The Cell Press Media & Communications Office is offering a winter internship for current graduate students or those who recently finished a graduate program. The program is designed to give you the full experience of being a science communicator at a major publishing operation. Primarily, you will see how a scientific paper from the laboratory becomes a story in a major media outlet. In addition to assisting with science writing duties, the intern may help produce original marketing or social media content from pitch to distribution, developing the skills to create and analyze the success of their work. Throughout your internship, you will collaborate with other business teams, including marketing, commercial sales, editorial, and production, and better understand how each department meets business goals. By the end of your time at Cell Press, you will walk away with a collection of 20+ clips comprised of press releases, marketing copy, and social media posts.

Tasks will include:

• Writing press releases about research published in Cell Press journals.

• Assisting with week-to-week maintenance of core media & communications functions.

• Developing, distributing, and reporting back on the success of original content marketing and social media content.

• Preparing weekly social media posts for Cell Press content.

• Collaborating with team members on the design, look, feel, and tone of materials.

• A capstone project to be determined by the intern’s interests.

Ideal Candidate Skills and Experience

The ideal candidate for the internship will:

• Be studying for or have completed a Master’s in public relations, journalism, or science. A demonstrated interest in biology or chemistry is a plus.
• Have experience preparing and telling a science/health story (specifically pitching, conducting interviews, and writing pieces of journalism or public relations materials).
• Have proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook). Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator skills are not required, but helpful.
• Have work experience within an office environment.
• Be comfortable working alone as well as with a team, know how to juggle many time-sensitive tasks, be able to proactively seek information to complete a project, and be able to maintain a friendly attitude in a high-pressure environment.

Applicants from underrepresented communities in science are encouraged to apply.

Internship Position and Timing

Location: The Science Communication Intern reports to Senior Media & Communications Manager and normally works in the Elsevier office at 50 Hampshire Street, Floor 5, Cambridge, Massachusetts, although the internship will be offered remotely depending on current events. A laptop is provided.

Timing: The internship is 5 days a week, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Start and end dates are flexible, but the internship lasts from January through May.

Compensation: $18/hr –

No permanent position is available at the end of the internship, although candidates will be considered for available positions/freelancing opportunities should they apply, and performance/circumstances warrant it.