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Sustainability and Biodiversity Intern

Chapel Hill, NC

General Summary: Aurora Sustainable Lands (Aurora) is seeking a Sustainability & Biodiversity Intern to support the company’s Operations team. This intern will create a roadmap for public disclosure of key sustainability metrics, explore market linkages to biodiversity outcomes, and continue evaluative assessments of Aurora’s portfolio for capturing nature-related interactions and outcomes. A successful candidate will have a unique mix of technical and practical skills including familiarity with financial sustainability disclosure and biodiversity monitoring frameworks, knowledge of nature-based climate solutions as they relate to forestry, and exposure to geospatial analysis. Success will require strong project management, acute attention to detail, and the ability to translate cross-disciplinary data into actionable insights and measurable impacts. This is an excellent opportunity for a student seeking experience in corporate sustainability, market-based solutions, bioeconomy, and exposure to forest carbon markets and large-tract management.

Primary Responsibilities and Competencies:

  • Scoping Aurora’s portfolio-wide interactions with nature and biodiversity
  • Exploring biodiversity initiatives to enhance ecosystem value and align Aurora with emerging market opportunities.
  • Assessing Aurora’s material interactions with and dependencies on nature using the TNFD LEAP Framework
  • Developing SMART indicators/tracking metrics for ongoing sustainability reporting needs
  • Developing data reporting methodologies for biodiversity indicators
  • Streamlining stakeholder and partnership engagement efforts into a cohesive tracking system for effective collaboration and reporting
  • Producing a capstone presentation to be shared with executive team detailing insights and lessons learned
  • Other projects related to the Operations Team as needed

Required Education, Experience and Certification:

  • In pursuit of or having completed a bachelors program or in a masters program with studies focused on business, forestry, environmental science, natural resource management, and/or sustainability
  • Strong skill set and experience in independent research and analysis
  • Experience with GIS and/or remote sensing techniques
  • 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 environmental management (e.g., Master of Forestry, Master of Environmental Management, or Master of Science with a Forestry focus)
  • Awareness of regulatory reporting trends regarding climate risk & nature-related sustainability
  • A demonstrated strong background, keen interest, or past work experience in sustainability-related reporting frameworks
  • Familiarity with CRM tools and/or project management platforms

The successful candidate must report to Aurora’s Chapel Hill, NC office with an expectation for hybrid-style work (predominantly Central and Eastern time zones). The position is expected to work 40 hours per week over a 10–12-week period starting in late May. Start and end dates are semi-flexible. The position will receive a $10,000 stipend, and any required travel will be covered by Aurora.

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