Internships

The Institute for Conflict Research welcomes applications from students and others to take up an internship at the organisation.

Interns will be based at the ICR offices in Belfast and we would expect individuals to spend between 6 and 12 months with us.

We can offer the opportunity for interns to undertake a range of practical research work on an existing ICR project based in Northern Ireland and to have the chance to explore a variety of research methodologies. All work will be carried out within a supportive team environment and under the guidance and supervision of our staff of experienced researchers.

At present we are only able to offer this opportunity to post-graduate students and we would also ask that applicants from outside of Northern Ireland should have some previous experience of working or researching away from their home country.

Unfortunatey, we have no further capacity for interns until Spring 2009.

For further information on Internships at ICR see the FAQs below or email Sylvia Anderson on [email protected]

What its like being an intern at ICR?

John Bell (July 2005 – August 2006)

After several months of job searching in a research environment with little success, I came to the conclusion that what I needed was practical experience in a social research capacity, and so I applied for an internship with ICR. The very mention of the term "intern" usually instils in some visions of making gallons of coffee and stacking mountains of paper clips, but thankfully at ICR that was certainly not the case at all. (It should also be said that this was to the benefit of the staff given my coffee making skills, with my servings sometimes referred to as "tar" by members of staff who shall remain nameless - isn't that right Johnny Byrne!).

From my very first day to the day I left I was treated as a valued member of staff, with a feeling that any input one might have would be taken aboard by the staff. I took part in numerous research projects, and I have to say that it was a pleasure to work alongside such professional and courteous staff. The quality of work and professionalism of the organisation is in my opinion, second to none, and I found it only to be matched by the sheer dedication and commitment shown by all the staff.

I would also like to say that the working environment in the office was a delight, it makes work so much more productive not only when the research team have such a clear strategy for all of the research projects, but really when the staff are as friendly as they are at ICR. I can categorically state that I enjoyed each and every day of my internship, a rare thing for many people in the world of work, and I must admit I do miss the office banter!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff collectively, and individually. To Neil, Sylvia, Jennifer Hamilton, Ulf, Johnny and Jennifer Betts, and also to the various fellow interns, Mary-Beth, Danielle and Molly, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to work with you, an experience which I feel has helped me in many ways and will hopefully stand me in good stead in the future! I strongly recommend that anyone with an interest in social research undertake an internship with ICR. I can assure you that not only will it be professionally a very rewarding experience with a first class organisation, but also personally with a great bunch of staff.

Danielle Blaylock (November 2005 – May 2006)

After completing my course work at a graduate program in the States I was uncertain what I wanted to focus my research on and the direction I wanted to go after I completed my graduate training. I came to ICR just prior to beginning my dissertation work and to push one’s way through a dissertation takes not only copious amounts of caffeine, but also a strong sense of purpose and motivation. This was something I was lacking and one of the main reasons I came to work with ICR.

After spending most of my life in the academic arena I had a strong sense that there was a disconnect between theory and the real world, and I felt strongly that there is so much that the two have to offer each other. Graduate training, however, is generally geared towards academic research and writing for academic publications. While at ICR I was able to really get my hands dirty working with real world research and writing for real world audiences. I was stretched in numerous new directions, from qualitative methods to quantitative work, writing for grass roots organizations to government offices, I was able to step away from academics and see the impact that research can have.

It was not until I returned back to the academic world that I realized how much I had learned while at ICR and it may not be until many years later that I understand the full impact the internship has had on me. Not only am I a stronger researcher for the work I completed at ICR, I am a better person because of the people I worked with. The staff at ICR are incredibly encouraging and committed to making the internship process a valuable experience. I cannot say thank you enough to everyone at ICR. I highly encourage anyone who is interested to apply; it was truly one of the best choices I have ever made.

Mary Beth Conway (August 2004 - July 2005)
My internship with ICR was a great experience. I found the program academically challenging and the ICR staff friendly and extremely helpful. I would highly recommend an ICR internship to anyone interested in learning more about social research in Northern Ireland.

ICR's internship program is a fantastic opportunity. Interns are expected to actively participate in the research projects. During my internship, I processed data, assisted with focus groups, wrote reports, attended seminars, conducted library research and occasionally made tea and coffee. The program encourages interns to pursue their academic interests while assisting ICR projects.

The quality of research conducted at ICR is superb and has been recognised by a number of prestigious organisations. ICR's good reputation allows researchers (and interns) access to many different communities and individuals while conducting research.

