Location: Candidates based in or able to regularly come to Oxford and London, UK are preferred; other regions possible

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Who we are

Carbon Gap is a climate not-for-profit focused on eliminating the carbon dioxide that’s already heating up the planet. We exist to drive essential climate action by making Europe a leader in carbon removal, working with governments, scientists, NGOs, and businesses to unlock policy support for the full spectrum of carbon removal methods, storing carbon safely in trees, soils, oceans, rocks, and the built environment.

Joining our team means being at the forefront of a new field of climate action in a new kind of organisation. We’re a young team that’s growing quickly; we’re philanthropically funded and don’t answer to any outside interests; we have a start-up mentality that lets us move fast and experiment; and we’re committed to being an honest voice for the planet on climate change and carbon removal.

Our mission

Carbon removal, alongside emissions reductions, is absolutely essential to preserving a stable climate. We’re focused on addressing the knowledge, policy, and ambition gaps that are holding us back from a carbon removal ecosystem that delivers real progress on climate change.

Leadership from all European countries is critical, both for ensuring that carbon removal can reach the scale necessary to achieve global climate goals, and for ensuring that a progressive vision of carbon removal can emerge that is not dominated by fossil or other corporate interests.

Europe needs carbon removal in order to:

1. meet its net-zero targets
2. address its historical emissions that are already in the atmosphere causing warming.

Carbon removal needs Europe because no other region has both the financial muscle and the political will to scale crucial new climate solutions. Europe needs carbon removal, and carbon removal needs Europe, but neither has a dedicated and honest voice speaking for carbon removal on behalf of the climate. Carbon Gap will be that voice.

The role

These are one-year, full-time fellowships with the possibility to transition to a permanent role. As Carbon Removal Science and Policy Fellow, you will join the Chief Science and Advocacy Officer to generate and refine impactful proposals for carbon removal policy and advocacy, while supporting the establishment of Carbon Gap’s world-leading expertise on the emerging field of carbon removal. You’ll work daily with an established and respected expert in the field and have frequent exposure to other leaders across government, industry, and academia.

You’ll be deeply immersed from Day 1 in a high-impact climate policy startup, involved in everything Carbon Gap does and growing alongside the team. The role will include research, writing, strategy, and project coordination; typical days may see you developing an amendment to a piece of UK climate legislation, researching EU carbon farming certification standards, co-creating projects and partnerships to drive more effective corporate climate action, scheduling, preparing for, and attending meetings with policymakers and subject matter experts, and managing agendas and tracking progress on various projects.

This is an ideal role for a recent graduate from an undergraduate or graduate program with a significant focus on climate, environment, and policy issues. By the end of your fellowship, you will have a wide network across the carbon removal and climate fields and be prepared for both business and policy-oriented career opportunities.

Responsibilities

Research and Analysis (60%)

• Research topics related to carbon removal science, policy, and markets, including:
  • Existing policies in the UK, EU, and other jurisdictions
  • Initiatives establishing governance, standards, and certifications for carbon removal
  • The commercial market for carbon removal
  • Academic literature
• Create research output such as summaries and internal briefings
• Write, edit, and contribute to the creation of outward-facing policy reports, briefs, and papers, as well as other pieces of content such as social media and blog posts
• Co-create Carbon Gap’s science and advocacy strategy for maximum impact

Coordination and Project Management (30%)

• Working closely with the Chief Science and Advocacy Officer, triage different priorities and set short and medium-term agendas
• Contribute to the management and maintenance of Carbon Gap’s research management system; develop team-wide best practices to share scientific and research updates
• Attend and document project-related meetings with key stakeholders; track and follow-up on needed actions

Administration (10%)

• Perform basic administrative tasks, including schedule management, travel booking, and CRM entry

What we offer

We take our team’s well-being and professional development seriously. We offer:

• A market-leading compensation and benefits package, bridging the pay gap between non-profit and for-profit roles
• A commitment to work/life balance, with generous holidays and the expectation that you fully disconnect while taking them
• Lots of flexibility within a hybrid working arrangement
• Support for your professional development as part of the Carbon Gap community, with opportunities to lead projects, publish content, learn from leading experts, work directly with policymakers and stakeholders, and take part in international conferences and events

This role is full-time. We believe in the importance of teams working together in-person and prefer that candidates be based in or be able to come to Oxford regularly, but are open to candidates living elsewhere in Europe as well. cx

Who you are

• You’re committed to climate action. You don’t need to be an expert in carbon removal, but the idea that we can take carbon from the atmosphere, stop climate change, and begin repairing the damage we’ve done to the planet excites you.
• You’re comfortable with new material. Diving into a new field, learning new acronyms and concepts, and digesting scientific papers doesn’t scare you. You want to become a master of new ideas and concepts.
• You get right to the point. Faced with a lot of information, you’re great at figuring out what’s most important, synthesising it into findings and recommendations, and going from there.
• You love solving new challenge. You’re not afraid to work your way through a new problem, and you’re energised by the idea of finding a solution. You’re the first to volunteer when something unexpected needs to be done.
• You excel on a small team and are happy playing different roles. Your flexibility lets you move between different projects and switch contexts smoothly.

💡 Climate change is a race issue and a gender issue. Carbon Gap is dedicated to broadening opportunities for groups that are underrepresented in the climate and carbon removal spaces, and to building an inclusive team where people of different backgrounds can thrive. We strongly encourage applications from people who do not see themselves represented in the current climate ecosystem.

What we are looking for:

• Passion for climate impact
• Professional experience or demonstrated interest in climate change and/or policy issues, including through work experience, internships, coursework, or extracurriculars
  • Examples of relevant experience may include, but are not limited to, working or interning as a parliamentary assistant, in the civil service, as a research assistant, in a relevant startup or non-profit, or taking leadership roles in student initiatives on related topics
  • Candidates transitioning to a climate focus from other careers are welcome to apply, but we’ll be looking for evidence of commitment.
• An ability to master technical content and create clear, short syntheses of complex material
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain complex and technical issues in clear, persuasive language
• A positive, friendly, and humble attitude
• Comfort challenging others in positions of authority in a professional manner
• Some exposure to and comfort with scientific and technical material, whether through education or professional experience, is an asset
• A high degree of proficiency in communications-related skills, such as developing presentations in Powerpoint, is an asset

Apply now

Apply ASAP via this form. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the end of August.

We are dedicated to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.