Following on in Clare’s footsteps, I similarly took a three-month break from proteins and small molecules to work in the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST). While at POST, I researched the impact of AI on employment in the UK, covering AI adoption, job creation and loss, and effects on working conditions. You can read our literature review here. Many thanks to Lydia, who was an amazing supervisor while I was at POST.
POST is an impartial research office which helps Parliamentarians (i.e., MPs and Peers) stay informed on science and technology topics. Researchers at POST help Parliamentarians connect with experts, and produce balanced, concise, and evidence-based literature reviews called POSTnotes and POSTbriefs.
Writing a POSTnote involves interviewing experts from government, academia, industry, and the third sector. This process was a collaborative and exciting experience, and I was fortunate to be able to meet many insightful people with varied perspectives. Additionally, POSTnotes are peer-reviewed by experts before publication. If you’re an expert in a particular field and would like to contribute to a POSTnote, keep an eye out for relevant upcoming research at POST.
I was able to work at POST through UKRI’s Policy Internship Scheme, which enables UKRI-funded doctoral students to take a funded three-month placement in a policy organisation. So, if you’re funded by a UKRI research council for your PhD, such as AHRC or EPSRC, you could do this too! The list of host organisations is quite varied, including government departments, learned societies, and select committees. I found it to be a great experience for learning about science communication and translational research.
The application was fairly straightforward: I filled out a form indicating my background and host preferences, and submitted a two-page policy briefing on a topic of my choice. I ended up writing about the Great British Energy Act 2025, which was on its 1st reading stage in the House of Lords at the time. I had one interview with researchers from POST, Senedd Cymru, and the Northern Ireland Assembly, where we discussed my application.
There were a lot of highlights from working in POST. The other PhD Fellows who were in Westminster at the same time as me were all brilliantly kind and clever. We had a lot of fun exploring the Westminster Palace maze together, including riverside lunches and pints in the Woolsack. We got to go to a POST board meeting, where new POSTnotes were proposed and outreach was discussed. We attended numerous events and talks, including showcasing POST to newer members and a talk by Susan Hulme, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Today in Parliament. I also managed to do some Christmas shopping in the respective Commons and Lords gift shops, although I’m not sure who is buying the House of Lords hand & body wash. Personally, I think an opportunity was missed in not calling it ‘Eau de Peer’.
Like Clare, I would thoroughly recommend applying for a UKRI policy internship if you are at all curious about policy, research engagement, and translational research. I really enjoyed my time in Parliament, and learnt a lot about communicating complex topics to a non-expert audience.
