The University of Edinburgh
Earth Fellow: monitoring university farm sustainability
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Grade UE05: £29,588 - £33,951 per annum, pro rata
Edinburgh Earth Initiative / Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability
Part-time: 9 hours per week
Fixed-term: 9 months from September 2026
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.
The Opportunity:
The Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability is looking for a postgraduate student to support on a project to establish baselines for monitoring biodiversity and soil condition on the University’s farm. The Earth Fellow will be responsible for establishing a repeatable protocol for field sampling and analysing and reporting on current soil condition and biodiversity.
Click here to view the full project brief for the Earth Fellow: monitoring university farm sustainability, including key tasks and deliverables [https://uoe.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/jobdescriptionlibrary/IQADXhb8R3ZRTIPYBNwYWXTeAbwdPY7tD1ypPleX6kuEe80](opens browser in new tab).
Click here to view the general Earth Fellow job description [https://uoe.sharepoint.com/:w:/s/jobdescriptionlibrary/IQDghVrVFpMNTq9k_ZcPMqiTAaPdiKLvAIisdl76R0c3xf4](opens browser in new tab).
Earth Fellowships are only open to current postgraduate and PhD students at the University of Edinburgh based in the UK. Please do not apply if you will not be an on-campus University of Edinburgh student in the ‘26/’27 academic year.
Your skills and attributes for success:
- Current University of Edinburgh postgraduate student in the ‘26/27’ academic year.
- An interest in sustainable farming practices.
- Experience with fieldwork activities such as site surveying and soil sampling.
- Experience with scientific lab work such as chemical analysis and data recording.
- Ability to analyse data and make recommendations for farm sustainability improvements.
- Excellent written communications skills including the ability to communicate and structure complex information clearly.
- Ability to work proactively with colleagues with a variety of expertise; understanding and valuing different points of view.
- A valid UK driving licence would be useful to help to travel to site and transport samples back to lab, but is not essential.
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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.
This post will be appointed at Grade UE05, step 1 which is £29,588 per annum, pro rata (£16.21 per hour).
How to apply
Please include the following documents in your application:
- CV
- Cover letter
Please refer to the project brief and the skills listed above when outlining your skills and experience in your application.
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. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page [https://www.ed.ac.uk/human-resources/pay-reward/staff-benefits] and use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits.
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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 [https://www.ed.ac.uk/human-resources/demonstrating-rtw].
Key dates to note
The closing date for applications is 24th August 2026.
Unless stated otherwise, the closing time for applications is 11:59 pm (UK time). If you are applying from outside the UK, the closing time shown on our adverts will automatically adjust to your browser’s local time zone.
Interviews will be held during early September.
As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.
Launched in 2022, the Edinburgh Earth Initiative was established by the University’s Executive with a cross institutional remit to drive a step change in the University’s engagements with climate and sustainability challenges.
In 2024, a strategic review of Edinburgh Earth Initiative was completed and the results of that review, including a strategy for 2025-2030, were approved by the University Executive. The strategy states that the mission of EEI is to catalyse bold, globally significant transdisciplinary research, innovation and partnerships at the University in support of the Research & Innovation Strategy 2030 and Climate Strategy.
Edinburgh Earth Initiative Website https://earth.ed.ac.uk/ (opens in new browser tab)
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