Bursting Bugs – Summer Internship

Applications Close: 05 January 2026

Salary: £23,493 to £24,250 per annum depending on qualifications and experience

Contract Length: 5 weeks, full time

Applications are invited for a Summer Intern to join the Microbes and Food Safety programme at Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), based in Norwich, UK.

Background:

The Quadram Institute's high-quality microscopy facilities offer the unique opportunity to video the explosive response of antibiotic susceptible bacteria challenged with antibiotics and contrast it with the resurgence of resistant bacteria.

We want to assemble educational media and believe that sharing it with schools, primary care providers, and on social media platforms will be a compelling means of educating how antibiotics work, that some bacteria are/become resistant, and why antibiotic stewardship is so important

The role:

Paid 5-week summer internship for a content creator to generate microscopy videos of bacteria bursting in response to administering antibiotics as part of a public education video on the uses of antibiotics and risks of misuse. We are looking for an individual to help shape the creative direction of the project and carry out advanced microscopy.

The ideal candidate:

The ideal candidate will have a good standard of education with a minimum of 5 GCSE's or equivalent. Candidates must have experience in content creation, and interest in science communication. Experience with microscopy and/or camera lenses and experience working in a category 2 laboratory culturing bacteria is not essential but would be advantageous.

Good communication, interpersonal skills, and organisational skills are required.

Additional information:

Salary on appointment will be within the range £23,493 to £24,250 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full-time post for a contract of 5 weeks.

For further information and details of how to apply can be found here, or contact the Human Resources team on or quoting reference 20713.

Interviews will be held mid-February 2026 with an anticipated start date in July 2026

We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from all sectors of society. The Institute values of Respect, Innovation, Collaboration and Excellence are at the heart of all we do, and we expect all employees to share and display these values. To support our commitment, we have a range of family, faith and diversity friendly working arrangements to help all staff achieve excellence in their area of work.

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy.

About the Quadram Institute:

The Quadram Institute is a new interdisciplinary research institute dedicated to understanding how food and microbes interact to promote health and prevent disease. Its mission is to deliver healthier lives through innovation in gut health, microbiology and food. A partnership between Quadram Institute Bioscience, the University of East Anglia, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and BBSRC, it brings together scientists and clinicians in a state-of-the-art building on the Norwich Research Park. This is one of Europe's largest centres of life sciences and home of the John Innes Centre and The Earlham Institute.

The closing date for applications will be 5 January 2026

The Quadram Institute Bioscience is a registered charity (No and is an Equal Opportunities Employer.