Postgraduate Student Placement

• Role: Postgraduate student placement in a real, commercially-focused project. Can be aligned with placement/project requirements of your degree course if appropriate.
• Duration: Up to a maximum of 6 weeks full-time equivalent (but can be done part-time) in Spring/Summer/Autumn 2023.
• Candidate: Flexible role for UK-based candidates working towards a postgraduate degree in e.g. Geography, Ecology, Engineering or Environmental Science/Policy.
• Salary: The Real Living Wage i.e. £10.90/hour, or £11.95/hour in London (unless not permitted by your university).

About Verna

Verna is a green-tech start-up, with a rapidly expanding customer base and over £2m in growth funding from private investors and the UK Government. We use software and data science to help people manage land in the best way for the environment – drawing down carbon and enhancing biodiversity, whilst making sustainable returns.

Project

Verna is currently partnering with Forest Research, Cranfield University, and a number of other partners to deliver an innovation project funded by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Project BIOFORCE (BIOmass FORestry CrEation) is developing geospatial data systems to boost carbon sequestration and biodiversity enhancement through increased tree-planting. These software tools will enable landowners, investors, and policymakers to assess sites throughout Great Britain for forestry suitability, taking into account biophysical conditions, economic factors, local impacts, and regulations.

The project involves demonstration partnerships with a number of public and private sector organisations, including the National Trust, HS2, the Ministry of Justice, the Country Land and Business Association, and the Farr Estate.

Placement opportunity

We have opportunities for a number of postgraduate student placements within our BIOFORCE partnership, the first of which is expected to run in Spring/Summer/Autumn 2023 (with some flexibility on timing).

Each placement will offer students tangible experience in a real, commercially-focused project. There is flexibility around the work that the student will undertake, to align with their particular skillset. This could be in the fields of GIS / geospatial data science, ecology, engineering, environmental science/policy/economics, natural resources management or others. For example, the project has needs spanning geospatial analysis, site visits and surveys, social/market research, and economic and policy analysis. Fundamentally, we are looking for talented individuals with a passion for environmental impact, and we can tailor placements to their skills.

Each placement student will also have the opportunity to establish a long-term relationship with Verna, and we will offer monthly mentoring catch-ups after the placement ends.

Like ecosystems, teams are more vibrant, innovative, and resilient when they are more diverse. We welcome applications from everyone, and particularly people from under-represented groups of every kind.

Qualifications

Candidates will be working towards a postgraduate degree from a UK research institute and in a relevant discipline, such as Geography, Ecology, Engineering, Environmental Science/Policy/Economics, or Forestry.

Location

Verna is a fully remote team, and the work will be mostly undertaken from the student's own base (e.g. from home or place of study). The Verna team meets in person roughly monthly, and students will be included in these meet-ups (with travel expenses reimbursed).

Salary

We will pay students a monthly salary based on the Real Living Wage (i.e. equivalent to £10.90/hour, or £11.95/hour in London), unless this is not permitted by their university (e.g. if the placement is undertaken as part of a degree's placement requirements, and payment for such projects is not permitted).

How to apply

To apply for the role, please apply via Breezy (button on top right of this page) providing:

• Your CV.
• A short covering note that explains why you are interested in the role and how you think you'll fit with our team and goals.

We will consider applications and interview candidates on a rolling basis, until the first placement opportunity is filled. (There will be further placement opportunities later in the project, and candidates who apply now will also be considered for those if they wish.)

You can expect to hear from us within 3 weeks of applying.