Guidance: OIT PhD Placement Scheme – Additional information for applicants

Additional information for applicants to the Open Innovation Team PhD Placement Scheme

We’ve gathered together useful information about our PhD placement scheme for anyone interested in applying. If you have a question about the scheme that’s not covered here, please contact [email protected].

There is a two stage application process for our placement scheme. Step one is to complete the application form, which focuses on why you are interested in working with the Open Innovation Team (OIT). Applicants who are successful at this stage will be invited to a short online interview, during which they are invited to deliver a five minute presentation, with a few follow up questions. The interview is not an assessment of your academic knowledge, but rather a chance to demonstrate your presentation and communication skills.

The OIT uses artificial intelligence (AI) in our work and we want to encourage candidates who work well with AI to do so. However, we expect you to use it responsibly and critically, as you would if you were working as part of our team. AI should not be used to directly draft responses to short answer questions in the application form or help you respond to live interview questions. However, you could use it to seek feedback on responses you’ve already drafted yourself, help you work through your own ideas, or help you prepare in advance of an interview.

Our placements usually last three months. You should have completed your placement before your viva.

We are open to the possibility of placements being done on a part-time basis, provided the following conditions are met: