Research & Grant Intern at Digital Health Startup

About us

Today, more than 137 million families worldwide are affected by serious illnesses like cancer, cardiovascular illnesses, and advanced neurological conditions. Most are expected to manage complex care at home, without the tools, guidance, or support to do so confidently.

The result? A system that is costly, fragmented, and inequitable for patients, families, and clinicians.

As healthcare systems struggle to keep up with rising needs, digital solutions aren’t just promising - they’re essential.

And that’s where we come in.

Pal is transforming how we care for people with serious illness at home.

We’re building the first fully digital platform for patients, families, and clinicians, designed to support families, detect complications earlier, and enable proactive care outside of hospitals. We focus on the months and years between diagnosis and end of life, when palliative care is most needed but often unavailable.

Our family-facing app supports people with day-to-day care and symptom tracking. Our clinician dashboard uses AI to detect early warning signs and prevent complications before they escalate.

We are now accepting internship applications, and we’re looking for passionate people to join our team.

If you’re interested, curious, intrigued, or already a little in love with Pal, keep reading.

About the role

This internship focuses on supporting Pal’s grant strategy and application process, working closely with the founding team and external partners across healthcare, academia, and the innovation ecosystem.

You will play a hands-on role in identifying relevant funding opportunities, researching and engaging potential partners, and supporting the coordination and drafting of grant applications. This is a highly collaborative role that sits at the intersection of research, partnerships, and project management.

The role is well-suited to someone who enjoys structured problem-solving, clear communication, and working across multiple stakeholders and who is excited by the challenge of turning complex ideas into compelling funding applications.

You will work closely with Pal’s co-founders and wider team on:

• Identifying and tracking relevant grant and funding opportunities aligned with Pal’s mission
• Researching and mapping potential collaborators, including clinical sites, academic institutions, and delivery partners
• Conducting outreach to prospective partners to understand their interests, motivations, and constraints
• Supporting the drafting of grant applications, including clearly explaining what Pal does, why it is relevant to the call, and how the solution delivers impact
• Coordinating inputs from multiple partners throughout the application process
• Project managing timelines, ensuring each partner delivers their required sections clearly, accurately, and on time

Full-time internship: Minimum 3 months, ideally up to 6 months (5 days per week)

Part-time internship: Minimum 6 months (at least 3 days per week)

You must be based in Amsterdam or able to commute to our office at least 3 days per week.

What you’ll need

Must-have:

• Strong interest in healthcare, research, social impact, or innovation
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proactive, organised, and comfortable managing multiple workstreams
• Ability to work independently with attention to detail and follow-through
• Confidence engaging with external stakeholders in a professional and thoughtful way
• Comfortable working with some ambiguity and taking initiative
• Highly collaborative and team-oriented
• Empathy and alignment with the problem Pal is working to solve

Really really nice-to-have:

• Previous exposure to grant writing, research projects, or funding applications
• Experience coordinating across multiple stakeholders or organisations
• Interest in digital health, startups, or early-stage companies
• Strong organisational or project management skills

What’s in it for you

• An opportunity to make a lasting positive impact on the lives of millions
• A paid internship or working student position (compensation depends on time commitment)
• Access to a co-working space in Amsterdam (we are currently at Edge Olympic)
• Close collaboration with the founding team and real ownership over your work
• Opportunities for traineeships or full-time employment after your studies
• Experiencing every aspect of building a company and working at an early-stage startup

Get in touch

If you’re even more interested, curious, intrigued, or in love with Pal, please apply below. We can’t wait to meet you.