NIHR Undergraduate Data Science Internships

This National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Undergraduate Internship Programme aims to engage and attract students in the early stages of their academic studies to consider a career in health and social care research. Three funded opportunities are available for students to gain knowledge and hands-on experience of the application of data science to health research at the Bristol Medical School.

You’ll gain professional experience and knowledge through a funded internship. This will help support your application for postgraduate study and other research jobs.

During the internship, you’ll take part in sessions to improve your research skills and gain insights into postgraduate study and research at the University of Bristol. There are also social opportunities for you to get to know the other interns, as well as staff and students at the University.

Funding

You will be paid £19.16 per hour, which is equivalent to a Research Assistant role. Working hours will be 35 hours per week and will include a pro rata holiday allowance.

You will also be eligible for funding to cover some travel and accommodation costs.

Duration

The NIHR Undergraduate Data Science Internships will last six weeks from Monday 23 June to Friday 1 August. The start date may be adjusted slightly, in agreement with the successful candidate and the supervisor for each project.

Location

Research projects will be based in either the NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre or the Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, which are both part of Bristol Medical School. Research projects may be carried out mostly by remote working, or in the office (Bristol Medical School, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN).

To apply for a NIHR Undergraduate Data Science Internship you must:

  • be a UK (Home) fee-paying student registered on a relevant undergraduate course in the UK;
  • be in the middle year(s) of your degree.

Successful applicants will have demonstrated their experience in coding or software development (preferably R or Python however not essential), as well as their interest in health research.  

Where an internship is oversubscribed, we will give priority to those who meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • your ethnicity is listed under Asian or Asian British; Black, Black British, Caribbean or African; Mixed or multiple ethnic groups; or the Other ethnic group category on the uk list of ethnic groups;
  • you have been eligible for free school meals;
  • you come from one of the more deprived areas of the country as defined by the government's Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) database. You can check your postcode ranking using the IMD website. Please note this criterion only applies to students who live in England;
  • you are a mature student (aged 21 or over when you started your first undergraduate course);
  • you are a care-leaver or an estranged student;
  • are from Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and Boater (GTRSB) communities;
  • you are a refugee or asylum seeker;
  • you have a disability. Please note that the term disability is very wide; further details of what may be considered a disability are in the definition of disability.

Please complete the application form here.

Applications close at 9.00 am BST on Monday 12th May 2025.

Shortlisted candidates may be required to attend an interview (likely to be in the week commencing 19th May 2025).

If you have any questions or would like to discuss anything prior to applying, please contact Ellie Curnow, Chin Yang Shapland, or Charlotte James.