At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!
As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.
At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.
Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!
Your Role: Special Projects Associate – Elanco Launch Program (Spring 2027)
Designed exclusively for students in the IU Kelley Indianapolis Business+ Program, the Elanco Launch Program gives students the chance to put what they’re learning in the classroom to work at a global company.
As a Spring 2027 Special Projects Associate with Elanco Animal Health, you will jump into a team at our Global Headquarters in Indianapolis and take on your own assigned project. You’ll have key goals (as outlined in your project) and will work alongside Elanco employees to deliver results with real business impact, gaining experience that complements your studies and builds the skills to launch your career.
Your Responsibilities:
- Support and complete your assigned project, working with your project sponsor to meet key goals and milestones
- Gather information, research, and data to understand the business need and identify opportunities
- Build and maintain relationships with your team and other stakeholders across Elanco
- Manage assigned activities, priorities, and follow-up to keep your project on track
- Track and present project results to Elanco leadership
What You Need to Succeed (minimum qualifications):
Education: Currently enrolled as a freshman or sophomore in the IU Kelley Indianapolis Business+ Program. The Elanco Launch Program is limited to students in this program.
Top Skills: Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to share ideas in person, in writing, and through presentations. Curious and eager to learn, with a strong sense of responsibility and professionalism.
What will give you a competitive edge (preferred qualifications):
- Have an interest in animal health and/or business
- Eager to connect classroom learning to real-world business problems
- Comfort with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
- Experience working on a team through class, work, clubs, or volunteering
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Proven to be self-motivated and open to feedback
Additional Information:
Location: Onsite – Elanco Global Headquarters, Indianapolis, IN
Schedule: 10–20 hours per week during the spring semester, scheduled around your classes
About the Elanco Launch Program
The Elanco Launch Program is designed to give Indiana University Kelley Business+ students meaningful, hands-on experience early in their college careers. The work is built to complement your studies, helping you see how the business concepts you learn in class play out inside a global company, while giving you real experience to bring back to your coursework. At the heart of the experience is our belief that making life better for animals makes life better.
- Program Partnership: Offered in partnership with the IU Kelley Indianapolis Business+ Program and open only to students in that program
- Onsite Experience: Gain real-world experience onsite at our Global Headquarters in Indianapolis, 10–20 hours per week during your spring semester, on a schedule built around your classes
- Mentorship & Coaching: Networking and mentorship connections with Elanco employees, plus coaching and on-the-job experience
- Real Business Impact: Every student takes on a robust project with true business impact and outcomes
- Program Dates: January – April, 2027
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown underrecognized groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Elanco we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive work environment. If you think you might be a good fit for a role but don't necessarily meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this role or other roles!
Elanco is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status
Elanco may use automated tools, including AI, to support parts of our recruitment process, such as reviewing applications against job‑related criteria and/or transferrable skills. These tools help ensure a consistent, structured evaluation, but they do not make hiring decisions. All decisions involve a human reviewer. For more information on how we handle personal data, please see our Elanco Workforce Privacy Notice.
Skills Required
- Currently enrolled as a freshman or sophomore in the IU Kelley Indianapolis Business+ Program
- Strong communication skills, including in-person, written, and presentation communication
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Curiosity and eagerness to learn
- Sense of responsibility and professionalism
- Interest in animal health and/or business
- Comfort with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
- Teamwork experience through classes, employment, clubs, or volunteering
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Self-motivation and openness to feedback
Elanco Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Elanco and has not been reviewed or approved by Elanco.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off options are broad, including PTO, flexible leave, and the ability to purchase additional vacation. These provisions are highlighted as supportive of work-life balance.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage includes medical, dental, and vision alongside company-paid life, disability, and wellness support. Pet insurance and assistance programs reinforce a comprehensive wellbeing offering.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings include a U.S. 401(k) and, for some employees, access to a defined benefit pension. These programs add meaningful long-term value to total rewards.
Elanco Insights
What We Do
At Elanco, we work to improve the health of animals through innovative products and services for pets and farm animals around the world. As a global animal health company, we provide solutions that empower our customers to advance a vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life. Since 1954, Elanco has committed to empowering veterinarians, farmers, and all those who care for animals with the tools they need to help animals live healthy lives. Healthier animals are the key to making our lives better - This is the fundamental belief uniting all global Elanco employees. That’s why we are committed to the idea that our business can be a unique force for good for all in society. Through our Elanco Healthy Purpose™ framework of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments, we focus on delivering sustainable solutions to advance the well-being of animals, people and the planet. This program also enables our employees around the world to take paid time off to make an impact as a volunteer, offering their time or talent to give back to our customers, causes and communities. #ElancoHealthyPurpose #WeAreElanco
