Microbiology Society – Job Description for:
Job Title:Policy and Member EngagementInternship
Reports to:Director of Strategy and Members’ Programmes
Department: Members’ Programmes
Location:Charles Darwin House, Roger Street, London
The Microbiology Society is a membership charity for scientists interested in microbes, their effects and their practical uses. It is one of the largest microbiology societies in Europe with a worldwide membership based in universities, industry, research institutes and schools. Our members have a unique depth and breadth of knowledge about the discipline. The Society’s role is to unlock and harness the potential of that knowledge.
We are offering a 3-monthinternship within our Members’ Programmes directorate aimed at a recent bioscience graduate, or current postgraduate, who is enthusiastic about promoting scienceand keen to gain experience in activities that develop, expand and strengthen the networks available to our members so that they can generate new knowledge about microbes and ensure that it is shared with other communities.
Purpose
The internship offers the opportunity to gain understandingand experience across a number of areas of the Society’s work including science policy, science communication and the broader member engagement work of the Society. You will develop transferable skills in networking, science policy, events organisation and communication. You will meet and work alongside science professionals from a variety of organisations, as well as researchers working across diverse areas of microbiology.
Duties
Based at our central London office at Charles Darwin House, which is also home to number of other bioscience societies, you will have the opportunity to:
- Research and organise a policy roundtable meetingto produce a microbiology-focused briefing for policy-makers or Society position statement.
- Contribute to the Society’s wider science policy work, which may include attending policy meetings and events, conducting desk-based research and producing briefings, and writing for our blog and magazine.
- Contribute to the Society’s developing member engagement programme which aims to enable members to build new networks and champion the microbiology that they do through Society-led activities or representing the Society at external events. This may include preparatory activities for the Society’s 75th anniversary in 2020.
Specific scientific knowledge about aspects of microbiology the internship may cover is not essential. More important is enthusiasm for bioscience, and the ability to utilise and develop skills to communicate its importance for society.
The internship will run for three months, ideally starting September 2018, but the exact timing is negotiable. A student undertaking the internship as a degree placement (e.g. Professional Internships for PhD Students) will be entitled to travel and subsistence support, as required by their placement scheme, up to a maximum of £4500. A successful applicant receiving no other financial support from a university/funder will receive a stipend of £4500, which is equivalent to the London Living Wage.
Please contact our Director of Strategy and Members’ Programmes, Sarah Buckman () for further information. Apply by emailingKofo Balogun () your CV, a cover letter detailing your suitability for the internship, and a briefing or position statement written for policy makers on a topical science policy issue of your choice(maximum of 800 words). Closing date: Monday 5 March. Interviews will be held week commencing 19 March.
Please note that due to UK Border Agency restrictions, we will not contemplate overseas applications unless there is clear evidence of existing permission to work in the UK. The Microbiology Society does not have a UK Border Agency sponsorship licence.
Person Specification
- Biosciences degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent
- Interest in science policy and communicating research to non-scientific audiences
- Developing research and analytical skills, with the ability to analyse, interpret and summarise complex information
- Ability to build effective relationships with key stakeholders and volunteer scientists engaging in the Society’s activities
- Outstanding communication, writing and presentation skills
- Strong time management skills with the ability to prioritise workload and work under pressure
- Ability to work on own initiative as well as part of a high-performing team
- Awareness of the activities and value of scientific membership charities
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