STEM Professional recruitment – deadline 6 November 2026
Do you work in climate, environmental science, biodiversity, engineering or data? Have you ever wondered what a class of nine year olds would make of your research? We’d love you to find out.
We’re recruiting STEM professionals for Tomorrow’s Climate Scientists, a new three-year programme funded by the Royal Society and the Julia Rausing Trust. You’ll be partnered with a primary school in South Yorkshire, and each year you’ll work with a teacher and their class on a hands-on climate or sustainability investigation. Themes include air quality, renewable energy, flood risk and biodiversity in school grounds.
This isn’t about standing at the front and teaching. The teacher leads the lessons. You bring the real-world science, help pupils make sense of their data, and show them what a scientist actually looks like (often not what they expect!). That works out as three school visits per investigation, with a bit of light online contact in between.
Why get involved?
- It’s genuinely rewarding. Pupils remember the day a real scientist came to help with their investigation, and teachers tell us it changes how children see STEM and themselves.
- You’ll build your public engagement and communication skills, with training and support from our team so you’re never thrown in at the deep end.
- It’s great evidence for your CV, PhD, promotion case or impact work.
- We cover the practical stuff: travel costs, a free DBS check, and all the kit and resources your school needs.
- You’ll join a friendly network of schools and STEM professionals, with celebration events where pupils share what they’ve found.
This builds on our Royal Society seed-funded pilot, where 25 STEM professionals and 25 primary teachers worked together on climate investigations. It went brilliantly, and we’re excited to grow it.
Ideally we’re looking for people who can commit to all three years, but at a minimum to the end of this academic year. Postgraduate and early career researchers are very welcome.
The programme starts in January 2027. Please register your interest by Friday 6 November 2026: Tomorrow’s Climate Scientists – STEM Professional form
The attached flyer has all the details. If you have any questions, or just want a chat about whether it’s right for you, please get in touch.
Thanks, Lee L.Jowett@shu.ac.uk