Scottish Government internships for NERC funded PhD students
There will not be a call for Scottish Government internships for NERC funded PhD students in 2012. Details of the last round are retained below for information, and this page will be updated as future opportunities arise.
NERC funded PhD students who have completed their first year of study are invited to apply for internship opportunities with the Scottish Government. Applications are invited for Internships in the following areas:
- Improving Agricultural Productivity through Science and Innovation
- Scottish Government's Geographic Information Science and Analysis Team (GI-SAT)
- Draft National Marine Plan: Analysis of Responses to a Public Consultation
- A NERC Internship 'Pool' opportunity for projects which may arise in 2012
Application deadline: 19 October 2011
The Scottish Government NERC internships will all be based in Edinburgh. Interns are provided with a fully funded 3-month extension to their PhD and with sufficient funds to support relocating or commuting to Edinburgh. All internships are to be completed during 2012.
Background: The Scottish Government and natural and social science
The devolved Government for Scotland is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Scotland, including health, education, justice, rural affairs, and transport. Research plays an important role in shaping the policies of the Scottish Government. It helps thinking about new and better ways of doing things and provides new understandings and discoveries that benefit society.
Within government, professional social researchers, economists, statisticians, scientists and engineers provide high quality research-based evidence and advice for Ministers and Scottish Government officials to inform policy development, policy delivery and policy evaluation. Their core functions include:
- The interpretation of evidence and the provision of research and science based advice.
- Engaging with the academic and wider research community to bring expert knowledge into the policy making process.
- Commissioning external research projects.
- Undertaking research such as reviews of the existing evidence base.
- Disseminating research findings and encouraging their wider use.
The Scottish Government conducted a successful pilot internship scheme with NERC in 2011 and is pleased to again offer NERC-funded PhD students opportunities for internships with the Scottish Government in 2012.
The NERC internship scheme will be managed by Dr Stuart Muirhead of the Social Research and Analysis in Government Unit (SRAIGU)
Application options
NERC funded PhD Students meeting the eligibility requirements may apply for:
- An internship in a Directorate from the list of three specific projects described above; and/or
- Inclusion in a 'pool' of PhD students who are willing to consider internships suitable for NERC interns which may arise later in 2012.
Applicants are free to apply for more than one internship and to apply for the pool to maximise their chances of obtaining an internship with the Scottish Government.
Description of opportunities for 2012, SG-NERC internships (27KB)
Application process
Students should complete the below application form, and indicate to which of the above options they are applying.
Potential applicants are encouraged to discuss their applications and areas of interest with Dr Stuart Muirhead in SRAIGU (see below for contact details), and then with the Scottish Government Analytical Service Division Sponsor contact (identified in the description of opportunities), in advance of submitting their application.
Potential applicants are encouraged to carefully consider the information requested in the application form, and to pay particular attention to setting out their expertise and skills. Applicants are not expected to have policy knowledge and should focus on setting out their academic skills and abilities in the application form.
The deadline for applications is 19 October 2011.
Please send one electronic copy of the completed application form to Dr Stuart Muirhead at the Scottish Government and copy the email to the NERC Knowledge Exchange Group.
In addition, please also send a hard copy (signed, dated and stamped, etc) of the completed application form to:
Ros Deakin
Swindon Office Administration Team
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House
North Star Avenue
Swindon
SN2 1EU
Selection process
Interns will be selected by the Scottish Government on the basis of their written application. Scottish Government Science or Policy Sponsors may also wish to have an informal telephone discussion with applicants, before final allocation of internships. Successful applicants will be contacted in November/December by NERC and the Scottish Government. Students must confirm their availability, agree dates for their internship, and commit to the internship by the end of December 2011.
Eligibility requirements
To be eligible to apply, students must have completed their first year of PhD study, and be full time registered and in receipt of their NERC stipend at the time of undertaking the internship. In addition to fully funded NERC students, students with at least 50% funding from a NERC research centre and students co-funded by NERC but with their funding administered by another research council (eg NERC/ESRC studentships) are also eligible. Students must commence their internship prior to receiving their final stipend payment. All internships must be completed during 2012, ie have commenced by 1 September 2012. Successful candidates will be entitled to two days annual leave per month (taken individually or as a block) during their internship.
Contacts
The Scottish Government lead contact for this scheme is:
Dr Stuart Muirhead
Tel: 0131 244 3168
The NERC lead contact is:
Andrew Richardson
Knowledge Exchange Group
Andrew Richardson is available to advise on general aspects of the scheme, from a NERC perspective.
Further information
More information about analytical services and science in the Scottish Government is available on the Scottish Government website.