Junior Peatland Specialist

**Junior Peatland Specialist (M/F/d) | Junior Moorspezialist*in (m/w/d)**
- Full
- or part-time | Northern Germany (or Berlin) _
- Voll
- oder Teilzeit | Norddeutschland (oder Berlin)_
- (Deutsche Ausschreibung unten)_

Aeco is a start-up that aims to become one of the leading private, collaborative developers and financiers of peatland restoration projects across Europe, and beyond.

**Why peatlands?**

Healthy peatlands are crucial carbon stores, containing nearly 30% of global soil organic carbon despite covering only 3% of the world's land. Degraded peatlands release this carbon, contributing to around 5% of total global emissions. Restoring them is essential to combat the climate crisis, support biodiversity, and manage water systems. In Europe, over 50% of peatlands are degraded, and the current restoration pace is insufficient to meet climate goals. In Germany, for example, we would need 200 years to rewet all peatlands at the current speed, while we only have 15-20 years.

**How do we make a difference?**

In a sector dominated by subsidies and slow-moving public approaches, aeco brings private sector dynamics and collaboration to incentivize stakeholders. We cover all implementation and certification costs and share carbon certificate revenues with landowners. Farming can continue with adaptations to rising water tables. Our expertise includes building strategic partnerships, project evaluation, planning, supervision, monitoring, certificate sales, and funding.

We have already rewetted our first peatland, are preparing five more projects, and have screened over 75 potential sites across northern Europe. We are also developing new carbon methodologies and a state-of-the-art remote MRV system for peatland restoration.

**Your tasks**

We need your expertise as a junior restoration specialist to scale up our first peatland projects under various carbon standards to new partners, regions and countries. More precisely, we need you to handle the following tasks:

- Sourcing, Screening, and Assessing Sites: Support the identification and evaluation of suitable carbon project sites across Europe using remote data, GIS tools, and on-site visits (incl. vegetation surveys and peat coring), in collaboration with our Head of Peatland Science and our regional partners
- Project Development and Implementation: Support us and our partners through technical rewetting and restoration planning activities to ensure effectiveness and integrity across all our projects
- Standardised Rewetting Process Development: Contribute to the development and optimisation of a standardised, scalable process for peatland rewetting, integrating scientific, technical and practical considerations
- Feasibility Studies and Planning: Coordinate and support feasibility studies, permit planning, and technical implementation processes with our partners and third parties

**Requirements**:

- Deep knowledge about peatlands including their ecology, hydrology and vegetation
- Proficiency in using GIS tools (e.g. QGIS) for site assessment, project planning, and monitoring
- Driver's licence with a willingness to travel (potentially one
- or two-week trips during the warmer months)
- Strong autonomous problem-solving skills while working in a fast-paced environment
- English communication skills (German is a plus)
- High motivation to contribute to nature based solutions fighting multiple environmental crises
- Optional: Experience with peatland rewetting or knowledge of rewetting techniques
- Optional: Experience with carbon emissions assessments, e.g. based on GEST or soil moisture classes, or with the quantification of other ecosystem services beyond carbon

**What we offer**
- Passionate team trying to crack important, but hard problems in the field of peatland restoration
- Flexible and results-oriented work environment
- Competitive remuneration package (incl. options)
- Opportunity to shape an organization early on and grow professionally
- ______
- [Deutsch]_

Aeco ist ein Start-up, das sich zum Ziel gesetzt hat, einer der führenden privaten, kollaborativen Entwickler und Finanziers von Moorwiedervernässungsprojekten in Europa und darüber hinaus zu werden.

**Warum Moore?**

Gesunde Moore sind entscheidende Kohlenstoffspeicher und enthalten fast 30% des weltweiten organischen Bodenkohlenstoffs, obwohl sie nur 3% der Landfläche ausmachen. Zerstörte Moore setzen diesen Kohlenstoff frei und tragen damit zu rund 5% der weltweiten Gesamtemissionen bei. Ihre Wiederherstellung ist unerlässlich, um die Klimakrise zu bekämpfen, die Artenvielfalt zu unterstützen und Wassersysteme zu regulieren. In Europa sind über 50% der Moore zerstört, und das derzeitige Tempo der Wiedervernässung reicht nicht aus, um die Klimaziele zu erreichen. In Deutschland würden wir beispielsweise bei der aktuellen Geschwindigkeit 200 Jahre benötigen, um alle Moore wiederzuvernässen - und wir haben nur 15-20 Jahre Zeit.

**Wie machen wir einen Unterschied?**