The posting
Role Summary
- Responsibilities: You will use your technical and scientific expertise to deliver free, impactful healthcare communications and support to charities and non-profit organisations across diverse projects and disease areas
- Salary: £39,000 per annum
- Benefits: Discretionary profit share bonuses paid twice per year, hybrid and flexible working options, generous holiday allowance, private medical insurance, critical illness cover, income protection, full funding for external training, and more
- Role Type: Full time, permanent
- Start Date: The role will ideally commence in November 2026, and you will be asked to state your availability on your application form
- Application Deadlines: Whilst there are no set application deadlines, we strongly recommend applying as early as possible. The role will close when a suitable candidate is found
- Location: This role is available in our Global Headquarters in Cambridge, as well as our Manchester and Bristol offices
About the Role
Working in our Pro Bono team offers a unique opportunity that many other healthcare communications agencies don't provide - delivering services free of charge to charities and not-for-profit organisations. In 2024 alone, we contributed 2,554 days of support to a range of health-focused non-profit organisations, which we are currently on track to exceed in 2025. This work advances our mission in promoting health by collaborating with organisations who may not otherwise have access to the skills and expertise that we provide.
We provide our full range of services on pro bono basis, collaborating across teams and offices to deliver the best expertise for project needs. As a Pro Bono Analyst, you will gain skills to support projects in health economics, literature reviews, medical writing, publications, medical education, and design materials.
Whilst your “home” team will be Pro Bono, you will work across commercial and pro bono projects with colleagues in all our service areas. Being based in Pro Bono specifically will ensure that you become quickly integrated into part of a supportive team and feel fully immersed in all aspects of company life.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Creating materials for different audiences, often for patients, their carers or healthcare professionals
- Working on several projects in different disease areas at any one time
- Supporting commercial projects to gain relevant experience for your professional development
- Working in project teams alongside experienced colleagues
- Close collaboration with clients, including participating in teleconferences and face-to-face meetings with external stakeholders
- Supporting with a range of internal activities linked to the Pro Bono team. For example, preparing business development materials, identifying potential networking opportunities and monitoring our pro bono work
Hybrid Working Policy: We believe that having face-to-face time in the office holds many benefits and is central to ensuring that the community we have created, where people have a workplace they belong to and feel part of, is never lost. At the same time, we recognise that homeworking can improve work life balance, reduce commuting times and costs, and provide the opportunity to juggle personal commitments. Therefore, we offer flexible working arrangements that allow our colleagues who have passed probation to work from home up to half their time, measured across a 2-week rolling period. During your probationary period (normally the first 6 months of the role), you will be able to work from home 1 day per week.
Why Join Our Pro Bono Team?
- Dedicated Pro Bono Focus: Few agencies can match our commitment to pro bono work, so joining us is a unique opportunity to specialise in working with not-for-profit organisations operating in the healthcare space
- Variety of Projects: Engage in a wide range of project types including creating patient information and education materials and helping organisations to build their evidence base. In 2024, we worked on project spanning global health, rare diseases, mental health, women’s health and oncology and more. Project examples can be found on our website via https://www.costellomedical.com/force-for-good/pro-bono-portfolio/
- Diverse Non-Profit Engagement: Collaborate with different organisations to drive positive change across numerous disease areas and patient communities. In 2024 alone, we supported 62 non-profits across 83 different projects
- The Chance to Give Back Every Day: Embody our commitment to being a force for good by using your scientific expertise to drive impactful change for those who need it most
Don’t just take it from us. Here is what colleagues in the Pro Bono team have to say about working on pro bono projects:
- Lucy-Paige: "Contributing to remarkable organisations enhances my skills and is truly fulfilling"
- Melanie: "Working on a broad spectrum of projects is incredibly rewarding"
A Day in the Life of an Analyst
Learn more about a typical day in the life of a Pro Bono Analyst at Costello Medical: https://www.costellomedical.com/careers/working-at-costello-medical/day-in-the-life-pro-bono-analyst/
Career Profile
To learn more about the personal and professional development opportunities at Costello Medical, explore first-hand career profiles from our colleagues about their experiences with the company: https://www.costellomedical.co.uk/careers/working-at-costello-medical/
About Costello Medical
Costello Medical is a rapidly growing global healthcare agency specialising in medical communications, market access, and health economic and outcomes research. We work with a wide range of clients, including the industry’s most successful pharmaceutical and medical technology companies, patient and public health bodies, and charitable organisations. We have been listed in the Top 100 Best Companies to Work For list since 2017 and were proud to receive B Corporation accreditation in 2022. Learn more about us, our work, and our mission on our website: https://www.costellomedical.com/
