Work Experience options
for Science & Biomedicine
Melbourne Careers Centre
http://careers.unimelb.edu.au/
Yovanna Adamis
Careers Consultant
Today
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Overview of types of Work Experience opportunities for
Science & Biomedicine students
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Where to find advertised positions
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Looking beyond these formal programs to gain practical
experience and professionally relevant skills
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Exploring
 Formal / structured opportunities
 Working & Volunteering around the globe
 Research / laboratory work
 Internship subjects & capstone subjects
 Clubs & societies by area of interest
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Resources and Services
Slides will be uploaded on MCC website scroll down to ‘Seminar Presentations – Science & Technology’ :
http://careers.unimelb.edu.au/student/online_career_tools/exploring_your_options (
Internships & Vacation Work
These programs are popular and competitive with formal
application procedures.
Internship
Opportunity to practice and develop professional skills under supervision in the
workplace. It may range from a few weeks (4-6) and occurs in a field relevant
to the student’s qualification. It may also result in academic credit. It may take
place on a part-time basis at any time of the year or during vacation period.
Vacation Program
Paid degree-related work experience often undertaken at the end of secondlast year of study either over summer and/or winter vacation periods; can often
lead to graduate positions.
An Internship is generally paid unless it is with a not-for-profit
organisation or is part of an academic subject
http://www.graduateopportunities.com/your-career/undergraduate-programs/
How do I find out about these
opportunities?
Employers advertise in various ways throughout the year, so you need to
check a range of sources:
• Careers Online - the University’s jobs board, all year round
• http://www.graduateopportunities.com/ - Internships, Vacation, Work
Experience, etc; free-downloads/ebooks/
• Major job sites - Seek, Job Search, Career One, My Career
• Employer websites - go directly to employers of interest to see if they have
work experience programs
• Professional Association sites – refer to Melbourne Careers Centre
website, scroll down to “Professional Associations by degree’
• Careers Fairs & Other on-campus Employer events - check the
Whats_on calendar and book via Careers Online
• Consider approaching an employer directly if there are no programs
which suit your needs and interests.
Go to australia.gov.au to locate information about individual departmental programs
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Department of Agriculture – University-Vacation-Employment-Program (UVEP)
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Australian Institute of Marine Science – Work experience and volunteering
opportunities
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http://www.mdba.gov.au/ - Murray Darling Basin Authority
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Defence Technical Scholarships – Navy, Army, Air Force
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Defence Work Experience – interest in becoming Pilot, Flight & engineering crew
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Australian Building Codes Board - Cadetship Program and Research Scholarship –
Construction & Built Environment
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ANSTO - Early career programs – Year in Industry program for STEM students
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CSIRO - Work experience and Scholarships
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Geoscience Australia - internships, entry level programs - via eRecruitment system
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National Health & Medical Research Council - http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/ – mainly
postgrad scholarships in biomedical research, public health, etc; also undergrad
Internships via the Australian National Internships Program
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Airservices Australia - Technical trainee - air traffic control, aviation
telecommunications, radar and radio navigation services
http://australia.gov.au/topics/employment-and-workplace/australian-government-jobs
Victorian Government Opportunities
https://graduates.vic.gov.au/opportunities-for-graduates/internships-and-work-experience
Internships and Work Experience
Opportunities to undertake work experience or internships with VicGov departments can vary
from department to department so it is best to contact Human Resources in each department
that interests you to request further information. A list of department contacts is available here.
