Cooperative
Education
Founded over a century ago, our co-op program is one of the largest and most innovative of its kind in the world. Through cooperative education, students are able to develop professional skills, meet valuable contacts, and explore one or more career paths.
For over 100 years, Northeastern has been a world leader in cooperative education (co-op), the University’s cornerstone experiential learning program.
By alternating semesters of academic study with periods of full-time work, students are able to transform work across academic and professional contexts. Co-op provides students the opportunity to explore or refine potential career paths, make valuable industry connections, broaden perspectives, and acquire the skills and knowledge needed to succeed —all while learning and growing outside the comfort zone of the classroom.
All Northeastern students can participate in the co-op program. Undergraduates must first complete three academic semesters and alternate periods of academic study with six-month periods of work experience in their field(s) of interest. Transfer students are eligible to start co-op after completing at least one academic semester at Northeastern.
Co-op advisors help students plan up to three co-ops while staying on track for graduation in 4-5 years.
The program starts with a mandatory preparation course and required reflections, both during and post co-op, to help reinforce learning. Reflections can be completed as part of an expo, poster presentation, essay, video, or meeting.
Students gain up to 18 months of professional experience and may work in world-renowned health care institutions, neighborhood health clinics, with multinational biotechnology companies, as well as nonprofit research labs. Students develop impressive resumes and many receive offers of employment from their co-op employer.
Most co-ops are full-time, paid positions with the co-op employer. Students do not pay tuition while on co-op, although they are still considered full-time students with no change in benefits. Students who complete the co-op program also receive a notation on their college transcript.
Northeastern works with more than 3,100 employers across the United States and in 136 countries around the world.
Discover our co-op employers
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Clinical Research Student Assistant | Boston Children’s Hospital Genetic Counseling Assistant | Commonwealth of Massachusetts C.O.R.I. Unit Intern | Harvard Medical School Research Assistant (Fishell) |
| Italian Home For Children, Inc. Residential Counselor | Liquiglide Inc. Coatings Engineer | Massachusetts General Hospital Research Assistant | MIT Lincoln Laboratory/strong> CO-OP Student – Science Writer (Req 25384) |
| Novartis AG Medicinal/Organic Chemist | Partners Healthcare Research Assistant (Center for Nervous System Repair-HMS) | The Boston Beer Company Inc Boston: Sensory, Research & Development Lab Co-op | The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc Machine Intelligence Co-Op |
| bluebird bio, Inc. Vivarium Co-op | Brigham and Women’s Hospital Laboratory Research Trainee | Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. Co-op: Belfer Center | Harvard Medical School Research Assistant (Crickmore) | |
| New England Aquarium Corp Penguin Husbandry Co-op Aquaristry | Peapod Digital Labs Data Science | MPro Sports Orthopedics, Inc Medical Assistant | ||
| The Boston Consulting Group/strong> Global Learning and Development Co-op | WGBH Educational Foundation Human Resources Co-op | Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover Research Co-op Co-op |
| bluebird bio, Inc. Stem Cell Research – 1119 | Harvard University Organ-on-Chips Co-op | Indigo Agriculture Microbial Analytics and Quality Control Co-op | Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Solar Incentive Fellowship |
| Merck KGaA Explorative Cancer Research Co-Op | Moderna Therapeutics Co-op, Analytical Development (JT) | New England Baptist Hospital Operating Room Attendant | Partners Healthcare Therapy Aide |
| Tarveda Therapeutics Formulations & Analytical Co-op | Tufts Medical Center Student Nurse Technician- Medical-Surgical |
| Acceleron Pharma Inc. Regulatory Affairs Co-op | Alnylam Pharamaceuticals Analytical Sciences, Stability Co-Op | BlueWave Solar Operations Intern | Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Genomic Variant Curator |
| Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary Research Assistant | Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Commercial Clean Heating and Generation Fellowship | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Assistant | Merck KGaA Protein Engineering and Antibody Technologies Co-Op |
| New England Baptist Hospital Human Resources and Medical Staff Office Co-op | Roslindale Pediatrics Medical Assistant | Surface Oncology Protein Biochemistry Co-Op | The Marine Biological Laboratory Cephalopod Co-op Aquarist |
