2016
Great Minds student internships

Pitch your vision of the most exciting IT challenges
and win an internship at IBM Research

Great minds and great ideas drive innovation. In keeping with IBM's traditionally close links to universities, we are seeking the brightest minds and hottest IT topics for internships at IBM Research.

You can win an internship at one of IBM's Research Labs in Zurich or Dublin.


Nomination

Participants must be nominated by a faculty member. A recommendation letter from your faculty member is mandatory.


CV

Students need to submit their current CV and a short position paper (1–2 pages).

The CV should include:

  • Information according to the guidelines for writing a CV (see below).
  • Three research areas from the lists of topics in the order of your priority.
  • Possible dates and duration of your internship: 3–6 months.

Position paper

The position paper (1–2 pages) should address the following points:

  • What do you see as the most interesting and relevant applications in your areas of interest (selected from the lists of topics)?
  • In your opinion, what are the most important technical challenges in these applications?
  • What do you personally want to achieve in these fields?
  • What would you like to accomplish during an internship at IBM Research?

This is not a quiz — there are no right or wrong answers. We encourage you to express your own views and to propose creative and innovative ideas that could be turned into concrete projects. You should inform yourself about the research areas at the IBM Research – Zurich and Ireland Labs to understand what kind of projects might be possible for you to work on. However, we do not require that you focus on those areas when writing your position paper.


How to apply

Submit your CV and position paper (in English, PDF format) to your nominating professor by 22 February 2016.

IBM University Relations managers in the participating countries and a committee of IBM technical experts will review the nominations received from the professors, from which they will select the best candidates at their discretion. You will be notified at the end of April 2016 whether you are one of the winners.

The winners will start their internships in 2016 on a mutually agreed date. Please don't forget to propose possible dates and duration (3–6 months) for your internship in your CV.


Deadline

Deadline for submissions is 22 February 2016.


Guidelines for writing your CV

Your CV must include personal information (name, address, phone number, email address) as well as your education, graduation date, skills, and work experience. Please include also any awards and recognition you have received and other activities you consider important for an industry position. In addition, include three areas of research (from the lists at right) and possible dates and duration of your internship.

You can find examples and guidelines for creating a strong CV at many different web sites, such as Europass Curriculum Vitae.