Research internships for HDR Candidates

Build your future beyond the thesis.

Over 50% of HDR graduates pursue careers beyond academia, making it essential that your research degree prepares you to succeed in both academic and non-academic environments.

A research internship is a career‑shaping experience, not just a placement. You will apply your doctoral expertise to real‑world needs while building industry‑ready skills in research communication, collaboration, stakeholder and project management, and developing valuable professional networks. These capabilities are highly valued by employers and are equally critical for academic success, supporting industry‑relevant teaching and fostering collaborations that deliver meaningful social, environmental, cultural and economic impact.

Hear it from a PhD candidate

Watch to see what the internship felt like, what they did, and what changed for them.

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What you will gain

The Graduate Research School actively supports PhD candidates across all disciplines to undertake internships as an integral part of their candidature. These opportunities enable candidates to engage with external partners across industry, government and the community, applying their research in real-world contexts while contributing to innovation, impact and societal benefit. Internships may be co-designed with a research end user aligned to the candidate’s research, or undertaken through an established internship program.

Career edge

You’ll gain evidence of how you work in professional settings, including communicating research clearly, collaborating with stakeholders, and delivering to timelines. This experience can strengthen your CV, sharpen interview stories, and help you stand out for future opportunities.

Future pathways

Internships can open doors to roles inside and outside academia by showing how your expertise translates across contexts. You’ll also build networks and referees who can point you to roles, projects and collaborations after you graduate.

Research fit

With the right planning, your internship can support your thesis, not pause it. You can get support to align the internship scope to your research questions, milestones and training needs, and ensure expectations are clear before you start.

UWA strengths

You’ll be connected to UWA expertise and research environments that can lift the quality of your work. Where relevant, internships can also deepen relationships with partners and open up data, tools or perspectives that strengthen your research.

Priority sectors

Working in priority areas helps you see how research connects to policy, industry and community needs. It can also help you position your expertise for future roles in sectors looking for researchers who can solve complex, real-world problems.

Translation skills

You’ll practise moving research into use by framing questions with end users, testing ideas, and communicating findings for decision-making. These skills are increasingly expected in research, government and industry roles focused on impact.

Professional capability

Develop practical communication, project delivery and stakeholder engagement skills that can be applied across a range of professional environments. Through hands-on experience, you will strengthen your ability to work collaboratively, communicate clearly with different audiences, manage tasks and timelines effectively, and respond confidently to feedback and changing priorities. These capabilities are highly valued across industries and will support your transition into professional workplaces.

Network and exposure

Connect with industry professionals, broaden your understanding of workplace contexts, and gain practical insight into how organisations operate outside the University environment. By engaging with people and practices beyond campus, you will build confidence in professional settings, develop a clearer understanding of industry expectations, and explore how different roles and organisations function in practice. These experiences can help you make informed career decisions and strengthen your readiness for future employment opportunities.

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What is a Research Internship?

A research internship is defined as a position with a research end-user, where a student has undertaken research and development (R&D) related to their higher degree by research (HDR) or can form part of the student’s HDR. These short-term research engagements with external partners can be referred to as internships, placements, secondments or embedded projects, enable students to apply their research expertise to real-world challenges, build professional networks, and explore future career pathways while continuing to progress their PhD.

Duration
Minimum of 60 working days over at least three months
Flexibility
Full time or part time, onsite, remote or hybrid
Relevance
Undertake research and development (R&D) activities that are broadly, directly or tangentially related to your research.

Research internship pathways

Finding the right internship takes planning, so start early in your candidature. Begin exploring opportunities within the first 6 to 12 months and consider organisations where your research can create real-world impact. Research End Users may include industry, government, non-government, community or other external organisations. Internships can be identified in several ways, whether through existing research networks or structured opportunities via Research End Users and programs

Existing or self-initiated connections

Research End Users identified through your supervisor, lab or research group
Direct outreach by you to organisations aligned with your research
Bespoke internships designed by you in collaboration with a Research End User
Professional associations, networks and platforms such as LinkedIn, Seek, community or volunteer organisations

Structured internship opportunities

Structured internship programs such as as APR.Intern, iPREP, CEED, CSIRO
Curated Research End User opportunities shared via the Research internships newsletter, LinkedIn or LMS (login required)

