Title: Peer review audit intern

Renumeration: Travel costs

Placement: Mid October 2020 – mid Jan 2021 (3 months in total)

Location: remote working / working from home

About AMRC

Over 30 years ago a diverse group of medical research charities formed the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) to unite the sector and provide it with a leading voice. Since then our membership has grown to over 150 charities across the UK and we continue to lead and support charities to deliver high-quality research that saves and improves lives.

We equip our member charities with regular guidance and training, and provide quality standards to help our member charities maximise the impact of their investment. We play a vital role in influencing the research environment from forging partnerships, to voicing our member charities’ concerns and ideas to policy makers, to developing position statements. Find out more about our work at www.amrc.org.uk.

AMRC peer review audit

In order to gain and maintain AMRC membership, and the hallmark of quality that it affords, charities must fund research in an open and transparent way that includes a robust peer review process. Their ability to do this is assessed during the application process as well as during a full peer review audit that takes place every five years. Any organisation which no longer complies is demitted.

By adhering to AMRC’s five principles of peer review – accountability, balance, independence, rotation and impartiality, charities can support the best research and the best researchers. This, in turn, can help charities maximise the impact of their funding to deliver changes that really matter to their supporters and stakeholders, so that patients benefit from the fruits of research.

With this hallmark of quality, AMRC charities that award funding in an open competition are able to utilise the Charity Research Support Fund in funding research in universities and receive funding support with some of the costs associated with clinical research in the NHS.

The AMRC will be conducting the peer review audit in late 2020. In the spirit of our principles, the audit is assessed by the Peer Review Audit Committee, a panel of expert reviewers who provide advice to the AMRC on the quality of peer review processes in all member charities and that is led by an independent and high-profile Chair.

The outcomes of the audit will be communicated to our members and wider stakeholders. AMRC will use the insights gathered from the audit to consider whether our guidance on our five principles of peer review should be amended.

As the current uncertainty in the UK leads to more challenges for research funders, AMRC wants to ensure that the best research is funded in the best way by making our quality standards for funding as up to date and robust for the future as possible.

About the role

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure to the health and medical research charity sector.

Part of a small but passionate, innovative and influential team, you will play an essential role helping the AMRC deliver its 2020 Peer Review audit. You will report to AMRC’s Research Policy Manager but will have to develop strong relationships across the organisation and research leadership within the member charities.

You will be involved in:

Ensuring AMRC members are supported and able to complete the audit survey.
Collating the information from our members to enable independent assessment of their peer review process in making research funding decisions by the Peer Review Audit Committee (PRAC).
Supporting the PRAC members and the Chair in the assessment of our members adherence to the peer review principles in their research funding decisions. The PRAC will recommend whether a charity passes, passes with minor issues or fails the audit. Charities that fail the audit are demitted from the membership of AMRC.
Giving consideration to the need to revise AMRC guidance on the principles for decision making about research funding. Medical research charities are increasing funding innovative research in new and different ways, particularly in areas of data and digital innovation. Mechanisms such as sandpits are used by charities to encourage collaborative research projects. You will consider what changes to guidance, if any, AMRC could make.
Designing communications plans to promote and celebrate completion of the audit, recognising the high standards our members meet.
Other activities you could be involved in including: policy analysis of emerging issues; political and policy stakeholder mapping; attending meetings alongside AMRC staff, on a range of issues; supporting AMRC’s social media through blogs and Twitter, etc.

About you

You have:

first degree/masters/PhD in a relevant discipline (or equivalent)
an eye for detail
good time management skills
the ability to prioritise competing demands
MS Office (including Excel) skills
a positive attitude to work
excellent interpersonal and communication skills

You are:

well organised
open to learning and new ways of working
not afraid to ask questions
able to work independently and proactively
willing to work flexibly when required
able to thrive in a busy environment with lots of challenges

Why intern with us?

You will quickly gain a bird’s eye view of the UK medical research landscape
You will learn and use a variety of different concrete and applicable skills
You will get valuable insights into research policy, management and communications
You will be part of a small, friendly team of approximately 14 people
You will begin to build a network and make connections within the sector

Skills developed

Organisation, time management and prioritising
Written and oral communication skills
Interpersonal skills
Working across organisational boundaries
Accuracy and attention to detail
Learning and new ways of working
Project management

How to apply

Please send your CV and a one-page covering letter to Dr Mehwaesh Islam at m.islam@amrc.org.uk

Deadline: no later than Friday 18^th September 2020.

In your application, be sure to tell us:

What interests you most about working with AMRC?
What transferable skills can you offer in relation to the role? Do you have examples of previous administrative and data handling experience?
What you would like to achieve from this internship?

Promising applicants will be invited to a virtual interview to take place either w/c 21^st or 28^th September 2020.