Undergraduate Intern - Product Vigilance

Review: Undergraduate Intern – Product Vigilance at British American Tobacco UK

Are you a proactive undergraduate eager to gain invaluable real-world experience in a dynamic and evolving industry? British American Tobacco (BAT) UK presents an exciting 12-month undergraduate placement opportunity for aspiring professionals within their Product Vigilance Team, based in Southampton. This role is a fantastic stepping stone for students pursuing degrees in pharmacovigilance, pharmacy, or related scientific fields, including Biomedical Sciences, Life Sciences, Medicine, Public Health, Toxicology, Regulatory Affairs, and Health Informatics.

BAT is at the forefront of innovation, transitioning into a global multi-category business with a clear purpose: to create A Better Tomorrow™ by Building a Smokeless World. This placement offers a unique chance to contribute to this ambitious vision and become part of a team dedicated to ensuring product safety across the entire product lifecycle.

Advantages for Aspiring Professionals:

• Meaningful Impact: You will be an integral part of the Product Vigilance Centre of Excellence, directly contributing to post-market safety surveillance, adverse event management, and signal detection. This hands-on involvement ensures you gain practical experience in a critical area of product development and safety.
• Exposure to a Global Landscape: This role involves working with a global safety database and collaborating with various international stakeholders, including external vendors. This provides a broad perspective on global regulatory environments and business operations.
• Empowerment and Autonomy: BAT emphasizes empowering interns to lead projects, make decisions, and cultivate independent thinking and problem-solving skills. This is an excellent environment to develop confidence and take ownership of your work.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: You will have the opportunity to engage with key stakeholders across different departments such as Quality, Product Development, Legal, and Call Centre Teams. This fosters a holistic understanding of business operations and strengthens your networking abilities.
• Comprehensive Development Program: BAT's established placement program offers dedicated support, including mentorship, regular reviews, and a structured training curriculum. You'll benefit from sessions on onboarding, presentation skills, critical thinking, scientific poster presentations, and networking with senior management.
• Skill Diversification: Beyond technical expertise, you will develop crucial transferable skills such as data analysis, communication, stakeholder management, and strategic thinking, all vital for future career success.
• Contribution to Innovation: As part of BAT's significant investment in Research and Development, you will gain insights into cutting-edge scientific research and the evaluation of potentially reduced-risk products, aligning with the company's future-focused mission.
• Career Progression Opportunities: BAT is committed to internal advancement. This placement is designed to be the start of a journey, offering a supportive environment where your career growth is actively encouraged and facilitated.

Key Considerations for Candidates:

• Educational Background: While degrees in pharmacovigilance or pharmacy are ideal, applications are welcomed from students in a range of scientific disciplines. A strong interest in public health, safety regulation, and data is crucial.
• Proactive and Curious Mindset: The role thrives on initiative, curiosity, and a forward-thinking approach. Candidates should be comfortable with ambiguity and eager to explore new challenges.
• Adaptability and Teamwork: The fast-paced nature of the company's evolution requires adaptability. You'll need to be a strong team player, ready to support colleagues while also being confident in engaging with diverse global stakeholders.
• Data-Driven Approach: The responsibilities include designing solutions to analyze and present data, turning it into actionable insights. A comfort and aptitude for working with data are essential.
• Long-Term Commitment: This is a 12-month fixed-term position. Candidates should be prepared to commit to the full duration of the internship.
• Location: The role is based in Southampton, UK.
• Start Date: The internship is scheduled to commence on September 1st, 2026.

This undergraduate internship at BAT offers a remarkable opportunity to immerse yourself in a critical scientific function within a globally recognized organization. It's an ideal launchpad for students looking to build a robust foundation in product safety and regulatory affairs, while also developing essential professional skills within a supportive and growth-oriented environment. If you are ready to contribute to shaping a "Better Tomorrow™," this placement could be the perfect next step in your career journey.