DescriptionNatural Environment Research Council
Salary: £23,493 per annum
Contract Type: Fixed Term – 8 weeks
Hours: Full-time
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire
Closing date: 8th March 2026
Interview: Virtually via Microsoft Teams in April 2026
Start date: July 2026
The NERC Sustainability Team is a small, hybrid, Head Office based team responsible for delivering NERC’s approach to environmental sustainability. The team plays a central role in ensuring NERC meets its environmental commitments in alignment with the UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy, supporting NERC’s contribution to net zero and wider environmental goals. The team leads on carbon management, sustainability policy and assurance, delivery of sustainability activities, environmental performance monitoring, and external reporting.
Working collaboratively across the organisation, the team maintains strong links with UKRI sustainability colleagues and works closely with sustainability leads and operational teams across NERC Centres. This includes across NERC’s centres:
- British Antarctic Survey (BAS)
- British Geological Survey (BGS)
- National Oceanography Centre (NOC)
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH)
- National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO)
- National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS).
Sustainability is a crosscutting priority for NERC, and the team also engages with multiple directorates to embed good environmental practice into policy, operations, and decision making.
About the Summer Placement
Student life is great, but taking time out to gain experience of the workplace can be both a rewarding and invaluable experience as you choose your path ahead. We can offer you the opportunity to make a difference from day one. Everything we do has an impact globally and our summer placements are no exception.
This summer placement offers the opportunity to gain practical experience in environmental sustainability within a large public sector research organisation. The role will provide exposure to a range of sustainability activities, supporting the development of analytical, organisational, and professional skills in a real-world policy and operational context.
Throughout the placement, the student will work with the Sustainability Team and engage with sustainability colleagues across the NERC Centres, developing an understanding of how environmental sustainability is delivered in a complex, multisite organisation. By the end of the placement, the student will have an appreciation of how public sector organisations translate environmental commitments into practical, impactful action.
Summary of Key Duties & Responsibilities
- Supporting delivery of the NERC Carbon Pathway Programme
- Supporting delivery of the NERC Environmental Action Plan
- Assisting in the development of environmental communication and reporting materials for staff and external audiences
- Assisting with desk-top environmental research activities, such as reviewing policies, plans and literature to create summary reports, briefings or slides as deliverables
- Assisting with environmental data analysis by collecting, organising and studying data to provide insights and produce infographics
- Establishing relationships and playing an active role as a member of the sustainability team
- Attending meetings and events to support learning with a willingness to travel if required
Person Specification
The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).
In order to apply for the role, we are looking for the following:
Essential:
- You are in full time education at university, and will be returning to university/your studies to complete your undergraduate degree once the summer placement has concluded (S)
- You have the right to live and work in the UK for the duration of the placement (S)
- You are studying a specific discipline in geography, natural science, environmental science, biology, sustainability or sustainable development (S)
- Good understanding of the fundamental principles of sustainability (S & I)
- Planned and organised approach to work and meeting deadlines (S & I)
- Able to work well within a team and show initiative (S & I)
- Good inter-personal skills, particularly in communication (both written and verbal) and problem solving (S&I)
- Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel (S)
Desirable:
- Can work independently, using available resources to overcome problems (S)
- Experience of data analysis and interpretation (S)
- A well-read knowledge of global, national and regional issues that will allow you to communicate the need for environmental sustainability with passion, conviction and reasoning (S&I)
- Willingness to travel to other UKRI sites on occasions (S)
- Graduate member of sustainability related professional membership body (S)
Employee Benefits
We are offering a permanent position with a whole host of benefits including:
- 30 days holiday pro rata
- Flexible working hours.
- Easily accessible public transport links/ free parking.
- Excellent learning and development opportunities
Link to more benefits: https://www.ukri.org/who-we-are/work-for-us/working-at-ukri/benefits-of-working-for-ukri/
As this job does not fulfil the UK Government minimum criterion for obtaining sponsored migrant worker status, we will be unable to apply for sponsorship for anyone not eligible to work in the UK. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK.
You can check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y
Application Guidance
Please note that we can only accept a maximum of 2 applications per candidate.
Part of our application process involves submitting your CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter should address your suitability for the opportunity based how you meet each essential criteria stated in this advert.
Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received.
