Summer Internship Programme

Applications for summer 2013 internships have now closed. We will be advertising details of our 2014 internships in January 2014.

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Overview

The Wellcome Trust supports the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. Our breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. Our work is based in many countries and cultures across the world, and we are committed to inclusion and equality. We aim to create a culture that is open and respectful and where differences are valued and celebrated.

With our Summer Internship Programme, we hope to inspire, encourage and support a new generation who will go on to make a difference. During the eight-week internship in July and August 2013, you will have the opportunity to work alongside experienced professionals and gain an understanding of how our organisation works.

In particular, you will have the opportunity to find out more about an area of work that interests you and establish whether it is something you wish to pursue further in your career.

In return for a pro rata salary of £15 000, you will be given real challenges and your own project, and you will be expected to meet objectives and deadlines during your time here. You will be given an induction into the organisation on joining, and you will have an assigned line manager in your department who will support you, set and review your objectives, and oversee your work programme.

2013 internships

Our wide variety of activities means we can offer internships in a diverse range of areas. This summer, we can offer internships in the following departments:

Information about each internship and its specific requirements is given below.

Communications - Marketing

The Communications department is responsible for communicating the work of the Wellcome Trust to a wide range of audiences, both internal and external. It works to raise the profile of the Trust, the medical research it funds and the contribution made by researchers using print, web and new media.

The role of the Marketing team is to collaborate with internal partners across the Trust to:

strengthen understanding and support of our vision and priorities among the Trust's audiences
promote a coherent and coordinated approach to marketing communications
ensure that key initiatives are supported by appropriate marketing materials
provide marketing communications advice.

Details of the internship
Potential projects include:

'Big Picture' magazine - researching tactics and third parties to support the communications plan to be fully delivered from September
Wellcome Trust Screenwriting Prize 2013 - social media and general engagement
Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize 2013 - support during the shortlisting process, the judges' packs and judges' lunch, and coordinating the invitation list for the ceremony taking place in the autumn
other marketing and research-related projects.

Specific requirements
You will ideally be currently studying a communications or marketing-related degree and have some understanding of the marketing mix and other communications techniques.

Communications - Editorial

The department is responsible for creating and organising content on all Trust publishing platforms, both print and digital, including magazines, websites, blogs, social media, videos, apps and interactives.

Details of the internship
During your internship you will:

Organise content for production of 'Big Picture' magazine. This could include reviewing the scope comments for print and helping edit copy for the print magazine, as well as commissioning and creating content for accompanying online materials.
Conduct an investigation and evaluation of Wellcome Trust social media, primarily Twitter and Facebook, including impact, audience and future channels we might use.
Create original content for the main Wellcome Trust blog and other Trust blogs, including text, audio and video.

Specific requirements
A high standard of written English and an interest in blogging and social media. Experience writing for a student publication and a passion for scientific topics is desirable.

Additional assessment requirements
Please send up to three writing samples with your application. You will also be required to complete a timed writing test at the interview stage.

Wellcome Library (Asian Collection)

We are one of the world's major resources for the study of medical history. We also offer a growing collection of material relating to contemporary medicine and biomedical science in society.

Details of the internship
The department is responsible for preservation, interpretation and delivery of the Oriental/Asian content preserved in the manuscript and printed book holdings.

You will be responsible for carrying out an audit of the Sanskrit/Indic collection.

Specific requirements
You will need to have good knowledge of Sanskrit.

Finance

The Finance department is a team of 44 staff, working in partnership with all of the departments in the Trust. it is a great place to get an overview of all aspects of the Trust's work.

Details of the internship
During your internship you will work in both the Financial Planning and Reporting and the Financial Accounting areas. This work may include assisting with operational and grants payments, investment accounting, the preparation of internal and external reports, the month end processes and the review and implementation of financial controls.

Specific requirements
You will need to be numerate and very keen to understand how finance works and helps an organisation to be successful. You must be self-motivated and inquisitive.

Medical Humanities and Engagement (MH&E) Engaging Science - Broadcast and Games

The department works with mainstream media (television/film/games) to improve the quality, quantity and visibility of science in entertainment aimed at mass audiences.

It does this in a number of ways, including initiatives that foster collaboration between the science community and the creative industries, and grant schemes that support the development and production of mass entertainment with biomedical themes.

Details of the internship
During the internship you will be helping in the delivery of the department's key initiatives such as the Wellcome Trust Screenwriting Prize. This is an annual prize that aims to encourage the creation of high-quality feature films inspired by biology or medicine.

Work may include liaising with the drama and screenwriting community, responding to enquiries about the prize, coordinating entries, liaising with readers, and helping develop and organise the evening awards event that will take place in October.

