Two students are being given the chance to make history by working alongside the archaeologists who uncovered the remains of Richard III.
The University of Leicester is offering an internship for a Year 12 ( aged 17 to 18) student to work on a second excavation of the Grey Friars church site in the city where the skeleton of the medieval king was uncovered last September.
The successful candidate will work with University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) team members Richard Buckley and Mathew Morris throughout July.
As part of the month-long paid post, the intern will learn key archaeological skills and processes and will have the chance to make new discoveries in the remnants of the Grey Friars church.
There is also one internship up for grabs for a current University of Leicester Archaeology undergraduate.
Richard Buckley, lead archaeologist on the University of Leicester's Search for Richard III, said: "This is a great opportunity for a budding archaeologist to see an excavation through from start to finish, learning how we use mechanical excavators to expose the archaeology, then using hand tools to clean, define and excavate features relating to the church in which Richard III was buried in 1485.
"Our interns will be given the chance to share in the excitement of discovery, helping to uncover the choir and presbytery of the church and recover finds which will tell us more about the date and appearance of the building and what happened to it after it was dissolved in 1538.
"They will also learn how to record the archaeology through drawings, photographs and written records and how to process finds that come up."
During the dig, the archaeologists hope to expose the whole east end of the church of the Franciscan friary, revealing evidence for the plan and architecture of the choir and presbytery.
They expect to unearth building materials – floor tiles, roof tiles and window fragments – which will help to reconstruct the appearance of the church before it was demolished soon after the Dissolution in 1538.
The interns will be given full training and mentoring by the archaeologists throughout the dig and will receive a £1,000 bursary for the month.
Charlotte Barratt, Richard III outreach officer at the University of Leicester, said: "This is a genuine opportunity for two students to take part in a major dig.
"Who knows? The lucky students could be the very people who uncover a startling piece of history.
"It is a very exciting and unusual offer and one we anticipate will prove very popular."
All entrants will be invited to the dig site to meet Richard Buckley and the search team - regardless of whether they secure the internship.
For the Year 12 internship, the University are looking for candidates who are interested in studying archaeology after they finish their A-levels or equivalent studies.
Mr Buckley added: "It is very rare indeed for archaeologists to get the chance to investigate a site in the middle of a city for purely research purposes, even more so to dig one with royal associations like this one."
Applicants should visit www2.le.ac.uk/departments/archaeology/richard-iii-internship
The deadline for applications is midnight June 23 and the successful interns will be notified on June 26.
The Search for Richard III was led by the University of Leicester, working with Leicester City Council, and in association with the Richard III Society.
