15 Lab Opportunities in Seattle for High School Students

Key Takeaways

• These 15 lab opportunities cover a broad mix of scientific fields, from cancer research and neuroscience at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and UW Medicine to bioengineering, materials science, and aviation at institutions across the Seattle area.
• Program formats vary considerably, from short, week-long experiences like the ASM Materials Camp to longer eight-week commitments like the ISB Summer Internship and SEAP, so you can choose based on how much time you want to dedicate.
• Many of these programs, including Fred Hutch’s Pathways Research Explorers and SHIP, SoundBio Lab’s NYL Internship, and SEAP, are free to attend and also provide a stipend, making them accessible regardless of financial background.
• Several programs, like the Seattle Science Lab’s SROP and Fred Hutch’s Explorers Virtual Internship, offer remote or hybrid formats, so you don’t necessarily need to live within commuting distance of Seattle to participate.
• If you want a longer, mentored research experience that results in an independent paper rather than a lab placement, Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs offers a mentored path toward a formal academic paper across 600+ specializations.

15 Lab Opportunities in Seattle for High School Students

Lab opportunities give high school students a chance to explore science through hands-on research and experimentation. In these programs, you might work alongside researchers, help with ongoing projects, and learn how scientific studies are carried out from start to finish. You might get to use microscopes, analyze samples, collect and organize data, run experiments, write lab notes, and learn how to interpret results. You may also develop skills in coding, DNA analysis, data visualization, or reading scientific research papers. These programs will allow you to explore subjects like biology, chemistry, medicine, engineering, environmental science, or computer science. 

Why should you choose a program in Seattle for High School Students?

Seattle is a great city for students interested in science and research. It is home to major universities, research institutes, hospitals, and technology companies that support a wide range of STEM programs. You can find opportunities in fields like healthcare, biotechnology, engineering, environmental science, and computer science. Seattle’s tech industry also makes it a great place to learn about coding, data science, and emerging technologies. With organizations working on everything from medical research to environmental studies, you’ll have access to programs that match a variety of interests.

​Here are 15 lab opportunities in Seattle for high school students.

If you’re looking for internships for high school students in Seattle, you can find them here. You can also check out research summer programs in Washington State here.

1. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s Pathways Research Explorers

The Pathways Research Explorers Program is a two-week summer program funded by the National Cancer Institute that introduces you to biomedical research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. You’ll explore cancer research, epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, cancer prevention, and immune-based therapies and perform hands-on experiments in the Alexandria Real Estate Equities Learning Lab. You’ll also get to learn basic biology, laboratory techniques, and data analysis while touring active research labs. You’ll also meet scientists and students at different career stages and learn about future pathways in biomedical research. After completing the program, you’ll be eligible to apply for the academic year Explorers Virtual Internship Program in computational biology and health data analysis.

2. UW Medicine Neuroscience Summer Student Program

The UW Medicine Department of Neuroscience Summer Scholars Program is an eight-week NIH-funded program that introduces you to both basic and clinical neuroscience through laboratory research and clinical observation. You’ll work in a neuroscience lab, complete a research project, and gain hands-on laboratory experience. You’ll shadow in neurology or neurological surgery clinics, observe neurosurgical procedures in operating rooms, and take part in neuroscience clinical observations. You’ll also participate in weekly Neurological Surgery Grand Rounds, neuroscience faculty lectures, resident education discussions, and Friday faculty talks. At the end of the program, you’ll give a presentation on your research project or individual area of focus and gain insight into careers in research and medicine.

3. Seattle Children’s Research Institute Research Training Program for High School Students

Seattle Children’s Research Institute’s Research Training Program introduces you to biology laboratory research and careers in science, medicine, and healthcare. You’ll learn how to work in a research lab and explore topics such as biochemistry, immunology, infectious diseases, immunotherapy, gene editing, and public and global health. You’ll learn about microscopy, immunoassays, isolating white blood cells, agarose gel electrophoresis, bacterial transformation, polymerase chain reaction, and gene editing during lab sessions. You’ll also tour research facilities, complete an independent research project, attend college and career workshops, and give a final oral presentation. 

4. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s Summer High School Internship Program is a competitive eight-week internship for rising high school seniors with limited research experience. You’ll spend the first two weeks learning lab safety and core techniques such as pipetting, blood separation, DNA isolation, tissue culture, sterile technique, PCR, and gel electrophoresis. During the next six weeks, you’ll work full-time with a Fred Hutch research group, help prepare lab solutions, observe advanced biomedical procedures, collect and enter data, and attend lab meetings under a mentor’s guidance. You’ll also join research seminars, essay-writing sessions, college and career workshops, and team activities, and give a final presentation on your experience to the Fred Hutch community, family, and friends.