Careers for Engineering Degrees
Agriculture, Land and Environment
Consulting, Policy and Strategy
Education and Training
Engineering and Construction
IT and Telecommunications, Science and Technology
Justice, Prisons, Police and Emergency Services
Careers for IT Degrees
Business
Consulting, Policy and Strategy
Customer Service and Retail
Education and Training
IT, Telecommunications, Science and Technology
Justice, Police and Emergency Services
Careers for Science Degrees
Agriculture, Land and Environment
Business
Consulting, Policy and Strategy
Education and Training
Engineering and Construction
Healthcare, Medical and Community
IT and Telecommunications, Science and
Technology
Justice, Prisons, Police and Emergency Services
Trades, Services and Transport
Private Sector Opportunities
What you’ll do / Skills you’ll use
WHAT you’ll do:
SKILLS from your degree:
• Research assignments
• Investigative & Research
• Policy development and processes
• Computational & data-processing
• Developing new methodologies
• Report writing
• Planning and delivery of research
assignments
• Interpret & evaluate information/concepts;
presentation of complex ideas
• Preparation of briefings and research
publications
• Problem solving – handle intellectually
difficult problems
• Materials engineering
• Understanding statistical data
• Technical and product training
• IT skills
• Project work relating to particular functions of Dept or Business Unit – applying a
structured approach to problem solving, thinking logically, analysing and making
decisions, presenting your conclusions in writing and in person
• Technical skills - communicate complex ideas, use instruments, identify and classify
materials, technical writing, computational and data processing skills, data analysis
using a range of appropriate statistical methods and packages
Global Internships
http://www.infosys.com/InStep
http://www.mobility.unimelb.edu.au/outbound/index.html
Undergraduate Research
Opportunities Program (UROP)
http://bio21cluster.org.au/undergraduate-research-opportunities-program-urop/
Biomedical / Health Sciences
Research
Royal Women’s Hospital – Scholarships & Student Projects:
http://www.thewomens.org.au/Scholarships?searchTerms[]=for&searchTerms[]=students
RCH: http://www.rch.org.au/ccch/careers_students/
Volunteering Internship (at the Centre for Community Child Health):
http://www.rch.org.au/ccch/careers_students/CCCH_Internship_Program/
Work Experience Program: http://www.rch.org.au/careers/work_experience_program/
Murdock Children’s Research Institute: http://www.mcri.edu.au/careersstudents/students/
Student Program: https://www.mcri.edu.au/students/other-student-programs
Honours Projects: http://www.mcri.edu.au/careers-students/students/honours-research-projects/
Peter Mac: http://www.petermac.org/education/laboratory-research-education
Research Placements & School Experiences: http://www.petermac.org/education/laboratoryresearch-education/research-placements-and-school-experiences
Bio21: http://www.bio21.unimelb.edu.au/education-and-training
Honours Projects: http://www.bio21.unimelb.edu.au/assets/document/1350520373bio21_institute_based_hons_msc_projects_2013_final.pdf
VICTORIAN LIFE SCIENCES COMPUTATION INITIATIVE (VLSCI)
https://www.vlsci.org.au/opportunities/internships
Science Internship subject
https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/view/2015/SCIE30002
This subject involves completion of an 80-100 hour science or technology
work placement integrating academic learning in science areas of study.
On completion of the subject, students will have:
 completed and reported on a course-related project in a science or
technology workplace.
 enhanced employability skills including communication, interpersonal,
analytical and problem-solving, organisational and time-management, and
 understanding of career planning and professional development.
For further information:
Science Student Centre - internship_subjects
Information Session for S2 2015 Intake:
Tuesday 24 March, 12:30pm,
Fritz Lowe Th., Earth Sciences
University Work Experience &
Capstone Subjects
University Work Experience Subjects
Community Volunteering for Change (breadth subjects)
• MULT30020 Community Volunteering for Change
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MULT20014 Community Volunteering for Change-Global
MULT30021 Community Volunteering for Change-Global
Capstone subjects
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https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/view/2012/FOOD30009
FOOD30009 Food Research & Development (3rd yr u/g)
Check Faculty websites and/or search the university's handbook using terms such as:
internship, practicum, placement.
Lab Work Experience
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Two ways to find these opportunities :
– Advertisements, Organisation websites (Visible job market)
– Direct approach, Word of mouth (Hidden job market)
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Before you start – do you know what you’re looking for?
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Look through research conducted by academics – by Department, by
Project, etc
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Offer to volunteer - most students working in labs do so initially without
pay; it's up to you to go around and find an academic who could use some
help.
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Positions like these are not "advertised”; direct approach, networking, and
some employment agencies are good ways to find these
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Consider taking 3rd year research subject or internship subject
Part-time work
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Part-time “student” jobs
– hospitality, tutoring, retail, administration, technical support, etc.