| Pfizer Inc. Cell Culture Process Development Co-op |
| Bright Horizons Family Solutions Infant/Toddler Teacher, Family Solutions | Cataldo Ambulance Service Inc EMT | Living Proof, Inc. Discovery Co-op | Morphic Therapeutic, Inc. Biology Co-op |
| Northeastern University Assistant Teacher | Oncorus, Inc. Research Associate, Molecular Biology | Ra Pharmaceuticals Target Biology Research Technician | Smart Energy Island Intern |
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Co-Op, Analytical Development | Wayfair LLC Business Analyst Co-op (Pricing, Marketing, Comp Intel, Ops, Talent, Finance, Product) |
| Abbvie, Inc, Neuroscience Histology | Best Bees Company Beekeeper and Field Researcher | Boston Medical Center Research Assistant | Brigham & Women’s Hospital Patient Care Assistant – Intermediate Neuroscience (10CD) |
| Cogen Therapeutics, Inc. Molecular Biologist | Cygnal Therapeutics Research Associateher | Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Program Management | Mass. Bay Brewing Company, Inc. QA/QC Lab Technician |
| Ropes and Gray LLP Training Assistant | Shriners Hospitals for Children Clinical Research Assistant |
| Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Wetland and Waterways Co-op | Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Clean Technology Innovation Fellow | New England Aquarium Giant Ocean Tank Co-op | MSPCA Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Angell Veterinary Assistant-Collaborative Care Team | |
| New England Wildlife Center, Inc. Wildlife Hospital Co-op | Northeastern University Ocean Genome Legacy Laboratory Assistant | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Geological Research Assistant | Best Bees Company Beekeeper and Field Scientist | |
| BlueWave Solar Operations Intern | The Marine Biological Laboratory Cephalopod Co-op Aquarist |
| Aircraft Music Library AirCraft / IndieTracks Music Library Intern | Asher Kornbluth MD Medical Practice Undergraduate intern | Massachusetts General Hospital Research Assistant | Merck Research Laboratories uncovering molecular mechanism of non coding rna in intestinal barrier function |
| Translate Bio Co-op for Bioanalytical Chemistry | William James College Junior Research and Evaluation Associate | City of Boston Office of Equity – Undergraduate Co-op | Harvard University Research Assistant (Alan and Lorraine Bressler Clinical and Research Program for Autism Spectrum Disorders) |
| WaysideYouth & Family Support Network/strong> Residential Counselor |
| Amgen Inc. Undergrad Co-op R&D (Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience) | Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. CMC- Cell Line Development | Boston University Research Assistant | Codiak Biosciences. Co-op Purification (Downstream Process Development) |
| Constellation Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Synthetic/Medicinal Chemistry Co-op | Goldfinch Bio Synthetic / Medicinal Chemist | Biogen Inc. Co-op: Protein and Cell Engineering | Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing (GLOBAL) Biology for Ageing Research Co-op |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP PwC Assurance (Audit) Co-op – Job Location: Hong Kong | ZoomInfo Human Resources and Recruiting Coordinator Co-op | Lockheed Martin Engineering Co-op (Energy Storage) |
| Spinnaker Capital LLC Private Investments Operations Intern | Boston Medical Center Research Assistant | Genentech Data Steward | McKinsey & Company, Inc. Agriculture Research Co-op |
| Octagon Therapeutics Inc Microbiology Research Scientist Co-op | Sanofi Genzyme QC Chemist | Sense Device/Client Support Analyst | Victory Programs, Inc. Assistant Intake Coordinator |
| Camp4 Therapeutics Research Assistant | Harvard University Research Technician (Lee) | Queen’s University Research assistant (Perception and Action research) |
| Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate Co-op Intern | Bose Corporation Global Sales and Marketing Project Manager Co-op | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Wildlife Biologist Aide | Duke University Research Asst., Neurobiology Graduate Program |
| Harvard University Audio Visual/Information Technology Assistant | Homesite Group Inc. Actuarial Analyst Associate | Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. Corporate Social Responsibility Co-op | Tufts Medical Center Clinical Laboratory Co-op |
| US Food and Drug Administration Laboratory Support Technician | WAVE Life Sciences Oligonucleotide Co-Op |
Co-op Advising
Students are supported by their discipline-specific co-op advisor throughout the process and meet their co-op advisor in the Co-op Preparation Course their sophomore year. The course focuses on career exploration, employer research, resume development, and interview preparation. In addition, co-op advisors meet with each student individually prior to initiating a co-op job search to discuss the student’s interests and goals, polish their resume, and address job-search strategies.