The team also runs other projects and initiatives throughout the year, with which you may be asked to assist.

Specific requirements
An interest in broadcast media and specifically film would be beneficial.

MH&E Engaging Science - International Engagement

The Trust seeks to promote dialogue and understanding within research and society of the significance of health research, its possible impacts and the challenges it poses - both in the UK and abroad. Our International Engagement Project Manager oversees a portfolio of work to support research programmes in low-income countries in their engagement with groups who are not experts in science. One such group is those involved in making policy.

As part of this, the International Engagement Project Manager is a member of a cross-Trust evidence uptake group. This group is at the early stages of looking at conversations within the funding community for ways to better support evidence-informed policy and what this might mean to us and our grantholders (in both biomedicine and the medical humanities). The emphasis of this work is on research in low- and middle-income countries, although we are interested in practice in the UK also. We have recently developed web pages as a first port of call for grantholders interested in these questions.

Details of the internship
You will scope a high-level workshop for the evidence uptake group that will inform further Trust activities in this area. It will bring together Trust departments with an interest and other funding body representatives. Your work is likely to involve mapping the relevant activities of outside organisations, identifying and packaging relevant case studies for use on our website and as stimulus material, and planning the first stages of the workshop.

MH&E Engaging Science - Researchers' Engagement

This team is responsible for directly commissioning work and developing partnerships with other organisations to explore science and society and to promote public engagement with research.

This includes a commitment to supporting our researchers and research centres to engage the public with their research in an effective and rewarding way.

Details of the internship
During the internship, you will undertake a research project to inform the development of new initiative(s) to strengthen our researchers' engagement with audiences traditionally underserved by public engagement activities, such as patients, C2DE economic groups and black and minority ethnic communities. Specifically, you will: identify and analyse examples of good practice of researchers engaging with these audiences; work with colleagues to investigate the barriers and challenges researchers face to successfully engage with these audiences; and examine the work of other funders, universities, charities and other organisations in facilitating and supporting researchers to engage with these audiences.

You may also be asked to assist with the team's other activities.

Specific requirements
You will need good communication skills and an interest in public engagement. Quantitative and qualitative research skills would be an advantage.

MH&E - Education and Learning

We are committed to making inspiring, high-quality science education available to all young people, helping them to meet their needs and achieve their aspirations in their chosen careers and lifestyles. We do this through policy work, supporting teachers and providing cutting-edge resources. We have a particular interest in primary science, informal science learning and the interface between neuroscience and education.

Details of the internship
During your internship, you may be asked to: research the background to a policy area; develop, identify or collate resources relevant to an area of our work; and support and write for our communications work. If you have a background in neuroscience or policy, we would try to give you work that builds upon this.

Specific requirements
You will need excellent writing skills. Experience working in schools or the informal science learning sector (e.g. volunteering in science museums) would be beneficial.

Science Funding - International Activities: Capacity Strengthening in Low-to-Middle-Income Countries

The Science Funding Division is responsible for supporting excellent science and identifying opportunities to maximise the benefits of our funding.

The International Activities team oversees a portfolio of 15 major awards, aiming to strengthen health research capacity in low- and middle-income countries (particularly sub-Saharan Africa and India). These awards support individuals (through training and mentoring), institutions (for example African universities), and national-level programmes (in partnership with government agencies).

Details of the internship
We have a fellowship scheme for applicants in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) focused on public health and tropical medicine research and training at all career stages. As well as this scheme, through the capacity-strengthening awards described above we also indirectly support a number of diverse local research and training programmes for individuals from LMICs. You will research these different models of training, compare the models employed and undertake an analysis of lessons learned. The output will be a written report (for use by the Trust plus a summary for wider distribution) and a PowerPoint presentation.

Specific requirements
You will need to demonstrate:

an interest in global health research
the ability to work independently
good written and verbal communication skills.

This internship does not require a science degree.

Science Funding - International Activities: International Portfolio Management

The Science Funding Division is responsible for supporting excellent science and identifying opportunities to maximise the benefits of our funding.

The International Activities team oversees a portfolio of awards that support research on a wide range of communicable and non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), as well as awards which aim to strengthen health research capacity in these countries (particularly sub-Saharan Africa and India).

Details of the internship
One of our key strategic challenges is investigating development, ageing and chronic diseases. The importance of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as a leading cause of illness and death in LMICs is increasingly recognised, and we have supported research on chronic NCDs in LMICs through a range of funding schemes.

As a starting-point for consideration of our future strategic role in supporting research on chronic NCDs in LMICs, you will review the Trust's portfolio and compile a directory of research in this area. The output will be a written report for use by the Trust documenting the Trust's support over the past decade for research on chronic NCDs in LMICs.

Specific requirements
You will need to demonstrate:

an interest in global health research
the ability to work independently
good written and verbal communication skills
that you are working towards a science degree.

Science Funding - Basic Careers

The Science Funding Division is responsible for supporting excellent science and identifying opportunities to maximise the benefits of our funding.

Led by Candace Hassall, the Basic Careers department is responsible for funding activities and managing the Trust's extensive portfolio in the area of basic biomedical research training and careers. In addition, the department is responsible for developing and implementing the Trust's strategy and policy on basic research career schemes in the UK.

Details of the internship
You will analyse our portfolio of senior basic research career schemes. The work will involve liaising and working with staff from different departments. In addition to analysing the internal portfolio you will also be expected to analyse f the external research landscape. The results of your analysis will form part of a report to the Board of Governors.

Specific requirements
You will need to have good Excel skills and experience in carrying out statistical analysis.

Grants Management

Grants Management handles grants from the application to the award stage across the Trust's remit. Its core activities include: managing the grant-giving processes; helping and advising applicants; running the Trust's decision-making committees; building positive relationships with grantholders and their institutions; developing policies, systems and processes; and introducing innovative ideas about the way we fund.

Details of the internship
Working with the Grants Management International Team, you will review the research costs requested on grant applications from overseas applicants to assess appropriateness and the level of support asked for. Using these data and undertaking further research on the true costs of international research, you will draw up guidelines on how to cost an international application for applicants as well as for staff use.

You will be trained on our information systems and given other support as needed. You will gain an understanding of the Trust's international funding portfolio.

Specific requirements
You will need to demonstrate a good level of writing skill and attention to detail, and have experience of data management and desktop research.

Strategic Planning and Policy Unit - Evaluation

The Strategic Planning and Policy Unit is responsible for coordinating strategic planning and providing analysis, research and advice on policy and evaluation issues to help ensure that the Trust can achieve its mission in the most effective way.

The Evaluation team conducts high-quality research and analysis to support the monitoring and evaluation of Trust-funded activities. This includes the development and implementation of the Assessment Framework, to assess progress in delivering the Trust's five-year Strategic Plan.

Details of the internship
You will be involved in a number of projects being conducted by the Evaluation team. Specific tasks will include:

data analysis, research information gathering, and charting of research outputs (e.g. publications) as required
talking to Trust-funded researchers to get feedback as part of the Trust's Career Tracker project
the production of clearly written reports as part of the team's scheme and initiative-based reviews.

Specific requirements
You will need:

strong writing and communication skills
excellent numeracy skills, preferably including good knowledge of statistical methods and knowledge of quantitative research methods
extensive knowledge of Microsoft Office packages, particularly Excel
good attention to detail.

Strategic Planning and Policy Unit - Policy and Advocacy

The Policy and Advocacy team works with government, policy makers and other research funders to create a sustainable environment for biomedical research in the UK, Europe and internationally.

Details of the internship
You will be involved in the policy team's current projects in areas such as data sharing and open access publishing, research ethics and regulation, and global health. You will be exposed to a variety of policy work, with key activities including preparation of briefing notes and responses, engaging parliamentarians and other policy makers, and conducting research to inform the development of Trust policy and strategy.

Specific requirements
You will need to demonstrate a good level of writing ability, analytical skills, initiative and attention to detail. An interest in science policy and in the parliamentary processes will be an advantage; enthusiasm and a willingness to learn will be essential.

Investments

The Investments team manages the Trust's $25 billion (£15bn) investment portfolio, which spans the globe, from Silicon Valley to Shenzhen. Our aim is to maximise our returns from global economic activity. From start-ups to global goliaths, private equity to hedge funds and property to currencies, we look for opportunities to grow our portfolio with a view to funding medical research now and in years to come.

Is Facebook worth $100bn? Can you turn algae into jet fuel? Will Indian consumers buy more chocolate? These are some of the questions that we consider as we think about the investment universe.

We are a team of 30 people and, between us, speak more than a dozen languages. We come from a wide range of disciplines including finance, politics, chemistry and medical microbiology. We believe that having a wide range of views makes for better decision making.

Details of the internship
You will be involved in communicating ideas and information within the team, reviewing the current portfolio, analysing new investment opportunities, and meeting existing and potential investment partners.

Specific requirements
In addition to meeting the general eligibility criteria, you will need to be hands-on, able to offer fresh perspectives and keen to learn constantly - and have fun.

Technology Transfer Division

The Technology Transfer Division helps to bridge the gap between fundamental research and commercial application by funding applied research and development projects to a stage where they are attractive to a follow-on funder.