5. Neuroscience for Neurodiverse Learners Summer Program at the University of Washington

The University of Washington’s DO IT Center and Center for Neurotechnology offer a five-day summer program during which you will learn about neuroscience, neuroethics, neural engineering, and scientific communication. It is designed for neurodiverse students with academic challenges related to conditions such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, or Tourette syndrome. You’ll take part in hands-on experiments, learn about research taking place in Center for Neurotechnology labs, and tour the laboratories to see STEM research in action. The program introduces you to neural engineering and helps you prepare for college-level STEM studies and future STEM careers. After the program, you’ll continue to receive support throughout the school year.

6. Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) Summer Internship

The Institute for Systems Biology offers an eight-week summer internship during which you will work full-time with researchers on mentor-guided projects in systems biology. Project topics may include computational biology, engineering laboratory systems, cancer, microbiology, technology development, immune system diversity, aging, the microbiome, infectious diseases, and environmental or health research. Depending on your project, you’ll build skills in microbiology, engineering, data analysis, coding, math, leadership, and other professional skills and work in a state-of-the-art research lab. You’ll also interview ISB professionals, create a website about your internship, and help develop hands-on science curriculum modules as well as complete an authentic research project aligned with ongoing ISB research.

7. Seattle Science Lab’s Secondary Research Opportunities Program (SROP)

Seattle Science Lab’s Secondary Research Opportunities Program is a 12-week program that allows you to work with a university-level mentor and explore your scientific interests. You can choose from fields like computer science, molecular biology, neuroscience, bioengineering, physics, and chemistry, and spend about six hours each week meeting with your mentor, connecting with Seattle Science Lab staff, and working independently. You might need additional time to meet deadlines. You’ll develop a capstone project that could be a literature review, a prototype for a new technology, an experimental analysis, an app, or another approved project. During weekly meetings, you’ll plan and refine your work before presenting it at the Seattle Science Lab Symposium. You’ll also create a research poster to finish the program with a publishable or shareable final project.

8. SoundBio Lab National Youth Laboratory (NYL) Internship

The National Youth Laboratory is an eight-week internship offered by SoundBio Lab in partnership with the Stemtac Foundation. As an intern, you’ll take part in both virtual and in-person activities, with hands-on training at the SoundBio Lab facility. You’ll work on bioengineering and synthetic biology research projects, like building functional laboratory equipment such as microplate readers. You’ll also explore low-cost technology design and gain experience in microbiology, coding, biochemistry, electronics, and additive manufacturing. You’ll build team and project management skills, receive mentorship from STEM professionals, and gain practical wet lab and biohardware experience in a research setting.

9. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s Explorers Virtual Internship Program

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s Explorers Virtual Internship Program is a 32-week academic year research program for Coding for Cancer and Pathways Research Explorers alumni. You’ll spend four to five hours each week working with a Fred Hutch scientist mentor on an individual research project focused on data analysis, computational biology, or health inequities. This is a dry lab research experience, so you’ll conduct research remotely instead of working in a traditional wet lab. You’ll receive a monthly participant award and build research skills under mentor guidance. At the end of the program, you’ll present your findings in a formal poster or oral presentation, which will give you experience sharing your research findings in a professional setting.

10. Museum of Flight Aeronautical Explorations Program

Aeronautical Explorations is a three-week summer CTE program during which you’ll get to explore aviation careers like air traffic control, professional piloting, airport management, airline dispatch, and unmanned aerial systems. You’ll take part in hands-on projects by researching airlines, designing an airport, flying drones, creating presentations, building and testing aircraft or rocketry projects, and completing drone obstacle courses. You’ll use desktop flight simulators in the Aviation Learning Center to explore aerodynamics and flight mechanics, meet aviation professionals, and tour museum exhibits and behind-the-scenes areas. You’ll also build public speaking and research skills, network with industry experts, and have the opportunity to earn high school credit. This program can also help you prepare for the FAA Commercial Drone Part 107 Exam if you’re interested. 

11. University of Washington’s ASM Materials Camp

The University of Washington’s ASM Materials Camp is a summer program in the greater Seattle area that introduces you to materials science. You’ll take part in hands-on experiments, field trips, mini-demonstrations, and team-based science challenges, as well as explore applied math, engineering, physics, chemistry, and biology. Hosted by the UW Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the camp gives you access to university labs, facilities, and advanced scientific equipment for guided research and practical learning. During the final days, you’ll work with a team to solve science problems under the guidance of Materials Mentors who are engineers and researchers. 

12. Spark Summer Mentorship Program (SPARK SMP) 

The SPARK Summer Mentorship Program matches you with experienced mentors from universities, companies, startups, and nonprofits to work on structured projects in areas such as AI, biotechnology, engineering, data science, and technical writing. Depending on your project, the experience may be remote, hybrid, or in person, rather than based in a traditional wet lab. You’ll take ownership of a defined project, with regular check-ins from your mentor, and gain career insights and practical experience. You might work on lab-on-a-chip systems, semiconductor and quantum research, data collection, modeling, literature reviews, technical writing, AI-driven market research, background research, or social media content. 

13. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)

The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program allows you to work with Navy scientists and engineers on real research projects at Department of the Navy labs in fields such as computer science, mathematics, engineering, physics, and statistics. You can rank up to three preferred labs, and placement will be based on your interests, grades, recommendations, and application. If you’re looking for opportunities near Seattle, the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility is a good option. You’ll learn about ship maintenance and modernization, attend production meetings and tours, assist with 3D scanning, drafting simulations, technical drawings, and engineering documents. You’ll also gain insight into project management, ship systems, and engineering support for naval operations.

14. University of Washington’s INSIGHT High School Program

The University of Washington’s INSIGHT High School Program allows you to explore biomedical research, public health, medicine, health disparities, injury and violence prevention, and social justice. You’ll build research skills by collecting and analyzing data, completing a capstone project, and working with others on a public health research project. The program focuses on structured research activities, seminars, and guest speakers. You’ll also take part in workshops on resume writing, public speaking, presentations, and data visualization, as well as seminars on communication, injury prevention, and drowning prevention. You’ll hear from healthcare professionals, undergraduate students, and community speakers before presenting your capstone at an online symposium and earning a certificate of completion.

15. Seattle Pacific University’s Camp BIOmed

Seattle Pacific University’s Camp BIOmed allows you to explore biomedical careers and learn lab skills through specialized tracks. You’ll perform hands-on experiments using techniques such as DNA restriction digests, PCR, bacterial transformation, DNA fingerprinting, ELISA, microarrays, blood spatter analysis, microbial culture, antibiotic testing, microscopy, and brain dissection. Depending on your track, you might get to investigate cancer, forensic science, microbiology, genetic engineering, bioinformatics, or global health. You might also analyze patient and medical case studies, use DNA barcoding and computer-based bioinformatics tools, and explore topics such as biodiversity, infectious diseases, clean water, food fraud, climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and healthcare access. This camp will help you develop both wet lab and computational research skills.

One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program

If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that allows you to conduct advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1,000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations to choose from. You can find the application link here!

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of lab opportunities are available to high school students in Seattle?
You’ll find a mix of formats, including biomedical research placements such as the UW Medicine Neuroscience Summer Student Program and the Seattle Children’s Research Institute’s Research Training Program, bioengineering and biotech internships such as the SoundBio Lab NYL Internship, and specialized programs such as the Museum of Flight’s Aeronautical Explorations Program. Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs offer a different kind of option, letting you conduct independent, mentored research remotely across a wide range of subjects rather than joining a fixed lab placement.

Do you need prior lab experience to apply?
It depends on the program. Some, like Fred Hutchinson’s Pathways Research Explorers, require you to have completed an introductory biology or chemistry course first. Others, like Seattle Children’s Research Institute’s Research Training Program, explicitly state that no prior knowledge or formal research experience is required, making them accessible even if this is your first lab experience.

Are there free options available?

Yes, many programs on this list don’t charge a fee. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s Pathways Research Explorers and SHIP, UW Medicine’s Neuroscience Summer Student Program, Seattle Children’s Research Institute’s Training Program, and SEAP are all free to attend, and most of these also provide a stipend on top of being free.

Are there remote or virtual options if you don’t live near Seattle?
Yes. The Seattle Science Lab’s Secondary Research Opportunities Program and Fred Hutch’s Explorers Virtual Internship Program are both largely remote, and the SPARK Summer Mentorship Program offers remote and hybrid project options as well. UW’s INSIGHT High School Program is also entirely virtual, so you have several ways to participate without needing to be in the Seattle area for the full program.

Is there a way to pursue independent research beyond these structured lab placements?
Yes. If you’re looking for a competitive, mentored research program beyond a fixed lab placement, Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs lets you conduct advanced research and develop a 20-page research paper on a subject of your choosing, with guidance from a professor or PhD scholar. The program also provides a letter of recommendation and detailed feedback, and covers over 600 research specializations. You can find the application here.

When should you apply?
Deadlines for these programs are spread throughout the year, so it helps to plan ahead. The UW Medicine Neuroscience Summer Student Program has one of the earliest deadlines, running from November 1 to December 15, while several others cluster in January, including Fred Hutch’s Pathways Research Explorers and SHIP, and Seattle Children’s Research Institute’s Training Program. Later deadlines include the ASM Materials Camp (February 1 to March 15) and SoundBio Lab’s NYL Internship (April 30). Horizon, by contrast, has multiple deadlines throughout the year across its Spring, Summer, and Fall cohorts, giving you more flexibility if you miss an earlier cutoff.

Image source: University of Washington