The Conversation is looking for its next paid intern, offering budding journalists their first step on the career ladder.
Lloyd’s Register Foundation is providing the funds for a three-month placement with The Conversation, the independent news and commentary website produced by journalists and academics.
The successful candidate will work with the site’s science and technology team to gain invaluable experience as a commissioning editor at The Conversation’s headquarters in London.
The Conversation operates a fast-paced daily newsroom and interns will have the chance to generate story ideas, identify and work with contributing authors, edit articles and promote the site through social media. There may also be a chance to contribute to the site’s monthly podcast.
Reporting to the science editor, the intern will have extensive opportunities to practice and develop their skills and learn from The Conversation’s highly experienced team.
The ideal candidate will be full of ideas for stories, good at dealing with people and difficult concepts, and meticulous in checking details. A background in science or technology would be an advantage but what’s more important is an enthusiasm for translating interesting, complex ideas into engaging, accessible writing for a mass audience. Excellent English language skills are essential.
The internships are full-time, temporary paid roles based on 40 hours’ work a week and paid at the London Living Wage of £10.20 an hour (£408 a week). The placement is scheduled to run from October To December 2018, although there is some flexibility. The Conversation encourages candidates from all backgrounds to apply.
The Conversation is a non-profit news-led website that aims to inform public debate with evidence-based journalism that unlocks the expertise of academic researchers. The site’s team of professional journalists commission and edit articles written by university researchers from every branch of academia, using their expertise to explain current events, important trends and the latest and most interesting research.
The Conversation’s Editor, Stephen Khan, said: “We are thrilled that our partnership with Lloyd’s Register Foundation continues to support paid internships at The Conversation.
"The intern will work closely with our editors, learning about how articles are commissioned and crafted. Such schemes are vital as we seek to cultivate and encourage editing talent. We hope their contribution will prove valuable as we look to produce content that explains and explores issues of importance and interest to the general public.”
Lloyd’s Register Foundation is a charity that helps to protect life and property and support education, engineering-related research and public engagement.
Tim Slingsby, director of skills and education at the Foundation, said “Lloyd’s Register Foundation is proud to support the Science Editor at The Conversation.
"With this internship we look forward to seeing more articles that closely align with the work that we fund, and for the successful applicants, we hope that this is the start of a successful and impactful career in science communication.”
To apply for the internship, candidates should send their CV and a covering letter explaining why their interests and experience suit the specific needs of the role, along with five ideas for articles that The Conversation’s science and technology team could commission, to Stephen Harris (stephen.harris@theconversation.com) by September 9, 2018.