One thing I really enjoyed about the organisation was the constant staff discussions on research projects, political development and daily news in Northern Ireland. Staffers were always willing to express different points of view on a number of topics. Listening to and participating in these impromptu staff discussions really broadened my knowledge and awareness of important issues. ICR staff were always willing to answer my questions about Northern Ireland, no matter how basic or offbeat the subjects were.

Through my internship, I have learned more about Northern Ireland, research, politics, and conflict than I ever expected. I would like to thank the ICR staff for their patience with me and my constant office mishaps. I will miss the staff and organisation very much, and look forward to keeping in touch.

Rebecca Thomas (May and June 2004)
ICR is, in many ways, an ideal organisation in which to undertake an internship and I found the two months I spent there both invaluable experience and tremendous fun.

Undoubtedly the greatest benefit of interning with ICR is the opportunity to undertake interesting and challenging research into a plethora of issues. Contrary to many internship programmes, ICR does not employ the service of interns for their photocopying and tea-making abilities. Whilst at ICR I undertook a number of projects. I worked on research into European hate crime legislation, a report on a Community Relations conference on the topic of interface areas, a report on young people in community conflict and assisted a researcher with graphs and tables for a report.

A second advantage of interning with ICR is the quality of the organisation. ICR has a very positive profile, reflective of both the high calibre of staff and high quality of publications and interns are fortunate to reap the benefits of this profile by the way of access to conferences, experts in the field both in Northern Ireland and the wider world and to resources. I attended conferences on community relations, the future peace of Northern Ireland, a consultation on human rights, the launch of a political manifesto as well as attending a week long conference on conflict resolution and regulation.

Finally, ICR enjoys an informal, unpretentious atmosphere. There is an eclectic and international mix of staff at ICR that ensures any given issue is approached, debated and influenced from a number of perspectives.

If one has a serious interest in conflict research, a positive work ethic, a desire to gain valuable experience and a sense of humour, then an internship with ICR will not be time wasted. If I were to have one negative reflection on my ICR experience it would be that the duration was far too short. Overall I cannot recommend an internship with ICR highly enough.

Fabrice Mourlon (January - June 2004)
In 2003, I came to ICR for assistance with my PhD research. I was struck by the warm welcome I got there, the staff's eagerness to assist and the high quality of research carried out by the organisation. I said to myself then: ICR, that's the place to be… In 2004, here I am at ICR as an intern, provided with all the facilities a researcher would dream of: a desk, a PC, a telephone line and access to a mine of information.(Any academic at the start of her/his career will understand this).

I have learnt a lot in the 6 months I spent with the staff at ICR. From the outset I was involved in various projects ranging from desktop research to on-the-ground survey work and research training with young people in North Belfast. I had the opportunity to participate in focus groups and interviews. I learnt how to design questionnaires and to process data on SPSS. I was thus provided with solid and in-depth knowledge and skills on how to conduct research.

At the same time I had the possibility of carrying out my own research. The library at ICR was just another Aladin's Cave full of gemlike documents. The high profile of the organisation facilitated all the contacts I made and I am most indebted to the staff's thoughtfulness and support when I was down and low.

The easy-going yet professional environment at ICR is a match to the high quality of research conducted by the organisation. The wide-ranging projects on which the researchers work gave me a good insight of the Northern Ireland society.

But most of all I will miss those wee moments: Jennifer sharing anecdotes about her young son at lunchtime; Ulf's good sense of humour; Jonny's wee jokes; the boys winding me up and giving me a good slag; exchanging jazz CDs with Neil; Rebecca's fresh outlook on the whole situation and Sylvia's radiant morning smile…

Thomas Lefebvre (July and August 2003)
During my internship at ICR, I was part of a research project on migrant workers in Northern Ireland. We travelled all over Northern Ireland interviewing migrant workers, civil servants, lawyers and social workers. It was very exciting to be part of an investigative project, assembling the different elements which were going to compose a serious report. I really appreciated that I was always given clear guidelines on what I had to do and never left with nothing to work on. A small part of my time was given to administrative work but most of the work that I did allowed a high level of responsibility.

The atmosphere was relaxed but everyone was focused on their own work which enabled me to work efficiently on the project. ICR is a small but lively and friendly place and as a consequence it was very easy to integrate with the team. There was a good interraction between me and the other colleagues which made me sad to leave. Looking back at this experience, I found it quite useful for building my professional career. I would recommend anybody to apply for an internship at ICR.