Details of the internship
You will gain an overview of the funding process within translational research, including processes for new applications, funding agreements and post-funding management, and you will review a field of interest to us. For example, previous interns have worked on a review of drugs in development in the field of breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease. In addition an intern completed a review on key global centres of medical engineering.

These projects involve researching the topic area using databases, journals and the web, collating the information gathered into a report and presenting the findings to the Business Development Team. The search could include competitor analysis of the field, background into companies active in the area, and a summary of the state of the art and potential growth areas (i.e. where the scientific field is up to and where the unexplored areas are).

Specific requirements
You will need to be studying for a degree in biomedical or physical sciences or a related engineering field. You will also need to demonstrate experience in searching databases.

Additional assessment requirements
You will be asked to complete a 30-minute comprehension and written assessment in addition to the interview application process

Application process

Eligibility

General eligibility criteria for all internships

You should:

have a minimum of 300 UCAS points
be a current undergraduate (this scheme is aimed at those who are partway through their studies and is not intended for those just completing their final year)
not have already completed an internship at the Wellcome Trust
be available for the Summer Internship Programme period, which is 1 July-23 August 2013
be eligible to work in the UK for this period.

Information for overseas applicants

Specific requirements for some internships
Some internships require you to be studying in a specific subject area or to possess skills relevant to the internship area. Please see individual internship details for further information.

How do I apply?

If you meet the general eligibility criteria and any specific requirements for the internship you are interested in, you can apply online by sending us a CV and a covering letter (no longer than 1200 words) that addresses the following questions:

Why are you interested in the Summer Internship Programme at the Wellcome Trust?
Which internship are you applying for and why?
What will you bring to this internship and to the Trust? Please detail how you meet the general eligibility requirements for the scheme and any specific requirements for this internship, as well as providing details of any other relevant skills, experience and/or interests you have.
How will the internship benefit your studies and future career?

The closing date for applications is 4 March 2013.

Apply online

Assessment process

Applications will be shortlisted and interviews will take place between 1 and 12 April 2013. Offers for the places will be made shortly after, and internships will commence on 1 July 2013.

Internship experiences

Watch a video to find out more about internships within the Wellcome Trust.

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Some of the 2011 summer interns share their experiences below.

Derek Ho, Investments

My experience at the Wellcome Trust has taught me a spectrum of soft and hard skills, from building Excel databases to having the confidence to voice my opinions with hedge fund managers. It has given me a clear idea on what investments is about, and a basic understanding of all the different asset classes - ranging from venture capital to public stocks. I have also got to know great people, who have considerable achievements themselves, and have committed a lot of time to help me with my development.

Alice Calloway, Wellcome Library

My internship has certainly been full of surprises! There have been a range of different tasks which I have completed, including observing the installation of an exhibition, writing blogs, researching new ways to display material in Wellcome Collection, picking up paintings from external conservators, learning about basic collection care training…I could go on! The internship has been a fantastic experience and I have learned so much about the role of a library registrar and the work of conservation. It has been such a nice place to work and I have been made to feel part of the team. I would definitely recommend the internship to anybody who was interested in working in a museum or library.

Helen Brandwood, Grants Management

I worked in the team that receives applications from low- and middle-income countries. I was involved in a variety of projects, including one where I did the research and planning behind a new process, which will hopefully be put into place next year. Doing something valued was a huge motivator and gave me a sense of purpose, which is quite uncommon for summer interns!

Sarena Shetty, Technology Transfer

During the eight weeks I got the opportunity to work on a project that will be useful to my department and discover more about the work that the Wellcome Trust does. I met so many extraordinary people here and got the chance to develop skills that will be useful to me outside the Trust. I had a great time here and I would recommend this experience to everyone.

Nwando Dike, Science Funding

I have had the opportunity to meet and get to know many talented people. I have also learnt more about the Trust by meeting with people from different departments and learning more about what the other interns were working on. I greatly enjoyed my time here and would urge anyone thinking of applying for an internship at the Wellcome Trust to do it!

Clio Heslop, MH&E Grants

Spending eight weeks working with the MH&E Grants department has given me so many opportunities - ideal for someone as curious as me. I’ve visited some great projects, written profiles and blog posts, and met inspiring people. I was struck by how diverse the Wellcome Trust is; my whole perspective on science and culture has been broadened. I’ve developed my writing (and thinking) skills more than I could have imagined. A great experience.

Emma James, Communications

Everyone’s been really welcoming, and has encouraged me to get involved with as much as possible during my time here. I’ve had the chance to write for the Wellcome Trust’s print publications as well as writing blog posts, and it’s been great to venture out from the office occasionally too - going to events or tagging along on photo shoots. I’ve learnt so much from the experience, met lots of amazing people, and have really enjoyed my summer!