Intern/Policy Consulting (Life Sciences practice) - Summer 2027

 

About Charles River Associates

Charles River Associates is a leading global consulting firm that provides economic, financial, and business management expertise to major law firms, corporations and governments around the world. CRA advises clients on economic and financial matters pertaining to litigation and regulatory proceedings, and guides corporations through critical business strategy and performance-related issues. Since 1965, clients have engaged CRA for its combination of industry experience and rigorous, fact-based analysis that provide clients with clear, implementable solutions to complex business concerns.

About the Internship  

CRA’s Life Sciences Practice helps pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical devices and digital health companies achieve optimum performance across key aspects of their business including commercial strategy, pricing and access, innovation, organisation structure, policy analysis, medical affairs, stakeholder management, and reputation, all for the long-term benefit of patients, clinicians, employees, and shareholders. We work with life sciences businesses directly as well as with their legal counsel, industry associations, government organisations, and advocacy groups.

The CRA Life Sciences team operates from offices across the United States, UK and Europe, providing insights on global issues and local market challenges across all geographies.  

Our clients’ trust in us is rooted in our emphatic focus on clients and specifically our hands-on life sciences experience, in-depth sector knowledge, from R&D to market entry and beyond, and strong academic credentials in science, economics, policy and business.  

Our dedicated Policy team works with Life Sciences companies, industry associations, government organizations, and advocacy groups to anticipate and respond to policy challenges. Our projects focus on analysing ongoing or anticipated policy challenges, assessing the impact on patients, competition or innovation, and helping clients with developing solutions that address these challenges whilst supporting their commercial priorities.  

During your internship you may work on a variety of project types, including but not limited to:  

• Policy projects: helps clients anticipate how healthcare policies will evolve and what this means for access to medicines and future innovation. Projects range from US debates on drug pricing and Medicare negotiations to global challenges around cell and gene therapies, healthcare financing, and digital health 

• Opportunity assessment: Supporting the valuation of new therapies  

• Value communication: Building evidence-based narratives to demonstrate the clinical and economic value of new medicines  

• Market access planning & payer strategy: Mapping regulatory pathways, evidence needs, reimbursement hurdles and innovative solutions across geographies  

• Forecasting & pricing strategy: Developing models to project product performance, define the optimal launch and lifecycle price of a therapy, inform launch planning activities  

• Commercial strategy & lifecycle planning: Designing go-to-market models and strategies to sustain brand value and portfolio planning   

Joining the Life Sciences Practice at CRA over the summer will provide you with a unique opportunity to develop your knowledge of global healthcare. Our Summer Internship program mirrors the analyst experience: you will be treated as an analyst from day one. You will join project teams working on high-impact challenges in life sciences, with opportunities to learn, contribute, and grow.  

You can expect to:  

• Work closely with senior colleagues on strategy and policy projects that address real client needs  

• Conduct research and analyse both qualitative insights and quantitative data  

• Contribute your ideas to team discussions and see how your analysis feeds into client deliverables  

• Attend client meetings and expert interviews, gaining exposure to real-world stakeholder perspectives  

• Draft sections of reports, presentations, and Excel models, supported by senior team members  

• Develop your knowledge of the life sciences industry and consulting methodologies  

• Take part in training and practice-building activities  

Alongside this project work, you will have a Professional Development Manager dedicated to your growth, an onboarding buddy for day-to-day support, and regular feedback from project managers  

Desired Qualifications  

• Penultimate year or final year Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree candidates with strong academic performance from a top-tier institution (minimum 2:1) with focused study in biological sciences, economics (or related subjects including business, health economics and policy, public policy), physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, engineering, or other STEM discipline;  

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Excel), plus an understanding of how to conduct internet research  

• Proficiency using and analysing quantitative data to answer questions;  

• Experience with, or keen interest in, Life Sciences industry and healthcare;  

• Understanding of economic concepts and business processes, as well as familiarity with essential consulting methodologies, tools and techniques;  

• Effective written and oral communication and presentation skills (additional languages beyond English are helpful);  

• Strong self-management (detail orientation, effective time management, ability to prioritise);  

• Demonstrated high level of initiative and leadership;  

• Excellent teamwork and collaboration capabilities;  

• Clear and demonstrated interest in consulting through coursework, work experience, activities, or attendance at CRA recruiting events;  

• Willingness and ability to undertake occasional travel to clients if required. 

To Apply  

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting from 2 October 2026. We will begin inviting candidates for video interviews from 16 November 2026 onwards. We strongly encourage early applications, as interview slots will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and will close applications once the positions are filled.   

To be considered for this position, please submit the following:  

1. Resume/CV: please include current address, personal email and telephone number;  
2. Cover letter:  please describe your interest in CRA and how this role matches your goals. Your cover letter should be no more than one page, and presented in a clear, professional manner (minimum font size 12).  Please ensure your cover letter answers the following questions:  

• Why life sciences consulting, and why CRA?  

• What is an example of a time when you made a data-guided decision?  

• Which experience from your resume/CV are you most proud of and why?  

The internship will take place from Monday 28th June 2027 – Friday 3rd September 2027. 

Professional Development   

CRA’s robust skills development programs and wellness programming encourage you to thrive as an individual and team member. We provide interns a variety of technical training, presentation skills, internal seminars, and performance coaching over the summer.  

Work Location Flexibility

CRA creates a work environment that enables our colleagues to benefit from being together in the office to best deliver on our promise of career growth, mentorship and inclusivity. At the same time, we recognise that individuals realise a range of benefits when working from home periodically. We currently ask that individuals spend 3 to 4 days a week on average working in the office (which may include traveling to another CRA office or to a client's location), with specific days determined in coordination with your practice or team.

Our Commitment to Diversity

Charles River Associates is an Equality Act 2010 employer. As part of our focus on equity and inclusion, we work to ensure a fair and consistent hiring process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.

 

The statements included in this job description are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job.  They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.