
Be the first to know about all the professional development opportunities on offer for UNSW Science students. This includes science work placements, research internships and co-curricular professional development programs, events and webinars. Getting hands-on industry work experience gives you insights beyond the lab and lectures. It also enhances your CV and may earn you credit towards your degree.
Find opportunities on our new site. Note: The link is only accessible to current UNSW Science students and staff.
Check out the Summer 21/22 opportunities section!
Registration for Evolve Scientific's EVOLUTION PROGRAM has now started, giving eligible science students the chance to register for a paid internship!
Opportunity type: Science or free elective (SCIF3199)
Ideal for: Students currently studying or about to graduate from a science discipline e.g. Agriscience, Biotech, Chemistry, Enviro Science and Food Science students.
The Evolution program will assist in placing science students into employment with industries relevant to your degree, over the summer term. You will gain valuable experience, which can lead to a job within the company you are working for or give you that much needed job experience to gain employment elsewhere when you graduate. If your answer is yes to any of the below questions, be sure to keep reading.
💥Are you currently studying a degree in Science?
💥Have you just completed your Science/Engineering degree and don’t know where to start with your job search?
💥Are you interested in kick starting your career during the summer holidays with potential to work on-call during uni semesters?
💥Are you an enthusiastic and reliable student eager to gain lab and manufacturing support experience across a range of industries?
Find out more information about these opportunities and apply.
For students interested in completing this as a SCIF3199 6 UOC elective course, please head to the below link for more information or contact the Science Education Team at science.industry@unsw.edu.au with any questions.
ChallENG yourself to work on research that changes the world.
Opportunity type: 6 UOC general education credit for eligible science students.
The UNSW Engineering ChallENG program offers, real-world, project-based learning initiatives for UNSW students! This multidisciplinary educational approach connects students, academics and industry enabling students to develop the essential technical and professional skills so they will thrive in their future career.
VIP extends project-based learning beyond a single semester. It allows time for students to gain a deeper insight into their field of study and is a wonderful opportunity in a safe environment to develop sought-after professional skills. Through VIP, students interact with the academic’s industry partners (potential employers) and receive course credit.
There are 30 vertically integrated projects available for you to apply for in 2022! You can explore them here.
Some relevant projects for Science students are below:
Throughout your project, a seniority will also provide you with leadership, management, and mentorship roles that will help prepare you for the workforce.
The application process for these projects is as below:
Note: Most UNSW students can apply to a VIP project in their first year and begin in their second year at UNSW.
More information on eligibility, prerequisites, assessment and more can be found here.
If you have further questions about this opportunity, please contact the ChallENG Program Team below:
Phone: (+61) 2 9385 5000
Email: challeng@unsw.edu.au
Gain valuable career skills and experience through short term, company-backed virtual internships provided for free through Forage (previously known as InsideSherpa).
Opportunity type: Co-curricular Program
Ideal for: all science students, particularly those interested in expanding career opportunities into consulting, tech and finance industries, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Deadline: No deadline – get started whenever you like!
Forage is an online platform that provides virtual internship programs from a wide range of top companies.
These short programs (which take 5-6 hours to complete) will give you a glimpse into a variety of careers and companies that recruit STEM graduates. You’ll work on tasks that mirror the day-to-day work of employees at the organisation and receive training in a variety of practical professional skills that you can add onto your CV and LinkedIn profile. There’s even a Virtual Work Readiness program that will help you to navigate the work of virtual work.
If you are:
These short virtual internships are a must!
Gain transferrable professional skills and insights into a variety of graduate roles with these short virtual experiences.
Opportunity type: Co-curricular Program
Ideal for: all science students, particularly those interested in expanding career opportunities into consulting, tech and finance industries.
Deadline: No deadline – get started whenever you're ready and work at your own pace.
In partnership with a range of graduate employers, GradAustralia is now offering a series of on-the-job learning modules and hypothetical tasks drawn from real-world examples of what it’s actually like to work in an organisation as a junior employee.
These virtual experiences are ideal for students who are:
Launch your career while you study!
Opportunity type: Co-curricular Program
Ideal for: All science students
Deadline: No deadline – get started whenever you're ready and work at your own pace.
STEM Career Launchpad is a new career management program specially designed for science students. It’s a co-curricular AHEGS accredited program that you can do alongside your academic courses; it will essentially guide you through the career planning process and give you the tools and skills you need to make informed career choices.
Career planning can be particularly confusing for science students whose STEM skills are highly valued by industries outside of the science industry and have more diverse opportunities to consider in addition to a traditional research career path.
This program will help to alleviate the confusion around integrating career development into the student journey by providing an award-based ‘choose-your-own-adventure’ style careers program tailored for science students. You’ll collect professional development badges and earn awards that will help you to prepare for your career, explore different STEM careers and expand your professional network. And importantly, you’ll gain relevant work experience and access to other current opportunities before you graduate.
Registrations are now open. Find out more about the program and register your interest.
For further enquiries, please email stemcareerlaunchpad@unsw.edu.au
This 6 UOC science elective gives you the opportunity to gain genuine work experience in a science or technology-related workplaces via an internship program.
These 6 UOC science elective courses are designed for science students interested in a research career. They involve a short theoretical or experimental research project (related to the student's major) that is supervised by a UNSW Science academic staff member. The internship may encompass project planning, literature review, project development, fieldwork, experimental work, statistical analyses and oral and written reporting.
BEES2051 is a specialised work placement course that allows students to work at a partner organisation in an area of Biological, Earth or Environmental science.
This 6 UOC general education or free elective course provides valuable career management training for undergraduate students. It covers:
This 6 UOC general education or free elective course provides the opportunity to work in multidisciplinary teams of students on real-life projects supervised by industry partners. Previous industry partners include The Australian Museum, GML Heritage and NTT.
Science communication skills are crucial for all science graduates regardless of their chosen science major. These science or free elective courses are a great opportunity to develop science communication skills or prepare for a career in science communication.
This Real-world Industry Engagement and Employment Skills course is linked with external agencies, industries and businesses who provide projects to teams of students to work on.