FAQs for Genzyme Careers

A. Submit your resume to Genzyme using the Job Opportunities link for a specific job.

A: When you apply online for a particular job or for more than one job, a copy of your resume goes directly to the recruiter who is supporting that position. In addition, your resume will be in a database that is searchable by all recruiters within Genzyme. This means you will be considered for the position you applied for in addition to other opportunities that your qualifications may match. You do not need to send a back-up hard copy.

A: You will receive an email confirming submission of your resume into the database. Also, once you have set up your user account information, as part of the application process, you can log in at any time to follow up on the status of your application.

Q: I am having difficulty submitting my resume through your website. What should I do?

Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 SP1 and Internet Explorer 5.5 SP2 are both tested versions. Problems may occur if you submit your resume while using a browser that is not tested. We recommend that you apply using one of the tested versions of Internet Explorer. Download and install Internet Explorer.

The jobs for which you are applying via the job cart are saved in a cookie that is checked by our web page when you submit your application. If your browser does not allow cookies to be saved, then your resume may not reach the jobs for which you want to apply.

By default, Internet Explorer 6.0 imposes restrictions on third party cookies that may not allow the job cart to function correctly. If you are running Internet Explorer 6.0, enable cookies by taking these steps:

From the menu bar, go to Tools.
Select Internet Options.
Click the Privacy tab.
Move the settings slider to Accept All Cookies.
Click the Advanced button.
Check "Override automatic cookie handling" (Ensure Accept is checked for both First and Third Party Cookies)
At the bottom of the dialog box, check "Always allow session cookies"
Click OK.
Click OK again to exit.

If you are using Internet Explorer 5.01 and cookies have been disabled, enable them using these steps. You can use similar steps to enable cookies in Internet Explorer 5.5.

From the menu bar, go to Tools.
Select Internet Options.
Click the Security tab.
Click the Internet icon (globe).
Click the Custom Level button.
Scroll down to Cookies.
Ensure that Allow per-session cookies (not-stored) is set to Enable.

You must use a tested version of Netscape 4.75: Problems may occur if you submit your resume using a browser that has not been tested. We recommend that you apply using Netscape 4.75. Download and install Netscape.

If you are using Netscape 4.75 and cookies have been disabled, enable them using these steps.

This page has not been tested with browsers other than Internet Explorer and Netscape, nor has the page been tested on a Macintosh computer. Problems may occur if you submit your resume using a computer/environment that has not been tested. We recommend that you apply using a PC-compatible computer and one of the supported browsers.

When you cut and paste from a document that was created using a word processor, the software may insert invisible characters that may not allow your resume to be successfully saved. To prevent this from occurring, we recommend that you cut and paste only text into the resume and introduction letter fields in the on-line application.

Open your resume in Microsoft Word and click File in the menu bar.
Select Save As.
In the "Save as type" field, select Text only with Line Breaks (*.txt).
Save the text document to a location where you can easily find it.
Close Word.
Using Notepad or WordPad, open the new text document.
Correct the format of your resume by adding spaces to align fields or by adding asterisks to denote bulleted items.
Select Edit and then Select All to select all of the text in your resume.
Select Edit and then Copy to copy the text to the clipboard
Paste the text into the resume field on the online application.

When you cut and paste from an HTML or XML document, you may inadvertently include HTML or XML tags that could cause a recruiter to have difficulty reading the resume. To make your resume as easy to read as possible, we recommend that you cut and paste only text into the resume and introduction letter fields in the on-line application.

Q: I am in the middle of submitting my resume and cannot advance to the next screen. What should I do?

A: This usually happens when you have not completed all of the required information on the current screen. Please take a moment to confirm that you have entered complete information in all the required fields. If you are experiencing this problem using the “resume builder tool” you can also try cutting and pasting a copy of your resume from a Word document rather than utilizing that feature.

Q: I clicked on the forgotten password and never got a reply back. What do I do now?

A: Check your settings. You may have either a firewall or a spam filter that is blocking the email with your sign on information. If all your settings are correct and you are still having problems, you will need to set up another account with a different email address.

