify failure modes and implement design improvements
Iterate designs based on experimental outcomes
Produce CAD drawings, BOMs, and assembly instructions
Write SOPs for setup, operation, and maintenance
Document design decisions for future lab members
Qualification
Required
Currently enrolled MS or PhD student in ME/BME/ChemE or a related field
Hands-On Experience with at least TWO of the following: Microfluidics or lab-on-chip devices, Organ-on-chip or cell culture systems, Bioreactors or biological fluid handling, Pump integration in wet-lab environments, Proficiency in CAD (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, AutoCAD, etc.), Working understanding of laminar flow, shear stress, and fluid stability, Comfortable working in or around wet labs
Preferred
Prior experience designing systems for cell culture
Knowledge of materials to avoid in biological systems
Familiarity with sterility and contamination control
Experience running multi-day validation tests
Practical, anticipatory mindset (you think about bubbles before they appear)
Signal traces; analysis code; circuit diagrams; technical reports
Benefits
Authorship opportunities on publications & patents (performance-based)
Deep, hands-on ownership of a publishable neural system
Direct mentorship from PI and co-PIs
Exposure to cutting-edge organoid + neural engineering research
Potential pathway to: Extended research role/Full-time research engineer or PhD or entrepreneurial spin-out
Company
Dartmouth HumanX Lab
HumanX Lab is an interdisciplinary R&D lab advancing wearable and AI systems to improve healthcare outcomes, extend longevity, and elevate human performance.
Founded in 2024
2-10 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase