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I am now 6 months in to the Science Education and Industry grad scheme and am still thoroughly enjoying every minute.  I started in the Education team and am now on my second rotation in the Membership department.

The graduate programme has been an amazing experience right from the very start.  I came to the RSC after doing a PhD in Southampton, I wasn’t exactly sure what path I wanted to go down but I knew I didn’t want to be based in the lab.  The RSC grad scheme has turned out to be the perfect choice. 
In the Education team I was immediately given the opportunity to work on and manage a variety of projects such as ‘Chemistry in the Olympics’ (the Education team’s Olympic themed website hosting a series of resources highlighting the role chemistry plays in sport along with a sports themed global experiment)  and ‘Faces of Chemistry’ videos, featuring Reckitt Benckiser, to name a few.

After spending such an enjoyable couple of months in the Education team I was not disappointed as I moved into my second rotation in the Membership team.  I am currently working on the MyRSC site which involves designing and creating pages, providing technical support for users (both internal and external users) and managing the blogs amongst other things.  This has been an amazing opportunity for somebody like me without a computing background.  I have been learning how to develop an effective content strategy and how to develop content with search engine optimisation in mind, all concepts that were previously alien to me.

All this as well as a variety of graduate projects to get stuck into; ‘This Day in Chemistry’ and the 2012 Roadmap series of Science Policy lectures, which I am currently managing, means that there is never a dull moment here at the RSC. 

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Sarah is a Graduate working in the Royal Society of Chemistry's Science, Education and Industry Department. To see if there are any current vacancies go to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' Blog or subscribe to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' by Email

 

It's been about three months since I last posted to the blog but time seems to have flown. Here are just a few things that I have been doing since then:

• started my Peer Review training
• produced my first themed issue (From Single Cells to Biology, Integrative Biology, 2012, 4, 349-449. http://pubs.rsc.org/en/journals/journalissues/ib#!issueid=ib004004&type=current)
• started co-ordinating the Journal of Environmental Monitoring
• manned a stand at a careers fair at the University of Birmingham
• joined the squash league
• moved house

Ok, so the last two aren't to directly to do with work, but they did have a large impact. The RSC squash league has seen me play RSC staff from other teams around the organisation, making connections that I might not otherwise have made. In addition to being really fun it's also been keeping me fit now the hockey season is over.

Moving house shortened my commute from a 40 minute drive to a 10 minute walk / 4 minute cycle. There's loads of really nice housing around the Science Park where the RSC is based so if you are considering applying for a job here, housing is never an issue. In addition, with the new guided bus system up and running in parallel with the normal city buses, I can catch a bus to town every few minutes or so, which is ideal for getting to the city centre or the station.

Although a little stressful at times, producing my first themed issue was a nice achievement as I was able to work with some field-leading scientists to produce an attractive looking issue packed with high impact articles. Similarly, peer review has training has been really interesting and it's really nice to now be able to follow an article through the process, and to have an active role in every stage from submission to publication. 

My trip to Birmingham was really successful too. Having run stands at university for different societies and sports clubs, it was really nice to have the opportunity to continue this through work by running a stand at a careers fair. I met lots of keen students wanting to learn more about the RSC, both as an organisation and as an employer. In addition to answering questions, I had a lot of materials to hand out including brochures, application details, free pens and even lab safety specs.

So seven months into the grad scheme, I'm still learning and experiencing new things, and with different challeges to face on a daily basis, no two weeks are ever the same. I'm really enjoying myself and I'm certain I still will be in three months when I write my next post. 

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Alicia is a Graduate working in the Royal Society of Chemistry's Publishing Department. To see if there are any current vacancies go to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' Blog or subscribe to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' by Email

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It’s been a couple of months since my last blog and it’s been as busy and varied as ever here. I have now completed my training on the Graduate Scheme so I’m now a fully-functional Publishing Editor!

The final part of my training was in editing, which took around three months to complete. The Interfaces team also launched Biomaterials Science and I was given a new associate editor to look after. My responsibility in the team has grown in other areas too; in the next few months I will be looking after my first themed issue of Soft Matter and I am also in the process of taking over the role of covers co-ordinator for Soft Matter.

There has also been plenty of opportunity for development outside of the Publishing Editor role. I have recently completed my first article for Chemistry World and am also working on Faraday Discussion 159 alongside an Editorial Production colleague. This process involves receiving the papers, sending them for peer review and editing them before the meeting. Once at the discussion, it is our responsibility to record the discussion surrounding the papers and compile this into the Faraday Discussion volume, which will be printed as a hard-back book. I’m really looking forward to seeing this project through as it involves various roles outside of my day-to-day role such as attending the conference and meeting the authors and other delegates.

So, as you can see it’s been a busy but productive and rewarding past two months here at the RSC and I’m looking forward to the next few months and whatever they may bring!

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Lucy is a Graduate working in the Royal Society of Chemistry's Publishing Department. To see if there are any current vacancies go to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' Blog or subscribe to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' by Email

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Well I am now 5 months into the graduate training scheme working as a development editor for the inorganic team and the time is flying by.

Recently we have been working on our development plans for the journals for the coming year - it's been really interesting to look at the types of articles that have been published and which topics are popular.

Since my last post I have also joined the RSC squash league which has been great fun and has given me great insight into how unfit I am, hopefully as the league progresses this will change!

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Matthew is a Graduate working in the Royal Society of Chemistry's Publishing Department. To see if there are any current vacancies go to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' Blog or subscribe to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' by Email

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Today I completed my training in peer review.  I think that at the time I wrote my last blog, I had just started peer review training.  The time in between seems to have gone very fast.  

For the past few weeks I’ve been aiming to choose two or three newly submitted manuscripts each day to send out to appropriate referees.  I’ve also been making decisions to accept or reject papers based on reports that have been returned from reviewers.  Apart from this I’ve been proof reading a few papers each day, attending meetings and dealing with other miscellaneous correspondence.  Something I occasionally do is commission covers for ChemComm, which involves asking authors to design images based on their research and, if necessary, corresponding with them to raise the picture to a suitable standard for reproducing on the front or back cover.

As well as lots of new tasks at work, I’m taking up new sports outside of work.  Some fellow graduates have recently set up a RSC squash league.  With a division dedicated to beginners and courts just down the road, subsidised by the RSC, it left me no excuse not to join in!

Hopefully by the time I write my next blog I will be getting on with my editing training.  Editing is one remaining task I still have yet to learn.

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 Rowan Frame is a Graduate working in the Royal Society of Chemistry's Science, Publishing Department. To see if there are any current vacancies go to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' Blog or subscribe to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' by Email

Eight months in and I’m still enjoying all the challenges of the RSC Graduate Scheme in Publishing.

My last blog was back in December, I had just started my peer review training which has continued to go well and be very interesting. I have now independently made up issues 2 and 3 of Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences, with issue 4 due to be started next week. Issue make-up was quite complicated at first as there were so many different aspects that had to be considered, however, each time I make-up a new issue I find that it becomes easier and much quicker to do.

In February I began another new area of my training, which is abstracting for Natural Product Updates (NPU). NPU provides graphical abstracts of new developments in natural product chemistry, selected from dozens of key primary journals. This aspect of my training is really interesting and is completely different to the others, which means that my days are becoming even more varied.

The RSC is a very welcoming and rewarding place to work. Unlike a lot of other companies, the RSC has a really enthusiastic and dedicated Sports and Social Club, which organises some really enjoyable socialising activities that range from chocolate tasting to the RSC Quiz Night.

Applying to be on the RSC Graduate Scheme in Publishing was the best decision I have made. I am lucky to have found a job where I really look forward to going to work the next day.

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Rachel is a Graduate working in the Royal Society of Chemistry's Publishing Department. To see if there are any current vacancies go to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' Blog or subscribe to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' by Email

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I’m now just over 3 months into the RSC publishing graduate scheme.

Having finished my degree in chemistry last summer, it has been quite a change starting a new job and moving to a new city. Thankfully, my time at the RSC so far has been really positive: everyone I’ve met has been so friendly and welcoming, and I’m really enjoying the work.

I started as a Publishing Editor on the Materials team in November and began training in proof reading, which involves making the final changes to an article and publishing it online. Before too long I was able to do this independently, which was initially a bit daunting but I soon got used to it. Just after Christmas I completed proofreading training, and I am now about a month into my training in the peer review process, which is turning out to be a lot of fun. It’s very different to anything I’ve done before but I’m definitely enjoying the challenge, and luckily my trainer and the rest of the team are always happy to answer my questions, no matter how daft! I’ve also been able to commission artwork for journal covers, and tomorrow I’ll be putting together my first issue of the Journal of Materials Chemistry.

Outside of work I’m really enjoying life in Cambridge. I’ve recently joined the university trampolining club, and somehow, despite having only ever played twice in my life, I’ve found myself on the RSC squash ladder!

One of my favourite things about my job is the variety – there’s always a new challenge around the corner and more to learn, and I’m looking forward to what’s to come.

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Catherine is a Graduate working in the Royal Society of Chemistry's Publishing Department. To see if there are any current vacancies go to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' Blog or subscribe to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' by Email

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Three and a half months in, enjoying every day, and always looking forward to the next!

