"Research Assistant (Fixed Term)"

Research Assistant (Fixed Term)

Duration: Preferred start date for the role is March 2026. The role is for up to and until 30 November 2026.

About Us: The Cambridge Centre for Carbon Credits (4C) is dedicated to using a digital approach to direct climate finance to where it is most needed, especially to efforts that protect nature. We have an exciting opening to play a central role in Haven: a new initiative setting the scientific standard for generating carbon credits from protecting tropical forests. Haven has a 12-month seed funding grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to develop scientifically grounded carbon credits from forest conservation. Along with other carbon market partner organisations (Patch, Canopy PACT, Revalue and Boston Consulting Group) we are developing quality criteria and applying these to radically improve carbon markets.

The Role: As a Research Assistant, you will support the scientific work of Haven, with a particular focus on the effective operation of the Haven Scientific Council. Working closely with the Scientific Lead (Dr Tom Swinfield), you will provide scientific synthesis, drafting, and coordination support to translate a complex and evolving evidence base into clear, rigorous criteria and supporting materials. You will play a critical enabling role by preparing background materials, synthesising scientific inputs, tracking revisions and rationale, and supporting communication between Scientific Council members, the wider Haven team, and partner organisations. This is a highly collaborative role, well-suited to someone with a strong scientific background who enjoys careful analysis, clear writing, and working with people across disciplines to ensure that high-integrity scientific standards are robust, transparent, and usable in practice.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the development and refinement of the Haven Quality Criteria by synthesising scientific literature into clear draft text and briefing materials.
• Liaise with Scientific Council members, independent researchers, and technical colleagues to codify views on integrity issues in carbon markets.
• Provide coordination support to the Scientific Council, including tracking feedback, revisions, and unresolved issues.
• Work closely with the Scientific Lead and Haven team to align scientific inputs with the broader delivery of Haven's work.

Skills and Qualifications:

Required

• Relevant Bachelors or Masters in environmental or biological sciences, or closely related fields.
• Confident communicator able to build good relationships across teams and time zones.
• Practical experience in conservation, including community engagement.
• Excellent organisation and time management skills.
• Strong analytical skills; ability to critically evaluate scientific reports and interpret quantitative/statistical evidence.
• Experience in scientific writing and communicating uncertainty and methodological limitations.
• Ability to communicate research findings clearly in oral and written formats.
• A passion for nature in the context of solving the climate crisis.

Desirable

• Knowledge about nature markets, different types of nature credits, and frameworks/standards for assessing credit integrity (e.g., UNFCCC, REDD+, IC-VCM, Verra VM0048).
• Experience with statistical analysis, especially using R
• Experience using geospatial information systems, such as ARC or Q GIS

Flexible working arrangements will be considered.

We particularly welcome applications from women and/or candidates from a BME background for this vacancy, as they are currently under-represented at this level in our Department.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be directed to: Dr Tom Swinfield tws36@cam.ac.uk

If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact Paulina Lasocka hr@zoo.cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference PF48560 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Key information

Department/location Department of Zoology

Salary £33,002-£35,608

Reference PF48560

Category Research

Date published 27 January 2026

Closing date 15 February 2026