Why apply?

With our internship scheme you can take part in a real palaeontology research project. You will gain knowledge and experience, and it will support your in your application for PhD positions and other career opportunities.

Previous internship undergraduates have taken their projects to completion and published their work. Many of these students have gone on to PhD positions in several countries (so far, UK, Ireland, USA) as well as other professional careers.

Duration

4 to 12 weeks

Host and location

Palaeobiology Research Group, University of Bristol

You will work in the research group within one of our eight palaeobiology labs.

The experience

You choose the person you would like to work with. If your application is successful, you will design a project with them that addresses your enthusiasms and style of working. This could be field work, laboratory work, chemistry of fossils, computational study of phylogeny or macroevolution.

You will be an active member of the Bristol Palaeobiology Research Group.

As well as focusing on your project, you will meet our palaeobiologists, attend seminars and debate current papers.

You will aim to complete an original piece of research and then engage in writing it up for publication. If you are ready to lead, we will do everything to encourage you to do this.

We will cover skills in handling data, scientific writing, quality illustration, and an understanding of the publication process.

Eligibility

You can apply for an undergraduate summer internship if you meet the following criteria:

• you are a UK, Commonwealth or EEA national
• you are in your second year at university as an undergraduate student
• you are studying a relevant degree in palaeontology, biology, or geology (biological or earth sciences)

Funding

The scheme offers no funding of its own, but you can seek funding through other schemes if you are interested.

The Palaeontological Association offers Undergraduate Reseach Bursaries.

These awards provide funding for up to eight weeks for undergraduates as a first introduction to research. Each academic can apply for only one, and the closing date is usually in February each year - you must approach the academic of your choice in good time.

How to apply

To apply for an undergraduate summer internship, you must submit the following information, grouped into a single document and saved as a PDF:

1. A letter of intent (no more than two A4 pages in font size 12) explaining why you are interested in the internship and how you think it can enhance your career prospects.
2. Your CV, with two referee names and their e-mails.
3. A brief summary (no more than 100 words) of the supervisor and project that you have in mind.
4. Your ideal dates for the internship - 6 to 8 weeks through early June to mid-September, 2019.

Send the above information to your chosen academic supervisor before Friday 5 April 2019 at 5 pm.

Selection process

Depending on demand, you may have an interview, or selection may be by email discussion.