NIHR SPHR Summer Internship in Public Health Research (x 2 posts)
Closing Date: 17/06/2026

The opportunity is hosted by the Liverpool and Lancaster Collaboration for public health research (LiLaC, www.lilac-healthequity.org.uk) and funded by the NIHR School for Public Health Research (NIHR SPHR, https://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/). We are looking to recruit two undergraduate students with an interest in a career in public health research.

The internships are offered as a casual work opportunity, on a part-time, flexible basis over the 2026 summer period. Each post is planned as 0.6 FTE (3 days per week) over approximately 8 weeks (exact working pattern to be agreed with the successful candidate and supervisors). The successful students will be based in the Division of Health Research (DHR) at Lancaster University and work on one of two projects described in the further details document. Candidates must indicate a preference for one project during the application process. 

Project 1: Trauma-informed, creative research on belonging, safety and first contact (CREATE + Recognised, Not Retold)

This internship is suited to students interested in health inequalities, the wider determinants of health, and participatory/creative qualitative research. You will support work that explores what makes support-service spaces feel safe and welcoming (or not), and how learning from lived experience can be translated into feasible improvements for practice. A distinctive feature of this placement is structured learning in trauma-informed approaches, and involvement in knowledge translation, helping turn findings from creative activities into stakeholder-ready learning (e.g., housing, council, NHS, voluntary sector).

Project 2: Public health systems and health inequalities (Systems project using Qualitative Comparative Analysis)

This internship is suited to students interested in public health systems, policy action on inequalities, and innovative methods. You will work with an experienced team using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to explore how different configurations of system “conditions” (e.g., governance arrangements, stability, policy embedding) relate to action on health inequalities and their social determinants. You will gain experience working with structured qualitative data sources and learning how QCA can be applied in public health research.

Both internships sit within projects led by Dr Rebecca Mead (Lancaster University, Division of Health Research / LiLaC). Day-to-day supervision will be provided by the relevant project supervisor:

Project 1 (CREATE + Recognised, Not Retold): Dr Yessica Mestre, Research Associate.

Project 2 (Systems/QCA project): Dr Zoe Swithenbank, Senior Research Associate. 

Dr Mead will provide overall oversight and mentorship across both placements, alongside the wider LiLaC/SPHR team as needed.

The successful applicants will be supported by the project leads and work within a friendly research environment. You will develop skills in research processes and writing for different audiences. You will be expected to complete a short report at the end of the internship plus either a blog or a practice/public-focused briefing (and there may be an opportunity to support dissemination activities).

Our team and the Division of Health Research provide a welcoming research environment that strongly supports the individual needs of each employee and which actively promotes a healthy work-life balance. The Faculty is committed to family-friendly and flexible working policies and has held a Silver Athena SWAN award since 2014 in recognition of its good employment practice undertaken to address gender equality in higher education and research. We welcome applications from people in all diversity groups. 

• Ability to communicate clearly and present information accessibly for different audiences, including academic and non-academic readers.
• Strong time management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage tasks and meet deadlines within a part-time, flexible working pattern.
• Genuine interest in public health research and health inequalities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and willingness to learn new software or digital tools as required by the project.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a research team and to adapt flexibly to evolving project needs.
• Ability to work independently, show initiative, and progress tasks with limited day-to-day direction where appropriate.
• Access to a laptop or computer and ability to work remotely for part of the internship if required.
• Interest in trauma-informed, participatory, and qualitative research approaches, particularly in relation to marginalised communities or health and social care services.
• Interest in public health systems, health policy, and/or the use of innovative methods to understand complex social problems.

• Experience of organising, handling, or analysing qualitative data (e.g. from interviews, focus groups, workshops, or documents).
• Familiarity with, or interest in, comparative or mixed-methods approaches to social research (e.g. QCA, systematic reviews, case study methods).
• Experience of, or interest in, knowledge translation and producing outputs for non-academic or public-facing audiences (e.g. briefings, infographics, blog posts, community materials)
  

• Analysing
• Creativity
• Curiosity
• Decisiveness
• Flexibility
• Integrity
• Knowledge Sharing
• Multi-tasking
• Organisation
• Persuasion
• Planning and organising
• Problem solving
• Research
• Self-motivation
• Teamwork
• Time Management
• Verbal communication
• Written communication