Updated as of May 2026
Paid summer undergraduate internship available: OpenAlgPB, an open-source microalgal photobioreactor. Applications are invited for a paid 6-week summer internship in the School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, running from mid-June to late-July 2026. The internship is paid at £500 per week and will be supervised by Dr Christopher Williamson.
The project will help develop and test OpenAlgPB, a low-cost, open-source photobioreactor platform for microalgal research and teaching. The work will include building and optimising photobioreactor units, adding optical density measurement capabilities, testing performance, and producing open-source build documentation for web/GitHub release.
This opportunity would suit an undergraduate student interested in open-source hardware and software, with interests in microalgae, environmental microbiology, biotechnology, or practical laboratory work also welcome. Experience with electronics, coding, or algal culturing would be useful but is not essential; training will be provided.
To apply, please send a short expression of interest (maximum 300 words), a brief CV (maximum 2 pages), and your degree programme/current year of study to c.williamson@bristol.ac.uk by 4 June 2026. Informal enquiries are welcome.
MicroLab@Bristol has recently recruited 2 new PhD students and 1 new MScR student. We may be advertising for a new PhD student soon (start date Sept 2026) and looking to the future we may advertise some more MScR positions – watch this space:
- next year’s round of Cabot Master’s by Research in Global Environmental Challenges. Keep an eye on their website / this page for new MScR projects in Microlab@Bristol or get in touch if you have one in mind