Q: I have tried all the technical tips provided on this site and I am still having trouble submitting my resume.

A: Please send a message to Ask Genzyme with “technical issues with resume submission” in the subject line. If possible please describe all the steps you have taken prior to receiving the error message and provide a screen shot of the error message and someone will contact you to provide additional assistance.

A: If a candidate's skill set is appropriate for a job, our goal is for a recruiter to contact you to further discuss your qualifications with respect to the requirements of the open position.

Q: Are there opportunities for me to transfer to other departments within the organization as a Genzyme employee?

A: Any full-time or part-time regular employee of Genzyme, who has been in their current position for a minimum of six (6) months, and is performing at the “successfully meets expectations” level or above is eligible to explore other opportunities within the company. Genzyme is able to encourage the growth and development of its employees through internal transfers, participation on project teams, and other work assignments.

A: Genzyme employees create personal development plans with their managers and in consultation with our Human Resources team. Employees develop effective skills and competencies needed to succeed through individual leadership assignments as well as internal and external development programs. Genzyme managers strive to ensure that employees take the necessary time to build skills and demonstrate capabilities that can open up new opportunities for career advancement.

A: Yes! We are interested in hiring qualified candidates who have creative approaches to meeting the needs of our patients. We encourage recent college graduates to review our job postings under the job opportunities section on our corporate website at www.genzyme.com/careers. Once you identify a position(s) that you are interested, then submit your resume for specific positions on the website (you do not need to send a hard copy resume.) We encourage recent college graduates who complete temporary co-op or internship assignments at Genzyme to apply for full-time, regular positions upon graduation.

Q: What types of opportunities does Genzyme offer to college and graduate students?

A: In the U.S., we offer co-op (cooperative education), project based assignments and internships for undergraduate, graduate and MBA students in several departments throughout Genzyme. In general, student assignments are paid positions.

A: Co-op (Cooperative Education) Assignments: Provides college students with the opportunity to build upon their education, gain project based work experience, and establish relationships with industry professionals. We offer co-op assignments to undergraduate and graduate students. Our co-op assignments start in January through June/August or July through December, depending on our business needs and the student’s availability. Students who have completed their first year of college obtain experience by working on a project based business, or research assignment, related to their course curriculum. In general, co-op students are paid an hourly rate to work for 6-8 months, and may receive academic credit from their school.

Internship Assignments: Provides college students with practical work experience related to their education and career interests. Undergraduate interns who have completed their first year of college will develop the necessary skills to succeed in their field of study through working along side industry professionals. Meanwhile, graduate and MBA Interns are involved in daily operations within individual departments while working on project based assignments. In general, undergraduate and graduate interns are paid an hourly rate for working 20-40 hrs per week for a specified time period.

A: Some students work in project based assignments while others are involved in the day-to-day operation of the department. Each student will have an opportunity to work on individual assignments while collaborating as a member of a team. In addition, we encourage students to spend some time job shadowing another department staff member to gain a “realistic” perspective of the skills needed to succeed at Genzyme. Students will have the opportunity to meet other interns and department managers during company events, lecture series, intern luncheons, and building tours. Finally, some of the students will be asked to deliver a final presentation or project summary report on their summer project to department managers upon completion of their assignment. Some of our summer interns continue working on a part-time basis throughout the school year.

A: We look for students with combination of technical and interpersonal skills. Students with a different perspective and creative trouble shooting techniques who thrive while working in a diverse, fast-paced environment. Our ideal students have the aptitude, attitude, skills and initiative to work collaboratively as a member and/or leader of a team. In general, we look for college students who have already completed their first year at an accredited college or university. You must be at least 18 years old to work in a laboratory or manufacturing setting in the state of MA.

The majority of our internships and co-op assignments are designed to attract associate, undergraduate and graduate college degree level students. We’ve had students who are studying in various fields of science, engineering, manufacturing, MBA, business development, program management, marketing, material management, regulatory affairs, information technology, and more. Demonstrated leadership skills and community volunteer experience are preferred.

