Student Placement - Medical Writing and Pharmacovigilance Assistant
Student Medical Writing Assistant and Pharmacovigilance Assistant
£23,000 plus benefits
Reports to: Principal Medical Writer
Directorate: Research & Innovation
Contract: 54 Weeks Fixed Term Contract
Hours: Full time 35 hours per week
Location: Stratford, London Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office)
Closing date: 02 November 2025 23:55
This vacancy may close earlier if a high volume of applications is received; therefore, we strongly recommend that you apply early to avoid disappointment. Please let us know if there is anything about the recruitment process that you would like to discuss, in particular if there are any changes or adjustments that would make it easier for you to apply. Please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible.
Visa sponsorship: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship.
Recruitment process: Competency based interview + written task in relation to the placement
About the Placement
At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer. Cancer Research UK are looking for a motivated and ambitious undergraduate student to join our Centre for Drug Development (CDD) as Student Medical Writing Assistant and Pharmacovigilance Assistant. The CDD at Cancer Research UK consists of a diverse and experienced office-based and home-based team who sponsor and manage high quality early phase clinical trials. We work in collaboration with leading scientists and clinicians around the UK to develop effective new anti-cancer treatments.
Here at the CDD, we’re offering a unique opportunity to gain valuable experience and training within a world-class clinical research environment. Our placements will provide you with an exciting opportunity to develop key skills, which will help to open doors to future careers within this industry. During this placement year, the chosen candidates will be provided with training, mentorship, and exposure to key roles in drug development and pharmaceutical research.
If you’re a motivated life sciences student, with an interest in drug development and oncology clinical trials, then this is your opportunity to gain invaluable experience working within the pharmaceutical sector.
We have one 54 week placement to offer, with negotiable start date in July 2026.
What will I be doing?
This role will be split between the Medical Writing and Pharmacovigilance teams, and will include the following responsibilities:
* Provide administrative support to the Medical Writing and Pharmacovigilance teams as required.
* Support other functions in the Quality, Regulatory, Pharmacovigilance and Medical Writing (QRPM) department with administrative tasks where appropriate.
* Build good working relationships with key functions in the CDD to ensure timely delivery of documents.
* Organise meetings (either online or in‑person) with both internal and external groups, taking minutes as requested.
* Support the Medical Writing and Pharmacovigilance teams in maintaining relevant sections of the Trial Master File, ensuring that documentation is filed and reviewed appropriately.
* Develop and maintain an awareness of the main clinical development activities, in particular those related to the QRPM department.
* Develop and maintain an awareness of CDD clinical trials and key projects.
* Other tasks delegated by the Principal Medical Writer or Pharmacovigilance Manager.
Pharmacovigilance
* Assist with data entry of serious adverse event information from Investigator sites related to adverse event reporting.
* Assist in obtaining further information from Investigator sites related to adverse event reporting.
Medical writing
* Manage and track documents required for Clinical Study Report (CSR) and Investigator Brochure (IB) preparation.
* Provide support for the preparation, authoring, review and quality control of CSRs, safety narratives, report appendices, IBs, lay summaries of results, and other documentation as required.
What are you looking for?
If you’re a motivated life sciences student, with an interest in drug development and oncology clinical trials, then this is your opportunity to gain invaluable experience working within the pharmaceutical sector. You will need to be able to demonstrate:
* Strong organisational and time management skills;
* Excellent communication skills (written and verbal);
* Ability to confidently communicate with an array of internal and external contacts. Excellent attention to detail;
* Ability to work as part of a team and independently in an enthusiastic, proactive fashion;
* Good working knowledge of Microsoft based packages (Word, Excel and Powerpoint);
* Strong problem‑solving skills;
* Familiarity with ICH/GCP guidelines would be beneficial but isn’t essential (you will learn in the role);
* Experience working in an office environment would be beneficial but isn’t essential.
Application criteria
* You must be currently studying for an undergraduate degree at university. Your degree course must support a placement year in industry. Applications from graduates or PhD students, or students for whom a placement year is not a part of their degree course, will NOT be considered.
* You should expect to receive a 2:1 or grade B in your year‑end results in a science related degree.
* You should have 3 A levels (or equivalent) grade B and above (preferably one in a biological science).
* You should be able to commence work in July 2026 (the start date is negotiable).
* You should have the right to live and work in the UK without restriction. We regret that we cannot consider applications from candidates who require a work permit to work in the UK.
Benefits
We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high‑quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work‑life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals. You can explore our benefits by visiting our careers web page.
Organisation values
* Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination
* Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism
* Human: Act to have a positive impact on people
* Together: Act inclusively and collaboratively
We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under‑represented. We want to see every candidate performing at their best throughout the job application process, interview process and whilst at work. Please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible if you have any concerns or adjustments needed.
Unfortunately, we are unable to recruit anyone below the age of 18, so that we can protect young people from health & safety and safeguarding risks.
Job Details
* Seniority level: Internship
* Employment type: Full‑time
* Job function: Education and Training
* Industries: Non‑profit Organizations
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