Earth Fellow: on-campus engagement with COP and sustainability communications

£29,588 Per Annum Pro Rata (£16.21 per hour). Edinburgh Earth Initiative, Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability. Part Time - 9 hours per week. Fixed-term for nine months from September 2026.

The Edinburgh Earth Initiative (EEI) is looking for a postgraduate student to support on a project with two halves: the first half will focus on engaging students on campus with COP31, the second half will focus on supporting Edinburgh Earth Initiative with digital communications. The Earth Fellow will be responsible for organising a ‘COP café’ event to engage students and staff with climate diplomacy during COP31, and later for creating engaging digital content for EEI’s online channels.

Please refer to the project brief and the skills listed below when outlining your skills and experience in your application.

Your skills and attributes for success:

• Current University of Edinburgh postgraduate student in the ’26/’27 academic year.
• An interest in United Nations climate and environment meetings and what students and staff can learn from them.
• Basic experience with organising events.
• Basic experience using social media to engage an audience and encourage participation.
• Excellent written communications skills including the ability to communicate complex information clearly and engagingly.
• Ability to structure and prioritise a dynamic workload.
• Ability to work proactively with colleagues with a variety of expertise; understanding and valuing different points of view.

Ideally, candidates will be able to spread their work hours across at least two days of the week.

As an Earth Fellow, you will be joining a diverse, fun and dynamic team of researchers, students and staff all working together to address the global climate emergency. As part of the Earth Fellows programme, you will have access to co‑working space, exciting networking and personal development opportunities and opportunities to contribute towards partnerships and solutions for climate change on a global scale.

Earth Fellows work on individual and team‑based projects which contribute to the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Earth Initiative’s work on climate change research‑led impact, innovation, engagement, and teaching.

As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

• A competitive salary.
• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
• To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
• Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family‑friendly initiatives, and flexible work options.

Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion:

The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter, and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.

Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages. On this occasion the University will not consider applicants requiring sponsorship for this role. International workers will therefore only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

Key dates to note:

• The closing date for applications is 10 August 2026.
• Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm GMT. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browser’s local time zone.
• Interviews will be held during August.