Policy and Research Assistant (Intern)

Carbon removal, alongside emissions reductions, is absolutely essential to preserving a stable climate. We’re focused on addressing the knowledge, policy, and ambition gaps that are holding us back from a carbon removal ecosystem that delivers real progress on climate change.

Leadership from European countries – including the UK – is critical, both for ensuring that carbon removal can reach the scale necessary to achieve global climate goals, and for ensuring that a progressive vision of carbon removal can emerge that is not dominated by fossil or other corporate interests.

Europe needs carbon removal in order to:

1. meet its net-zero targets
2. address its historical emissions that are already in the atmosphere causing warming

Carbon removal needs Europe because no other region has both the financial muscle and the political will to scale crucial new climate solutions. Europe needs carbon removal, and carbon removal needs Europe, but neither has a dedicated and honest voice speaking for carbon removal on behalf of the climate. Carbon Gap will be that voice.

We are offering an exciting internship opportunity for an ambitious and motivated intern who will join our EU Policy team in Brussels for a paid full-time and temporary six-month internship. Your internship will focus on supporting our EU Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Policy Tracker platform and contribute to our advocacy efforts on the revision of the EU Climate Law, specifically concerning the 2040 climate targets. This is an amazing opportunity to gain hands-on experience in climate policy research and advocacy in a dynamic and impactful organisation.

Policy Research and Analysis (50%)

• You will conduct research and draft concise analyses of EU and national legislation relevant to carbon dioxide removal.
• You will map funding opportunities for CDR in European countries.
• You will work closely with an Associate Policy Lead to gain valuable training and insights to help you deliver high quality outputs.

Advocacy Assistance (50%)

• You will assist the Policy Director and Senior Policy Analyst in active advocacy efforts on the revision of the EU Climate Law gaining exposure to policy making in action.
• You will help secure meetings with our stakeholders, including policymakers and civil society representatives, as well as preparing briefing materials and meeting summaries.
• You will map institutional and non-institutional positions in relation to 2040 targets and the revision of the European Climate Law.

• You are a recent graduate or in the early stages of your career, with a background in climate policy, law, political science, or a related field.
• You have strong research and analytical skills, and can distill complex information into clear insights.
• You are a clear and concise communicator, fluent in English (additional EU languages are a bonus).
• You are proactive, organised, and eager to contribute to impactful climate policy work.

You’ll thrive here if:

• You value purpose especially climate action and are excited by carbon removal.
• You can meet deadlines and get stuff done.
• You enjoy building genuine connections and working collaboratively with internal stakeholders.

• A fixed-term, six-month internship under the Belgian CIP programme.
• Hands-on experience in climate policy research and advocacy within a leading organisation in the field.
• A supportive and inclusive team culture committed to advancing carbon removal policy in Europe and beyond.
• Hybrid work arrangement in which you’ll normally be at our office in Brussels 2-3 days per week to gain experience working directly with your colleagues with the flexibility to work from home for the rest of the week if you prefer.

Carbon Gap is a philanthropically-funded, expert non-profit established in 2021 to help Europe become a world leader in deploying carbon dioxide removal.