Science Engagement Intern - Schools

Join the Royal Institution (Ri) for a 3-month PhD internship to gain experience of science communication and outreach

Children's hands go up in a science in schools presentation
Image credit: Katherine Leedale

Location: 21 Albemarle Street, London (some remote working may be available )

Contract Type: 3-month full-time internship for PhD students - 35 hours per week. Payment by stipend from university, Doctoral Training Programme, Research Council. Please check funding with your DTP before applying.

Duration: x1 placement (June -August  2025)

About the role

Since 2016, the Royal Institution's 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 via the Ri schools grant scheme.

Specific responsibilities may include: 

  • 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.

Interested?

To apply, please send your CV and a supporting statement, (of no more than 500 words) to recruitment@ri.ac.uk, explaining which internship you are interested in, and why. Please also state your preferred start date.

The closing date for applications is: 9am Monday 29 July 2024.

Interviews week commencing 5/12 August 2024.

Read a blog from one of our previous PhD interns here: Being a Digital Media Intern at the Ri | Royal Institution (rigb.org)

Eligibility

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.

Participating Research Councils include (but may not be exclusive to): BBSRC, NERC, MRC, AHRC, EPSRC.

Please note there is no formal agreement in place between RI and UKRI, and each placement will be reviewed by the grant holder and approved at their discretion.

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 note, the Ri is unable to assist with accommodation costs; applicants need to be able to arrange accommodation in London or the South East for the duration of the 3 months. Some assistance with travel costs may be available.

Safeguarding is of paramount importance to the Ri; we expect all those who work with us to share our commitment to safeguarding children and adults at risk, prioritising their welfare and protecting them from harm. Interns will be given appropriate safeguarding training and may be required to undergo DBS checks upon appointment, depending on their role.

We ask applicants to complete and return the recruitment monitoring form along with their application. The Ri is committed to equality of opportunity at all stages of the recruitment process. The information supplied in this form will be treated in strict confidence and not form part of the selection process. You may choose not to disclose some or all of the information requested in the form, and this will not affect your application in any way.

About the Ri

The purpose of the Royal Institution is to connect as many people as possible with science. We've been doing it for well over 200 years and have an international reach, working with world-leading scientists, from Hannah Fry to Carlo Rovelli.

We talk, and listen, to the public. We help scientists talk, and listen, to the public. We develop critical thinking and a spirit of exploration in young people through our educational work.

In our historic Grade I listed building in Mayfair, discoveries were made that literally changed the world. Today it acts as a base for the Ri team and tenants as well as a busy and vibrant event space for private and corporate events. 

Find out more at https://www.rigb.org/ and The Royal Institution - YouTube