NEWARK, Del., May 1, 2025 – The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) is pleased to announce two new opportunities related to its successful NIIMBL eXperience program, designed to introduce and propel students toward secure, well-paying, and high-need career opportunities in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry.
NIIMBL eXperience Program Request for Applications (RFA)
Deadline: July 10, 2025
The NIIMBL eXperience Program RFA seeks applications from member academic or non-profit organizations interested in hosting a cohort of first- and second-year college students for a week-long eXperience program during the summer of 2026.
NIIMBL intends to award up to five locations with a maximum budget of $100,000.
Launched in 2019, the NIIMBL eXperience is an immersion program designed to help fill the biopharma talent pipeline by introducing college students to the variety of career opportunities available in the industry. Applicants will serve as a regional lead organization that will plan program logistics, recruit students, and run a NIIMBL eXperience Program in their respective region. Applicants will propose a program that provides exposure to the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry through hands-on training, tours, and engagement with “hosts” from professional associations, industry, and academic partners. The NIIMBL eXperience serves as an excellent opportunity to connect with talented students and plays a pivotal role in introducing students to new career possibilities.
Learn more about the NIIMBL eXperience RFA
NIIMBL eXperience Day Request for Information (RFI)
Deadline: June 2, 2025
NIIMBL is seeking input and interest in the concept of NIIMBL eXperience Day, an effort to raise awareness of the biopharmaceutical industry for all education levels and backgrounds. NIIMBL eXperience Day will build on the success of the week-long eXperience program. Similar to the eXperience program, NIIMBL eXperience Day should include hands-on activities, industry partners, and interactions with professionals working in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, but will focus specifically on local/regional audiences.
Learn more about the NIIMBL eXperience Day RFI
“The NIIMBL eXperience has been a cornerstone program in our efforts to meet the talent needs of the biopharma industrial base by bringing more awareness to college students, said John Balchunas, NIIMBL Workforce Director. “We are excited to once again have programs across the country in 2026 and look forward to the new possibility of an eXperience Day that will help us reach even more students.”
Register for the Listening Session
NIIMBL will host a 2026 eXperience Listening Session on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at noon ET. The session will cover the eXperience Program RFA and eXperience Day RFI. This open forum Q&A session is your chance to ask any questions you have about either opportunity.
Register for the Listening Session on either the RFA or RFI page.
If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].
About NIIMBL
The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) is a public-private partnership whose mission is to accelerate biopharmaceutical innovation, support the development of standards that enable more efficient and rapid manufacturing capabilities, and educate and train a world-leading biopharmaceutical manufacturing workforce, fundamentally advancing U.S. competitiveness and security. NIIMBL is part of Manufacturing USA®, a network of federally sponsored manufacturing innovation institutes, and is funded through a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce with significant additional support from its members.