You can learn by visiting the Northeastern Co-op page .
Cheryl Arruda
Lisa Campagnoni
The Basics of Co-Op
136 countries around the world.
Co-op News
‘I was just sitting under a doorway tearing up.’ Northeastern students completing co-ops in Morocco recount earthquake experiences
Become a Co-op Employer
Cooperative education, also known as co-op, is an educational model that allows students to alternate periods of full-time academic study with periods of full-time work in their areas of interest. Students gain valuable work experience, explore new interests, learn about career options, develop a professional network, and enhance their classroom experience. Northeastern University co-op students work in a variety of settings including research, clinical, education, business, government, and non-profits.
The Northeastern Co-op program offers employers a gateway to enthusiastic employees seeking to develop skills and talents and opportunities to connect and network with future colleagues.
Additionally, the program provides a simple, cost-effective way to meet hiring needs.
Interested in becoming a Co-op employer? Contact [email protected]
Interested in hiring a PhD co-op? Contact Vanecia Harrison, [email protected]
Information for Employers
Through the co-op program, employers have the opportunity to
- Expand your capacity for long and short-term projects
- Build a potential, future pipeline
- Evaluate potential candidates’ skills, company fit, and workplace readiness over several months
- Get access to temporary employees without agency costs
- Expand your brand to the future workforce
When you become an employer partner of Northeastern University, you work with a dedicated co-op coordinator to assist you throughout the process. This team member works within the co-op program to support you and the students.
Generally, there are two six-month co-op cycle for both undergraduate and graduate students (Master’s and PhD*).
These cycles are as follows:
Spring Co-op: January – June
- Post your job: August – December
- Interview candidates: mid-October – December
Fall Co-op: July – December
- Post your job: January – June
- Interview candidates: mid-February – June
*Alternative cycle and timeline options may be allowed for graduate co-ops. To discuss these options, please email [email protected] and a cooperative education team member will reach out to you.
Hired students are onboarded as employees within your organization and are paid for their contributions. For more information regarding pay please refer to the Co-op Employer Handbook.
In order to attract ideal candidates, consider including the following in your job description:
- A list of the job responsibilities illustrating the experience/skills the student will gain
- What skills are necessary to be successful in the position
- A comprehensive overview of your company including unique highlights that appeal to applicants
- Professional development opportunities
- Mission
- Access to public transit or parking
- Facilities
- Paid holidays
- Complimentary snacks or lunch
- Other
- A salary range
When posting your job opportunity, please select all relevant majors and degree level (Undergraduate, Graduate, and PhD).
Your organization selects the students it wants to interview and hire from the resumes you receive from your co-op program coordinator. We refer students to you that match your specified job qualified, however you are not required to hire a student if you do not find a good fit.
Your organization
- facilitates all hiring decisions.
- provides supervision and training/mentorship throughout the co-op.
- completes an evaluation of each co-op student at the end of the work period.
- Northeastern University’s co-op program has a long history of success with its employers.
- Employers are encouraged to resolve issues with co-op students as they would with permanent employees.
- A co-op student is an employee of your organization and should expect to be treated as a staff member.
- Should a problem arise reach out to your Northeastern contact as soon as possible.
In addition to your dedicated co-op coordinator, please reference the following resources to assist you in hiring and employing a student:
Ready to hire a student today?
Northeastern utilizes NUWorks, powered by Simplicity, as its recruiting platform for all co-op, full-time, and internship work opportunities.
Get started today by creating an account. From your account you can post a new role, review resumes, print documents, update statuses, copy existing job posts, and more.
