Co-op: Public Policy and Government Affairs

At Biogen, our mission is clear - we are pioneers in neuroscience. Biogen discovers, develops, and delivers worldwide innovative therapies for people living with serious neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Together, our employees create, commercialize, and manufacture transformative therapies for our patient population.   

We at Biogen are committed to building on our culture of inclusion and belonging that reflects the communities where we operate and the patients who we serve. We are focused on strengthening our foundation to advance our overall Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) strategy and, most importantly, ensure all our employees feel included. 

As an intern or co-op at Biogen, you can expect to be placed on a real project, under the guidance of experienced professionals and subject matter experts who are invested in your career and academic growth. We also ensure that you have plenty of opportunities to build your network, learn more about our organization through weekly lunch and learns led by leaders from across the company, and join us for several fun events.  

This application is for a full-time co-op role from January - June 2022. 

The mission of the U.S. Public Policy & Government Affairs (PPGA) team is to provide a recognized, coordinated, and credible voice for Biogen to interact with policy stakeholders to manage political risks and create opportunities that enable the achievement of policy goals.  

As a Winter Co-op you will assist and gain exposure to the entire PPGA team (Federal, Strategic Alliances, State and Policy). As a co-op, you will assist with both day-to-day tasks and specific projects including identifying access issues/other barriers related to Biogen’s in-line and pipeline products and identifying policy solutions; developing relationships with and educating public officials and other external stakeholders for adoption of Biogen’s positions; identifying and supporting health equity policy proposals that align with the business’ DE&I goals; informing the business of new laws to inform compliance activity; aligning corporate messaging to the public; and managing trade association memberships and developing industry thought leadership,  

By working with the Biogen U.S. PPGA team, you will have an opportunity to meaningfully contribute to advancing our federal and state legislative and regulatory agenda to support innovation and the patients we serve. 

Position Description 

Detailed description of role including but not limited to: 

• Day to day responsibilities: Bill tracking; policy research, analysis and drafting on issues including drug pricing/promoting innovation, patient access and affordability (coverage and reimbursement; reducing OOP costs), biosimilars, serious mental health, Alzheimer’s, health equity, and environmental sustainability/energy; sharing key policy developments with the business; engaging in meetings with internal and external stakeholders; coordinating political engagement activities, etc.   
• End to end process description: At the end of the Co-op, you will have a better understanding of how to work with internal stakeholders/the business to delineate Biogen’s public policy priorities and the role and value of the PPGA team to advance them; how to participate in the legislative and regulatory advocacy process and how to strategically interact and influence government stakeholders (Congress, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), state legislatures, Departments of Health, etc.) as well as other key external stakeholders (providers, think-tanks, patient advocacy groups, etc.) 

You will also be responsible for some project work, including:  

• Providing updates to internal business units on relevant policy actions & implications in Medicare (Part B and Part D) and state Medicaid programs 
• Identifying policies to support to further Biogen’s health equity and broader DE&I objectives 
• Leading a policy discussion with the PPGA team on a timely topic 
• Participating in meetings with public officials (e.g. MA/NC Congressional delegation or state legislators), industry groups (BIO & PhRMA) and other external stakeholders  
• Coordinating political engagement activities, including a PPGA internal briefing on mid-term elections and how the outcome may impact Biogen’s public policy priorities 

• Strong oral and written communication skills  
• Knowledge of or interest in the U.S. health care system structure and how the system is financed 
• Knowledge of or interest in government legislative & regulatory processes or a strong interest in learning about these processes  
• Experience or interest in researching complex policy issues and the ability to brainstorm legislative/regulatory policy solutions 

To participate in the Biogen Internship/Co-op Program, students must meet the following eligibility criteria: 

• Legal authorization to work in the U.S. 
• At least 18 years of age prior to the scheduled start date 
• Be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university 

Education 

• Degree: JD, MBA, MPH, MHA or other graduate degree 
• Majors: Business, Political Science, Health Care Administration, History, English, or other related fields of study 

Location 

Remote, optional in office for those close to MA, DC offices 

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.