Start Date: Early February 2025
Duration: 16 weeks
Model: On site. Housing in the SERC dormitory is included free of charge.
Mentor: Kristen Goodhue (SERC Science Writer)

Sharpen your science writing skills with an internship at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), the Smithsonian’s coastal research hub on Chesapeake Bay! As the science writing intern, you’ll gain experience creating content for multiple platforms, from short and snappy social media posts to long-form feature stories. You’ll cover scientists, educators and volunteers in the field and lab.

The spring internship will focus primarily on SERC’s climate change work and 60th anniversary, with an emphasis on storytelling through both written and video pieces. News articles and feature stories will appear on SERC’s Shorelines blog and may appear in our print newsletter, On The Edge. Videos and social media posts will appear on SERC’s Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X accounts. Longer videos may also appear on SERC’s YouTube channel.

Learning Objectives:
During this internship, you’ll learn to:

  • Interview scientists and other experts
  • Translate complex, technical topics into engaging, public-friendly language
  • Write news and feature stories about science, following a standard journalistic style (Associated Press)
  • Create videos for social media
  • Write copy for different social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X)
  • Implement best practices for accessibility in science communication

Eligibility:
SERC’s science writing internships are open to undergraduate students, master’s students and recent graduates up to one year after graduation. International students are welcome to apply.

Desired Qualifications: Strong scientific background (some natural sciences coursework; not required to be a science major) and a flair for telling stories about science for a nonscientific audience.

To apply:
Submit the following materials to GoodhueK@si.edu by Friday, Nov. 15, 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time, with the subject line “Science Writing Intern”:

  • Cover letter
  • Resume with two references (name, title and contact information)
  • One to three writing samples explaining science for general readers. Writing samples can include school papers, student newspaper articles or pieces you’ve written for a personal blog—anything that tells a story about science in a nontechnical, engaging way! Multimedia pieces are also welcome, as long as at least one of the samples is written. Total length of all writing samples should be no more than 10 double-spaced pages. If multimedia samples are too large to email, upload them to a file sharing system like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive or Dropbox and include a link in your application.Pro tip for applicants: Don’t just talk about your past experience. Show us how this internship would give you something new! Smithsonian internships are meant to be learning experiences, especially for students who have had fewer opportunities outside of schoolwork. Let your application reviewers know how this experience would benefit you beyond another line on a resume.


About the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center:
The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is a research unit of the Smithsonian Institution dedicated to studying the coastal zone, where roughly 70% of the world’s people live. Its staff of scientists and educators seek solutions to some of the planet’s most urgent issues, including climate change, invasive species, biodiversity loss and pollution. The center is located on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay, approximately 10 miles south of Annapolis, 40 miles west of Washington, D.C., and 40 miles south of Baltimore. The 2,654-acre campus encompasses forests, wetlands, farmlands and shoreline. To learn more, visit https://serc.si.edu

The Smithsonian Institution is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a policy of non-discrimination on the basis of race/ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, martial/parental/caregiver status and disability. The SERC community recognizes the value of diversity in promoting innovative science and creative solutions, and we strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. We recognize that each applicant for this role will bring unique skills, knowledge, experiences, and background to this position. As such, while candidates must meet the minimum qualifications related to education and student/alum eligibility for Smithsonian internships, we will be looking for candidates who possess many, but not necessarily all, of the skills and experiences listed above.

Questions? Contact Kristen Goodhue (GoodhueK@si.edu) She gets internship questions often and is happy to help!