As I was nearing the end of my PhD in synthetic organic/medicinal chemistry, the next stage of my career looked more nebulous than it ever had. What to do next? Then an opportunity with the RSC came up!

Doing anticancer drug discovery research was wonderful, and I couldn't be happier with the choice I made back in 2006 when I decided to leave my native Italy to pursue a PhD. It was a great experience and it has enriched me in countless ways. Yet, when it came to deciding what to do next, I knew I wanted a new challenge.

I have always been hugely passionate about reading and writing since a very young age. And while I thoroughly enjoyed the practical aspects of my PhD research, predictably, it was writing about it afterwards that provided the highlight for me. The machinery behind the "other side" of research, where the results are made public and become available to the rest of the world, was always deeply fascinating for me.

So when my PhD ended, and the RSC opened up some vacancies with the publishing graduate scheme, I literally jumped at the opportunity! I have joined the Synthetic Organic team and am currently being trained in abstracting and proofreading. I am enjoying this immensely and look forward to the next stages of my training with much anticipation. The new skills and insights I was able to absorb in this short time (which has flown by with amazing speed!) have been manifold, and since day one I was in the company and in the capable hands of lovely, knowledgeable (and massively patient!) trainers.

In a recent development, I was made the cover coordinator for Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry and have been assigning covers to the latest issues, choosing from a range of wonderful artwork submitted by eager authors from around the world, and providing aesthetic (!) guidelines for them as they create new and impressive images to highlight their work. Who says science is not artistic?!

The next stages of the training will involve editing and peer reviewing, and I am looking forward to these with excitement and curiosity. Watch this space for what comes next (resolution for next blog entry: find a decent picture to upload!). The future looks bright - I have a job where I always look forward to the next day with anticipation, and I count myself incredibly fortunate for that.

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Elisa is a Graduate working in the Royal Society of Chemistry's Editorial Production Department. To see if there are any current vacancies go to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' Blog or subscribe to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' by Email 

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I have been on the RSC grad scheme 5 months now and I am not too sure where the time has gone! It has been a great experience so far with many amazing opportunities! I am currently in the Education team, and have been for just over a month; however my first rotation was in the Science team.

In the Science team I was presented with many different responsibilities and managed tasks relating to a number of projects from day one. I have learnt an incredible amount about Science Policy, the RSC as a whole as well as working across many different departments. Activities included organising events such as the Lord Lewis Prize Lecture to carrying out background research to support the RSC’s Chemistry Landscape project. I completed the content for a new Science Policy Writing for Political Engagement e-resource for our members as well as writing a RSC position statement on Chemical Science opportunities in the Industrial Biotechnology sector. This RSC position statement will form a basis of Science activities in 2012, including the development of a Government roadmap for Synthetic Biology.

Now in the Education team, I have taken on many projects including 'Chemistry in the Olympics' which is a new website launching in March linked to LearnChemistry. I have particularly enjoyed working on this project! I have been working on developing content for the webpage which has involved liaising with a variety of people from UK Anti-doping to the Brownlee Brother’s (triathalon medal hopeful for 2012!)  who will introduce our new webpage and Global Experiment. To find out more about our educational resources available please look up LearnChemistry. 

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Ruth is a Graduate working in the Royal Society of Chemistry's Science, Education and Industry Department. To see if there are any current vacancies go to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' Blog or subscribe to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' by Email

 

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I've now been at the RSC for over four months and I am learning new skills every day...

I was debating whether to begin a PhD in toxicology or get started with a career when I stumbled across an advertisement for the RSC Graduate Scheme in Publishing. Right away, I knew it would be the right career path for me so I was ecstatic when I was offered a position as a publishing editor.

I joined the Organic Applications team in October and I have felt welcome since day one. To start with I began training in proof reading and after a month or so I began publishing articles without any supervision. Since then I have undertaken my editing training which is really interesting and totally different to anything I’ve done before. I will also begin my peer review training this week so the pace is beginning to quicken and I’m enjoying every minute. The skills that I am learning each day will be vital to my (hopefully) successful career in STM publishing.

My favourite thing about working at the RSC is that I have the opportunity to read exciting research every day and play a part in making it accessible to the world.

The people at the RSC are great. We have a true mix of characters from all walks of life and it really feels like a tight-knit organisation. There are always activities and social events being organised which is not something that can be said of many employers right now.

I feel completely at home at the RSC; there are so many opportunities and new things to learn that I am sure that I will be here for a long time.

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Brad is a Graduate working in the Royal Society of Chemistry's Science, Education and Industry/Publishing Department. To see if there are any current vacancies go to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' Blog or subscribe to 'RSC: Latest Vacancies' by Email