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Biodiversity Intern

Chapel Hill, NC

General Summary: Aurora Sustainable Lands (Aurora) is seeking a Biodiversity Intern to support the company’s Forest and Carbon Operations team. This intern will work to refine existing remote sensing data and identify new sources of relevant data to develop a portfolio-wide metric tracking system that captures the biodiversity present on our lands. A successful candidate will have a unique mix of technical and practical skills including familiarity with remote sensing data, knowledge of forestry and nature-based climate solutions, and data management. Success will require strong technical and interpersonal skills. This is an excellent opportunity for a graduate student seeking experience in geospatial and remote sensing analysis, nature-based solutions, and exposure to forest carbon markets and large-tract management.

Primary Responsibilities and Competencies:

  • Finding and refining existing data to use for biodiversity indicators developed by Aurora’s team
  • Building internal capacity to support data collection, analysis, management, and future reporting
  • Working with Aurora’s Systems & Inventory team to develop a system to manage and host data in-house
  • Working with Anew’s sales team to create sample scorecards to present to potential buyers
  • Producing a capstone memo and presentation detailing internship experience and an “action plan” to be shared with Aurora’s executive team

Required Education, Experience and Certification:

  • In pursuit of or having completed a bachelor's program or in a master's program with studies focused on environmental sciences, geospatial sciences, natural resource management, and/or a closely related subject
  • Strong geospatial, remote sensing, and statistical skills are required
  • Strong skill set and experience in independent research and analysis
  • Experience with GIS and/or remote sensing
  • An enthusiasm for using environmental markets to address critical climate challenges
  • Strong communication and organization skills

Preferred Education, Qualifications & Experience:

  • In pursuit of or having completed a graduate degree relevant to forestry and/or natural resources (e.g., Master of Forestry, Master of Environmental Management, or Master of Science with a Forestry or Geospatial focus)
  • Awareness of trends and developments in biodiversity monitoring frameworks
  • Familiarity with forestry concepts and terms
  • A demonstrated strong background, keen interest, or past work experience in collecting and synthesizing ecological data of natural ecosystems
  • Proficiency in managing and operationalizing remote sensing datasets

The successful candidate must report to Aurora’s Chapel Hill office where the intern will regularly interact with a variety of Aurora team members and executives. The position is expected to work 40 hours per week.

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