Hosting a BBSRC DTP intern
We are currently recruiting organisations from any employment sector - including industry, business, media, the government and voluntary sector, and education - to provide placements as part of the BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme (DTP).
The BBSRC DTP is an extremely competitive research council-funded PhD programme in the biosciences. As a result, students are of the highest calibre, having graduated from top universities across the UK and internationally.
As part of the programme, all DTP students are required to complete a three-month professional internship placement (PIP) in an area that interests them and aligns with their professional development.
Benefits for employers
- Work with a top-quality PhD student for three months at no cost, as the student will receive a BBSRC stipend during the placement.
- Establish employment and collaborative links with a world-class academic institution.
- Get a resource to complete a piece of project work.
- 'Try and test' future recruits.
- Gain fresh perspectives and ideas, and access to cutting-edge science and scientists.
"Taking part in the internship scheme has been a hugely positive experience. The student was able to contribute to different activities throughout the organisation and bring to us up-to-date skills and techniques, which have been passed on to other staff."
Dr Caroline Aylott / Head of Research Awards and Translation, Arthritis Research UK
About the placements
All placements are required to be outside of academia and unrelated to the student's PhD research project. While they may be science-related, they certainly do not have to be, and many students will consider their internship to be an opportunity to explore broader commercial and business roles.
Around 40% of PhD graduates do not stay in academia in the long run, and we hope to prepare them for this eventuality, as well as to equip them with solid transferable skills that will be useful in any setting.
The work offered should be a discrete project that will challenge the students and test both their intellectual and transferable skills. It should be designed to enable them to make a positive contribution to the work of their host organisation and to raise awareness of the opportunities that exist outside of the research environment.
Examples of placements include:
- science communication in a government organisation
- computer programming at a blue-chip company
- science learning mentor at sixth form college
- service evaluation for a health charity
- market research and development in a medical communications company
- public engagement at a zoo
- journalism at a popular science magazine
- research support at a biotech company.
"Our placement student has far exceeded our expectations. Her timekeeping is impeccable and, in many instances, has gone above and beyond what was required. Her quality of work is superb and she is a very tenacious worker."
Dr Stuart Farrimond / Co-Founder/Editor, Guru Magazine Ltd
Contact us
If you are interested in taking part in the PIPS scheme as a host organisation, please get in touch for more information.
Tel: +44 (0)161 275 5608
Email: fbmh.doctoralacademy@manchester.ac.uk