Details
1107072
University of Warwick
09/03/2026
Other - See Job
Up to 30 hours over 10 weeks. 3 hours per week
Casual
Pay
£14.07
£1.70
Description
Role
Are you curious about prehistoric life and evolution? Do you have a passion for public outreach?
Palaeontology has been described as the gateway to science. Fossils can spark the imagination, and they can be a fantastic platform to engage younger audiences with scientific discovery and methodologies. The evolution of life on this planet and where our species fits into this is vital context to many other scientific fields. This project will encompass initial steps in an endeavour to enhance teaching of evolution for pre-16 children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.
As a Public Engagement Co-Creator you will be expected to support the creation of unique interactive engagement resources and activities addressing one of four broad themes: 1. early animal life and local (Midlands) fossils, 2. dinosaurs, 3. extant mammal evolution, 4. human evolution. The role will involve research into these subject themes, and the design and creation of engagement activities and materials incorporating either games, creativity, or fossil demonstration. You will aim to produce unique outreach materials/activity plans illustrating clear but lesser-known evolutionary narratives (e.g. Whales) and to help audiences comprehend such changes. As co-creators you will be proactive in the design of your chosen engagement activity and work with staff to ensure equal responsibility for the outcomes.
You will work alongside Dr Daniel Cashmore in the university’s Widening Participation and Social Mobility team: Widening Participation at Warwick. The team’s main goal is to enhance and encourage access to higher education for all who have the potential to study at university, regardless of their background. Within this we aim to help inspire the scientists, artists and teachers of tomorrow from all backgrounds and give young people the confidence to explore new subjects and discuss their ideas. We are one of the largest Widening Participation teams in the UK higher education sector and through our work Warwick was recently honoured as the University of the Year 2025 at the prestigious Student Social Mobility Awards. This project is supported through funding from the Warwick Institute of Engagement: Warwick Institute of Engagement.
This is an opportunity to learn about prehistoric life, evolution, and palaeontological practices while gaining valuable transferable skills including communication, decision making, organisation, creative design, academic research, and evaluation methodologies.
Hours
Specific working hours/days are flexible, except for the induction/training in the first two weeks of the project, and for weekly catch-up meetings for the remainder of the project - which will be held on Wednesday afternoons.
Location
Combination of working from home and on campus. A suitable workspace in the Faculty of Arts building will be available to utilise every Wednesday afternoon for the duration of the project. Some travel to a local museum(s) may be required – you will be reimbursed for travel expenses such as bus tickets to get there. Possible travel for collection of materials/resources for engagement activities – these travel expenses would be paid.
Duties and responsibilities
- Participate actively in ideas generation Review and propose enhancements to public engagement resources
- Research specific palaeontological topics for public engagement activities and resources
- Create and test potential new public engagement resources
- Create a written plan for a new public engagement activity
- Propose and design evaluation methods for potential new public engagement activities
Skills and experience
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex ideas in simple language
- An organised approach and ability to adhere to deadlines
- Good team working skills
- A creative approach to testing and developing ideas Strong IT skills and ability to learn new skills e.g. for editing materials, creating evaluation forms
- Confidence in providing insights from own experience
- Ability to demonstrate and communicate ideas, techniques, and knowledge
- Strong interest in prehistoric life and evolution
We value diverse experiences and recognise that skills can be gained in many ways—through work, volunteering, education, or personal experiences. We understand that few candidates will meet every listed criterion or have experience in a similar role. If you're excited about this opportunity, and believe your skills and experiences align, we encourage you to apply. Your unique perspective may be just what we need!
To apply, we’d like applicants to provide a CV and an accompanying covering letter addressing the following questions
How to apply - (please note, due to the nature of the role you will need to be a current Warwick University student to apply):
- Why are you interested in the role?
- What, if any, aspect of prehistoric life, geological history, or evolution fascinates you the most?
- Tell us about something you are passionate about and how you have shared this passion with others. How do you think this could help you as a Public Engagement Co-Creator? This does not have to be work or university related, it can be anything!
Location
Combination of working from home and on campus
Additional information
Applications close midnight 15/02/26.