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Download the student internship guide

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Getting started

Eligibility

To be eligible for a research internship, you must:

Be currently enrolled as a Higher Degree by Research student
Have supervisor approval to apply for and undertake an internship
Complete a minimum of 60 working days over at least three months, undertaken full-time or part-time, and delivered in person, virtually or in a hybrid format
Undertake research and development (R&D) activities related to your research area, either directly, tangentially or broadly
Partner with an eligible Research End User organisation

Already undertaking R&D activities with an external or industry partner?
In some cases, these activities may be recognised as a research internship if they meet the eligibility requirements. Contact us at internships-grs@uwa.edu.au to discuss your circumstances.

Plan and prepare

Start planning your research internship early in your candidature. Your internship must involve research and development (R&D) activities related to your research area, but it does not need to be limited to your specific thesis topic. Discuss potential R&D activities with your supervisors early.

Examples of R&D activities:
• Working with industry to identify and solve real-world problems
• Reviewing literature, testing prototypes, or developing products, services or systems
• Building algorithms, software or technical frameworks
• Conducting clinical, policy or applied research
• Developing creative works, exhibitions or performances
• Designing new policies, models or processes

Internships are undertaken with external partner organisations, also known as Research End Users.

These may include businesses, government, non-government or community organisations, and you may also Find a research internship program take part in. In some cases, your current employer may act as the partner organisation. Please take note of specific exclusions which include Other higher education providers and Organisations that are affiliates, controlled entities or subsidiaries (such as Medical Research Institutes) of a higher education provider.

Work with your supervisors and partner to plan the timing and structure of your internship.

Before commencing, ensure you meet eligibility requirements, including satisfactory progress and scholarship conditions. Sponsored and scholarship students should confirm approval where required. For clarification, contact internships-grs@uwa.edu.au.

Application process

Confirm your eligibility
Review the eligibility requirements outlined on this page.
Discuss your plans with your supervisor
Seek guidance and confirm supervisor approval for the proposed internship.
Alternatively you may book in a 1:1 consultation or email the GRS internships team for assistance.
Prepare your internship details
Outline the proposed scope, timing and how the internship integrates with your PhD.
Submit your documentation to the GRS Internships Team
Complete, sign and submit the required documentation to the GRS Internships team. You must submit an internship agreement, or letter of intent, and/or any relevant document such as a research project agreement, etc within the first 18 months of full-time candidature (or 36 months part-time). Refer to this page for guidance and templates.

Formalise internship

At least one month prior to your internship, your internship plan needs to be formalised as an internship agreement. This formal internship agreement is signed by you, your supervisors and your industry partner. The agreement will include how any intellectual property (IP) arising from the internship will be managed. Refer to this page for guidance and templates.
Submit your formal internship agreement to the GRS Internships Team.
You cannot start your internship until your paperwork has been reviewed and approved by the GRS.
Before commencing your internship, ensure you meet the eligibility requirements, including making satisfactory progress and having all candidature milestones up to date.

Complete your internship

Record the completion of your internship by including a short-written reflection on your internship experience to the Internships team.

Whether outcomes from your internship can be included in your thesis must be agreed between you, your supervisors and your Research End User partner.

Financial matters

Paid internships
A research internship can be either paid or unpaid, and can form part of an enrolment. If your internship is paid, students holding RTP or UWA living allowance scholarships may choose to suspend their living allowance or receive both the internship payment and their stipend, subject to scholarship conditions.
Insurance
During your internship, you are covered by UWA’s insurance as you are undertaking course-related activities.
Scholarship extensions
In some cases, scholarship extensions may be available for students completing an eligible internship. Eligibility and conditions apply.
Living Allowance Contribution for Internships
Some RTP reportable eligible internships may receive a Living Allowance Contribution to support students undertaking internships. Eligible students may receive up to $4,500. Eligibility criteria and conditions apply. Further information is available in the HDR Candidates section under Research Internships (LMS login required).

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PhD Intership Timeline Overview

Research proposal

Early Engagement: Build awareness.