Requirements
About You
Essential requirements for the role are:
- An undergraduate degree (2:1 or above) in a scientific discipline; postgraduate qualifications are a plus
- Strong scientific writing skills, gained in an academic or professional setting (e.g., reports, publications, proposals)
- A passion for working closely with not-for-profit and charity organisations on a wide range of project types
- a strong understanding of the UK healthcare environment, including healthcare policy and the wider healthcare landscape in which our clients operate
- A genuine interest in healthcare and enthusiasm for learning
- Excellent attention to detail, analytical ability, and organisational skills
- Outstanding written and verbal communication, with the ability to adapt your communication style for varied audiences
- Proactivity and a collaborative nature
- Self-awareness, with the desire for continuous professional development
- A commitment to quality, innovation and integrity
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Joining Costello Medical from Academia
At Costello Medical, we warmly welcome applicants from academia who are looking to transitioning into a role within a commercial, industry-based setting. We understand the unique perspectives and valuable skills that academic professionals bring to our team. To support your career change, we offer comprehensive training, mentorship programs, and a work culture that fosters collaboration, growth and innovation. We are committed to facilitating a smooth transition and helping you thrive in an industry-based setting.
Many of our team members have successfully made this transition, and they share how their expertise has been transformed into fulfilling, impactful careers with us. Learn more here: https://www.costellomedical.com/careers/working-at-costello-medical/joining-from-academia/
Benefits
What We Offer
Alongside our award-winning company culture, where every team member is celebrated, respected, and has their voice heard, we are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes:
- A starting salary of £39,000, as well as a discretionary profit share bonus paid twice per year. Please note that we have established salary bands that ensures a fair and consistent approach for all applicants, eliminating the need for individual negotiations
- 25 days’ annual leave plus bank and public holidays, as well as a holiday buy and sell scheme
- Flexible working hours and the chance to work from home for up to half of your working time after passing probation
- Flexible benefits scheme offering cash payments, additional pension contributions and more
- Private Medical Insurance which offers comprehensive cover on a “medical history disregard” basis
- Paid study leave and funding for external qualifications
- Critical Illness Cover, Income Protection and Life Assurance
- Paid and unpaid sabbaticals based on length of service
Please click here to learn about our full reward package and the other benefits of working for Costello Medical: https://www.costellomedical.com/careers/benefits-package-in-the-uk/
The Application Process
You are required to submit your CV and a cover letter via our online application form. In your cover letter, you must explain why you think you would be suited to the role and why you would like to join Costello Medical, with examples to support both. Your CV should clearly state the dates of all qualifications and grades achieved where applicable.
Then, our recruitment process includes a written and proofreading assessment for you to complete in your own time. If successful, you will be invited to an interview which will include a short presentation you can prepare for in advance. Our standard recruitment process lasts around 1 month, however, this can be adapted if necessary.
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce and, throughout the recruitment process, there are a number of reasonable adjustments we can provide: https://www.costellomedical.com/reasonable-adjustments/
Please note that, whilst we embrace AI to innovate and improve processes, your role may involve confidential data that cannot be uploaded to AI. Therefore, it is important for us to assess your own skills and abilities, so we recommend that you do not rely solely on this technology to generate any application materials.
Visa Sponsorship
Due to the Skilled Worker visa regulations, you will only be eligible for visa sponsorship if you meet at least one of the following criteria:
- You are classified as a New Entrant, which includes applicants who are under the age of 26, currently studying in the UK or a recent graduate in the UK, amongst other qualifying criteria. Please read more about the New Entrant criteria: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-caseworker-guidance/skilled-worker-caseworker-guidance-accessible#bookmark63
- You have a PhD in a STEM subject
- You have a PhD in a subject that is relevant to the Analyst role
Please check the following link to read more about the criteria on the UK government website: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/when-you-can-be-paid-less.
You will be asked to provide details of your right to work in the UK within your application, which will be used to help assess your eligibility for visa sponsorship.
For current Student visa holders, in most cases you will be unable to join us in a permanent full-time position until you have submitted your graduate visa application. Please refer to Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules: Appendix Student - Guidance - GOV.UK and Graduate visa: Overview - GOV.UK for more details.
Please contact [email protected] should you have any questions.
