The Royal Institution is looking for a PhD student to join the Science in Schools programme for a three-month internship to gain experience in science education and outreach. This internship will run concurrently from June to September 2023, for exact dates please see attached job descriptions.
The Role
Since 2016, the Royal Institution’s (Ri) ‘Science in Schools’ programme has offered a unique package of science shows for students, Continuing Professional Development for teachers, and community science shows for families. We are the largest national provider of science shows delivered in schools in the UK, and in 2022, 76% of our shows were delivered to schools in the most deprived areas of the UK, free of charge.
We are looking for an intern to assist us with increasing the impact of the Royal Institution’s Science in Schools Programme by developing high-quality, curriculum-led content for students and teachers, and helping ensure free science activities are offered to those schools most in need of support across the UK, via the Ri schools grant scheme.
As part of the Ri Schools team, a wide range of science communication projects are available to the Science Engagement Intern. Specific duties may include:
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- Assessment of applications for the annual schools grant scheme
- Content development, event management, workshop delivery, discussion groups and speaker liaison opportunities for the Annual Youth Summit
- Content development for Science in Schools science shows: collaboration with internal Ri team on training and demonstration of the building of science kits
The successful intern will take an active role in developing accessible content for young people via the Ri schools and Christmas Lectures programmes. They will be fully supported internally by the relevant Ri teams, including health and safety training for any hands-on demonstration work.
Who are we looking for?
This placement would be ideal for anyone interested in science education, education outreach, working with young people, and science communication. There is no need to have any prior experience in science communication or working with young people.
We are looking for applicants who are enthusiastic, flexible, open-minded, and keen to learn new skills. There is no need to have any prior experience working with schools, however, the following experience would be desirable:
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- Experience communicating science to a range of non-expert audiences
- Knowledge of the UK schools system and national curriculum
- Experience in event management
Practicalities
This opportunity is only open to PhD students who are eligible to undertake an internship as part of their studentship and receive a stipend from their Doctoral Training Programme (DTP). Please check with your university/DTP to ensure funding is available before applying for this internship.
You will need to obtain the grant holder’s written permission to undertake the placement, outlining any funding arrangements, before a position can be offered – Please contact Catherine Liddle for this.
To apply, please send a current CV to recruitment@ri.ac.uk by 9 am on Tuesday 23 May 2023 along with a cover letter, no more than 500 words, explaining why you are interested in the internship and why we should consider you for the placement.
Please also complete the Recruitment Monitoring Form and return this along with your application.
This role will require the successful candidate to undergo an enhanced DBS check upon commencement of the role.
For more information about the Ri, the internship programme, relevant dates for this internship, and to download the monitoring form, please see our website at Work with us | Royal Institution (rigb.org) Read a blog from one of our previous PhD interns here: From birds to bones and the BBC | Royal Institution (rigb.org)
The Ri is an Equal Opportunities Employer.