Our internship programme offers students a unique opportunity to develop professional and laboratory skills.
Each year, we welcome applications from students who are currently studying a relevant undergraduate science degree with optional professional training year (this will usually be between the second and third year of the degree).
These placements run from September to August and are based at The Pirbright Institute in Surrey.
Applications for 2025/26 are now open.
PLEASE NOTE: YOU MAY APPLY FOR ONE PROJECT ONLY.
Available projects
Project title: Understanding the potential of reversion to virulence of rationally attenuated recombinant IBV vaccine viruses
Supervisors: Dr Sarah Keep and Dr Erica Bickerton
Research group: Coronaviruses
Project title: Isolation and characterisation of methanogen-specific Fabs from cattle using phage display technology
Supervisors: Dr Danish Munir and Dr Ramkrashan Kasera
Research group: Immunogenetics
Project title: Light and electron microscopy to understand foot-and-mouth disease virus replication
Supervisors: Dr Stephen Berryman and Jenny Simpson
Research group: Picornavirus Molecular Biology
Project title: Optimizing In Vitro Avian B Cell Maturation and Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) Pathotype Interaction
Supervisors: Dr Ahmed Ibrahim and Dr Marie Di Placido
Research group: Infectious Bursal Disease Virus
Project title: Using stable virus-like particles to compare cattle and buffalo antibody responses to foot-and-mouth disease virus infection and vaccination
Supervisors: Dr Marie Di Placido, Dr Abigail Hay and Dr Theo Tsoleridis
Research group: Immunogenetics
Project title: Towards an improved understanding of the dynamics of antigen presentation on follicular dendritic cell networks during arterivirus infection
Supervisors: Dr Jane Edwards and Prof Simon Graham
Research group: Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) Immunology
Project title: Improving knowledge on the relevance of biting flies for African swine fever virus transmission
Supervisors: Dr Raquel Portugal, Dr Chris Netherton, Dr Chris Sanders, and Dr John Schwartz
Research group: African Swine Fever Virus
Project title: Characterising differential antiviral responses in cell lines permissive to foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) infection
Supervisors: Dr Mariana Marques, Prof Nicolas Locker and Dr Toby Tuthill
Research group: Viral Stress Responses
Project title: Investigating T cell responses to bluetongue virus infection in susceptible ruminants: a comparative approach
Supervisors: Dr Kerry Newbrook, Dr Katy Moffat and Dr Wilhelm Gerner
Research group: Non-Vesicular Reference Laboratory
How to apply
You may apply for one project only.
We welcome applications from undergraduate students who are currently studying a relevant undergraduate science degree (that includes an optional industrial placement year) at a UK university.
- Internship dates: September 2025 to August 2026 (11 months)
- Salary: £24,700 (pro rata)
If English is not your first language, you will be required to provide evidence of your ability. We require an overall IELTS score of 7.0 with no lower than 7.0 in reading and listening, no lower than 6.5 in speaking and no lower than 6.0 in writing. Other English language qualifications may be accepted.
Due to the nature of the work carried out at the Institute, successful candidates will be required to undergo a comprehensive screening process before commencing the internship.
Application requirements
- Application Form: Complete the application form fully - ensure you include the reference number and title of the project that you are applying for. You may apply for one project only.
- Equal Opportunities Questionnaire (optional): As a reputable and fair employer, The Pirbright Institute wants to meet the aims and commitments of its equality policy. This includes not discriminating under the Equality Act 2010 and building an accurate picture of our community to encourage equality and diversity.
The Institute needs your help and cooperation to enable it to do this, but filling in this form is voluntary. The information provided will be kept confidential and will only be used for monitoring purposes. Any data we process will be anonymous and aggregated with records of other candidates. It will not include any identifiable information. The information you choose to give will not affect the outcome of your application and will not be seen by those responsible for the selection process.
Email your application to studentship@pirbright.ac.uk by the closing date: 31 January 2025
Interviews will be held during March 2025.