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Careers Online - Part-time and casual work
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http://union.unimelb.edu.au/ - check out the Get-jobs/ for casual roles with
UMSU or directly apply at one of the 20 privately run food outlets in Union
House
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Students@Work – on-campus employment with focus on customer service
and administration which are relevant skills for all careers; intake each
semester advertised on Careers Online- http://careersonline.unimelb.edu.au/
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Consider using Recruitment Agencies http://www.seek.com.au/Recruiter
Determining Your Internship Needs and
Setting Internship Goals
3 Steps: 1) Determine your goal, 2) Prepare for the Job Search, 3) Find Sources
1)Determine your Internship Goal
•What are your specific career interests?
• define your career goal, eg., Maths/Stats major ~ career as investment
analyst ~ might consider experience with a bank
• refine your career goal, eg., Biochem & Molecular Biology major ~
Pharmaceutical Research vs Biotechnology industry; aim for both
•Objectives you hope to gain from internship experience:
• Eg., learn new skills, gain networking connection add experience to CV,
entry point leading to ft job when you graduate
•Decide on industry, type of organisation, and geographical interests (including
overseas)
• Eg., you may know you want to do research but can still be uncertain
whether basic vs applied
•Paid vs. non-paid internships; whether you'll seek credit for experience
Applying Job Search skills to
obtaining an Internship
• Identify specific Internships (after having determined your Internship goal)
• Job shadowing, Informational Interviews, and career research are steps you
can take to learn more about specific careers – in or out of your major
• Just having an idea of ‘something in research’ will lead to frustrating
internship search with few or no offers
• Develop your marketing tools – resume, cover letter & interview skills
• Finding Prospective Employers – use techniques mentioned in previous slide
to find prospective employers
• Use your Network for uncovering leads – supplement NOT substitute
traditional job search techniques
• Identify people to serve as Referees
Finding Internship Sources
• Careers Online
• Major Department
• Networking Sources
• Internship & Careers Fairs
• Organisation websites
• Internship websites *(few general ones and some industry specific so don’t
depend too much on these resources
• Cold contact
• Professional Associations
• Tutors, Alumni, Classmates
• International Placement Services
• Download slides :
• Your Career Science: Researching Industry and Employers
Resources:
Student Societies & Clubs
• http://union.unimelb.edu.au/clubs
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Women in Science and Engineering
Science Students Society
Biomedicine Student Society
Environments Student Society (Envi.)
• Explore student clubs by area of interest:
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Community service and charity
Course and department
Food and drinks
Games and competition
Language and culture
Music and performance
Politics and activism
Reading, writing and watching
Spirituality and wellbeing
Resources:
Volunteering directories
• Going Global - Overseas Voluntary Work
• Accessed by C&E’s Online Career Tools page
• Volunteering Australia -
http://www.govolunteer.com.au/
• Seek Volunteer - http://www.volunteer.com.au/
Fair Work Commission http://www.fwc.gov.au/
In line with the fair Work Act, you should be paid for work
experience unless your work experience is with a not-forprofit organisation, or is part of a subject within your
course
Resources:
Working around the World
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Anywork Anywhere: www.anyworkanywhere.com
Australian Government Smart Traveller: www.smarttraveller.gov.au
Global Exchange Australia: www.globalexchange.com.au
I–to–I Gap Year Travel: http://www.i-to-i.com/ (volunteer projects abroad)
Overseas working Holidays: www.owh.com.au
Projects Abroad: www.projects-abroad.com.au
World Youth International: www.worldyouth.org.au
• Australian Dept of Immigration and Citizenship: www.immi.gov.au
• Careers Online: https://careersonline.unimelb.edu.au/
• Going Global:
http://careers.unimelb.edu.au/student/on
line_career_tools/preparing_for_next_steps
Launch Going Global
Resources
Vacation Work & Internships Directories
https://au.gradconnection.com/internships/
http://www.graduateopportunities.com/
http://www.graduateopportunities.com/
dates-info/industry-profiles/
http://australia.gov.au/topics/empl
oyment-and-workplace/australiangovernment-jobs/cadetshipsscholarships-work-experience
http://graduates.vic.gov.au/
Career Drop-In Service
Science Student Centre (Doug McDonell & ERC building)
http://maps.unimelb.edu.au/parkville/student/science
Questions?
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