MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research – Public Engagement Assistant (virtual) – Deadline: Ongoing – SWBiosciences Doctoral Training Partnership

Name	MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
Placement base location	Virtual. In-person placements will be considered once safe to do so.
Website	https://www.gla.ac.uk/researchinstitutes/iii/cvr
Contact for enquiries	Faye Watson, Engagement and Communications Coordinator
Contact details	Email: faye.watson@glasgow.ac.uk
Placement job title	Public Engagement Assistant
Potential start date	Ongoing
Potential working pattern	Daily work pattern: 9am to 5pm Total hours per week: 35 FT/PT: Full time, for 6 months
Details of application method	To apply please send a short covering email and your CV to faye.watson@glasgow.ac.uk.
Application closing date	Applications ongoing with no deadline.
Overview of host organisation
About the CVR “We carry out fundamental research on viruses and viral diseases, translating the knowledge gained for the improvement of health and benefit of society.” The MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) was established in 2010 and represents the UK’s largest grouping of human and veterinary virologists. The CVR currently hosts 26 Principal Investigators and alongside their associated teams this makes up a total staff and student complement in excess of 170. This is supplemented with affiliates from the Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, Health Protection Scotland and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, thus creating a critical mass of researchers dedicated to the study of human and animal viral diseases. The CVR is embedded within the Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation at the University of Glasgow which provides excellent research opportunities to investigate virus-host interactions and immune response to virus infection. A defining feature of the CVR is its breadth of expertise ranging from molecular virology to in vivo pathogenesis, virus-cell interactions, viral immunology, viral ecology, viral oncology, clinical and veterinary virology, viral diagnostics, virus epidemiology, mathematical modelling, virus genomics & bioinformatics.
Placement offered
The MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) has been pivotal in the UK’s response to COVID-19 and has built a strong portfolio of engagement and communications activities. The postholder will support the Engagement and Communications Coordinator to embed an internal culture that supports and values public engagement with research. Potential projects are briefly described below. The final decision on which projects to pursue will be made following discussion between the intern and Engagement and Communications Coordinator: Support the Engagement and Communications Coordinator to deliver a programme of patient and public involvement activities leading up to an online forum highlighting the CVR’s research on blood-borne viruses. Support the Engagement and Communications Coordinator to run a citizen science project related to viral vectors and climate change. Design and/ or deliver various other public engagement projects with CVR researchers, which may include but are not limited to A series of animations helping people in Uganda and Kenya understand genomic surveillance to improve vaccine uptake Creation of interactive, educational resources on viruses and the diseases they cause Creation of a package of resources on the CVR’s research response to COVID-19 The postholder will have the opportunity to suggest and embark on projects of their own dependent on time availability and are encouraged to discuss these with the Engagement and Communications Coordinator.
Financial contribution/benefit(s)
As part of this internship, you will be able to attend formal training and conferences to explore all the opportunities available to someone embarking on a public engagement career.