Internships at Cosmos Magazine

**COSMOS IS NOT ACCEPTING INTERN APPLICATIONS AT THIS TIME** 

Get some hands-on experience in science journalism and magazine production while completing an internship at the award-winning science magazine Cosmos.

About:

Our team spends each day following the latest news, planning upcoming issues, researching stories and pictures, writing, editing, designing, fact-checking and more.

But we also provide opportunities for science students, journalism students and science communicators keen to gain some hands-on experience working in online journalism and magazine production. Or students who want to get a behind-the-scenes view of the magazine publishing industry from up close.

Internships run for 20 full days. These can be completed as four weeks full-time or spread across three months. We prefer applicants with university-level experience in journalism or science.

We are a small publishing house meaning you will gain an insight into many aspects of magazine publishing and online journalism. Past interns from Cosmos have landed jobs in the media or in science communication. Examples include the Sydney Morning Herald, CSIRO, Reed Business Publishing, Network Ten’s Scope, CNN, National Geographic Traveller, Science magazine, Discover magazine and Science Illustrated, as well as right here at Cosmos; others have become regular freelancers for the magazine or the website. Two former interns have won Best Newcomer to Journalism at the annual Bell Magazine Awards (and one other has been a finalist).

Editorial interns:

You can help us research story ideas, write news stories, find pictures and illustrations, fact-check articles, proof-read or undertake other tasks that contribute to the creation of each print issue as well as online. Interns even take part in editorial meetings and are encouraged to propose concepts and ideas. Depending on your writing ability, you’re likely to end up getting published – either in the magazine or online.

Publishing interns:

Learn about magazine publishing in a small and friendly environment where you will be exposed to all facets of the business. You will help research potential markets in Australia and overseas, contribute to the development and execution of marketing, publicity and promotional plans and work closely with the magazine’s award-winning publishing team.

You will also receive a written reference describing your duties and performance during your stay, plus copies of the issue on which you worked. Not all tasks are glamorous (such as proof-reading the same article five times) but they are essential. 

Infographic Design internships:

We have exciting opportunities for design / illustration students or recent graduates looking for workplace experience in an independent science magazine.

This is a hands-on internship where you will receive direct mentoring.

If you’re passionate about ideas, design and illustration, please send some examples of your work.

Minimum two days a week for up to three months.

What we are looking for: 
• A creative mind and eye for detail
• Familiarity with Adobe creative suite, particularly Illustrator
• An understanding of typography and how to use it effectively.
• An ability to understand and interpret data and visually represent it in a creative, easy-to-understand format.
• Someone who can work with authors to plan and produce infographics
• A keen interest in Science, Technology and how things work.
• Someone who can work to a brief

The following skills would be looked on favourably:
• Website content loading
• Video editing
• Picture research

Here’s what some past interns have had to say:

Gemma Conroy: “My recent experience as a Cosmos intern taught me more about communicating science than my three year degree! By becoming a member of the Cosmos team I gained experience in writing articles, interviewing scientists, researching for stories and sharing ideas. I also gained insight into the day-to-day running of a science publication – an experience that cannot be replicated in the classroom.”

Laura Boness: “The first two and a half weeks of my internship were a race towards the production deadline. I fact-checked and subedited articles, in between writing book reviews and helping to put the postgraduate survival guide together. At the same time, I chased down researchers and other experts for news articles and researcher profiles for the website. Everyone was happy to offer advice and I received some fantastic feedback, which I hope has gone a long way towards improving my writing skills.”

Katy Storch: “Thanks so much again for letting me be an intern! It was such a great experience – words can’t express how much it has changed my view of science and news and my future in general. I really can’t thank you all enough.”

**COSMOS IS NOT ACCEPTING INTERN APPLICATIONS AT THIS TIME** 

To apply:

Email us your resume, a letter explaining why you would like to work as an intern at Cosmos, and at least three examples of published or unpublished articles you have written. Please also indicate what dates you are available for the internship.

The letter should be no more than 600 words long, it should include some background on who you are, what your career aspirations are and the areas of the business in which you are most interested. If you are at university, please also indicate the subjects you are undertaking.

Letters should be addressed to:

Chuck Smeeton
Head of Publishing and Partnerships, The Royal Institution of Australia

Email: INTERNSHIP PROGRAM