Identify and indicate intent to do an internship
Log on to LMS for detailed information on internships:

Log on to LMS

Within 12 months

Finding the right fit:

Identify internships that align with your goals

Within 18 months

Application and approvals:

Formalise the internship scope and approvals
Submit required documents (e.g. Letter of Intent, Internship Agreement, Research Project Agreement) to the GRS internships team.

Onboarding

During the internship:

Check in with your supervisor and the GRS Internship team and ask for support if needed

Completion of internship

Report close of internship to the GRS Internship team and provide feedback if any

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Truth-Telling Through Heritage: Michelle Hilbrands’ Internship with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage

PhD candidate, Michelle Hilbrands, from the UWA School of Humanities, undertook a research internship with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH). Michelle contributed to the Department’s Sites of Truth Telling (SOTT) program, a significant initiative aimed at including Aboriginal historical perspectives attached to State Heritage-listed properties.

Michelle was tasked with preparing a chapter for inclusion in the Department’s internal SOTT Aboriginal Historic Heritage report. The report’s goal is to inform and support the development of Aboriginal heritage policy in DPLH and to increase the number and representation of places of Aboriginal history on the State Heritage Register. Michelle’s specific focus was to develop a comprehensive overview of Frontier Violence in Western Australia, connecting historical events with existing heritage sites.

To achieve this, Michelle completed original archival research while also drawing on her PhD thesis. Her work included: - Conducting detailed archival research and literature reviews - Visiting key historical sites such as the Royal Historical Society of WA and the Shire of Mundaring - Producing an original 12,000-word chapter on Frontier Violence Her chapter, reviewed by her PhD supervisor and DPLH mentor, Luke Donegan, has been highly commended, and Michelle’s presentation to the Department’s Regional Team prompted strong engagement, with many requesting access to her work despite its sensitive nature. The chapter may also be distributed more broadly within the Department as an educational resource prior to the final report’s publication.

Michelle’s motivation to apply for an internship with DPLH stemmed from the alignment between the SOTT program and her PhD research. The internship provided valuable insights into how humanities research can contribute to public understanding and policy development. “This project gave me the chance to grapple with complex historical and cultural issues and turn them into a narrative that could reach a broad audience,” she reflected. “It also gave me a new perspective on how the public service engages with history and community.”

Michelle’s experience underscores the relevance of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) research in addressing contemporary challenges through collaboration with government and community. Her work contributes to reconciliation and historical truth-telling while demonstrating how academic research can translate into practical outcomes that inform public understanding.

Discover how your organisation can collaborate with UWA PhD researchers to create meaningful social impact. Learn more about UWA HDR Industry Internships.

Ria Shah’s Industry Internship with CoraMetix Pty Ltd

PhD Program: Biomedical Engineering
Host Organisation: CoraMetix Pty Ltd

Ria Shah undertook an internship with CoraMetix Pty Ltd, a Perth-based startup developing next-generation prosthetic heart valves using biopolymers and advanced 3D printing technology. The CoraMetix valve is inspired by natural human valves, combining a 3D-printed biomimetic mesh with antithrombogenic polymers to meet functional and safety requirements.

During her internship, Ria focused on troubleshooting fabrication processes to achieve reproducible prototypes. Her contributions included:

Mechanical characterisation of 3D printed meshes, biopolymer samples, and combined leaflet samples using uniaxial testing
Development of methods to combine 3D printed meshes with biopolymers
Fabrication of valve prototypes for functionality assessment in a benchtop flow loop system
Investigation of medical grade materials through detailed literature review.

Beyond technical work, Ria contributed to project management, creating standard operating procedure templates, established mechanical testing databases and onboarded interns in a fast-paced startup environment.

Reflecting on her experience, Ria said:

“It was rewarding to make a significant contribution to a small team and see the direct impact of my work. The pace was very different from academia, and I enjoyed having clear goals and working together as a team. It gave me a fresh perspective and new ideas for my PhD.”

Ria encourages other PhD students to consider industry internships:

“Internships broaden your skillset, provide networking opportunities and help you understand how research translates into real-world impact.”

Interested in partnering with UWA PhD researchers? Learn more at Research Internships for Industry Partners, or contact the Research Internships team.

Research internships for HDR Candidates

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Hear it from a PhD candidate