ESO Science Communication Internship

Deadline: Jan 01, 1970

undergraduate | masters

6 months (duration)

partially funded

Germany

To Apply

Please visit the application link below to apply.

Opportunity Overview

Are you passionate about science, communication, and astronomy? The European Southern Observatory (ESO) offers a unique opportunity to join its Department of Communication as a Science Communication Intern. Based in Garching near Munich, Germany, this 6-month internship is designed for individuals interested in gaining hands-on experience in communicating frontline astronomy to the public.

📖 About the ESO Science Communication Internship

ESO's Department of Communication is responsible for all aspects of internal and external communication for the organization. This includes:

Media relations
Content production
Public and local outreach
Digital communication
Internal communication

The department engages with a wide range of audiences, including scientists, the astronomy community, decision-makers, industry partners, journalists, and the public. It also collaborates with the ESO Supernova - Planetarium & Visitor Centre for astronomy education activities.

As an intern, you will work with a team of professional science communicators to prepare:

News and press releases
Publications
Web pages
Video scripts
Exhibition panels
Other public communication products

What You Will Learn

Through your involvement in various projects, you will gain insights into:

The mission of ESO and the role of the Department of Communication.
Workflows, processes, and procedures within a large international scientific organization.
Writing about complex scientific topics in an engaging and understandable manner.
Editing texts and collaborating on drafts to ensure accessibility and excitement for target audiences.
Combining written text and audiovisuals to make science approachable to the public.

Internship Details

Location: Garching, Germany (remote or hybrid internships are not possible).
Duration: 6 months.
Internship Availability: Offered throughout the year.

🎁 Benefits of the Internship

Monthly allowance to cover living expenses.
Accommodation provided during the internship.
Travel costs for a return trip to/from your home station are covered.
For further questions, contact: vacancy@eso.org.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Ideal Candidate

Background:
- Currently studying or recently completed a university degree in science, science communication, or science journalism.
- Applications are also welcome from individuals with a degree in astronomy and experience in writing about science for wider audiences.
Skills:
- Previous experience in written science communication or journalism.
- Basic knowledge of astronomy to understand scientific papers.
- Fluency in English (written and oral).

Competencies

You should be able to:

Translate scientific research into simple, engaging concepts for general audiences.
Write clear, concise, and timely communications.
Work under time pressure and meet deadlines.
Collaborate effectively in a team and work independently.
Build good working relationships with people from diverse cultural backgrounds and disciplines.

Nationality

Open to all nationalities.
Preference: Nationals of ESO member states (e.g., Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom).
For Chile, preference is given to students enrolled in a South American university.

📝 Application Process

If you are interested in this internship, you are invited to apply online.

Application Requirements

Motivation Letter: 1 page.
Curriculum Vitae (CV): 2 pages.
Two Written Samples:
- Each sample should be no more than 5 pages long.
- Demonstrate your ability to communicate science to a wider audience (e.g., blog posts, magazine articles, press releases).
- Scientific papers or theses targeting a scientific audience are not accepted.
- Samples must be in English and do not need to have been previously published.