Q: What types of opportunities are there at Genzyme for high school students?

A: Genzyme does not have formal internship or co-op programs for high school students at this time. However, we do encourage high schools to contact our temporary staff agency (PrO Unlimited) to learn about temporary or summer job opportunities (many of these assignments are outside of the laboratory or manufacturing setting.) These temporary, summer job positions are paid positions.

A: Yes, students are generally paid an hourly rate based on their academic level, prior internship or co-op experience, and industry market data. Interns and co-ops are placed at Genzyme temporarily as employees of PrO Unlimited or one of our other staffing agencies.

A: Yes, we generally post our internships and co-op positions on our website. We occasionally post intern or co-op opportunities with specific colleges, universities, and other multicultural student associations. We offer internships and co-op assignments throughout the organization (primarily in U.S. locations.) Typical areas of opportunity include:

Research & Science / Laboratory

Engineering (Chemical, Biomedical, Bioengineering)

Information Technology

Quality (QC, QA, QS)

Clinical Research

Regulatory Affairs

Materials Management / Supply Chain / Purchasing / Contracts

Biomedical Operations / Biostatistics

MBA - Corporate or Business Development

Program Management

Q: When do you post your internships or co-op assignments on the Genzyme website?

A: While internships will be available throughout the year, we generally post our student assignments on our company website during the following months:

	Positions Posted	Duration of Student Assignment
Co-op	September – December	January – June or August (6-8 months)
	March-June	July – December (6 months)
Summer Internship	February – April	May or June – August (3-4 months)

A: Please visit our website at www.genzyme.com . Then select “careers” and click on “job opportunities”. Under the functional area menu, scroll down and select the words “internship or co-op”. Then click on the run search button at the bottom of the screen to review our current internships or co-op openings. After reviewing the position, click on the job title of the position that you would like to apply for and the position description will appear. Lastly, click on the words “Apply to this Job” to submit your resume on-line. We encourage students to have their resumes reviewed by their Career Resource Centers at their school prior to submitting their resumes. Also, be sure to include in your cover letter the number of hours that you can work each week and which Genzyme location you would like to work in. Demonstrated leadership skills and community volunteer experience are a plus.

A: Please follow the application instructions on how to apply for a job at Genzyme. Once you submit your resume for a specific internship or co-op assignment on-line, you will receive an email notification to confirm receipt of your resume. Your resume will be reviewed in line with other student applicants. You will only be contacted if an appropriate opportunity is identified. Since applicants are asked to create a candidate profile prior to submitting a resume, students can verify the status of their on-line application by checking their candidate profile.

A: After you apply for a specific position on-line, your resume will be reviewed against the position requirements. If you are a candidate of interest, you will be contacted by telephone to discuss your qualifications. Those students who are invited to an interview may bring letters of recommendation to their interviews. Offers are extended to candidates throughout the college intern and co-op recruiting seasons by the temporary staffing agency (PrO Unlimited) representatives. All offers of employment with Randstand for placement into internship and co-op positions at Genzyme are contingent upon the successful completion of PrO Unlimited’s employment application, background checks, and the candidate’s ability to provide documentation to show proof of eligibility to work within the United States.

A: Yes, as a global biotechnology company we encourage international students to apply for our student assignments. International students must meet the requirements outlined in each internship, co-op, or regular job posting. Also, students must be legally eligible to work (paid) in the United States. Neither Genzyme nor PrO Unlimited sponsors student visas or work authorization for co-op or internship assignments. It is the student's responsibility to work with their college or immigration advisor to obtain the appropriate work visa.

A: The majority of our internships or co-op assignments are located in Massachusetts. However, other Genzyme locations such as TX, NJ, NY and CA also hire interns or co-ops.

Q: Does Genzyme offer transportation and housing assistance to co-op or internship students:

A: No, students will need reliable transportation to commute to their internship or co-op assignment. Public transportation is available for many Genzyme sites. A scheduled shuttle service is available between some Genzyme sites. Genzyme does not provide relocation or student housing assistance.