Landscape Ecologist / Botanist (m/f/d)
Full-time, part-time or contract
Remote possible (or Berlin)
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, 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 are seeking an experienced Landscape Ecologist / Botanist to help us assess peatland vegetation mainly before but also after rewetting. Your primary responsibilities will include:
- Site Screening and Assessment: Support the identification and evaluation of potential carbon project sites across Europe through detailed vegetation assessments
- Travel for on-site visits to possible project sites
- Conduct quick screenings of site vegetation in the early site assessment stage
- Conduct detailed assessments along transects and monitoring plots at later stages
- Map / extrapolate findings onto the entire project area, using GIS tools
- Methodological Guidance: Through your practical experience and knowledge of scientific literature, support the development of methodologies that link vegetation assessments to soil moisture classes, which serve as key indicators of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- Collaborate with other experts to refine the predictive value of vegetation data in identifying soil moisture patterns, using it as the best available proxy for GHG emissions
- Ensure this knowledge informs the development of rewetting strategies, monitoring protocols, and overall project integrity, ensuring that vegetation outcomes align with both ecological restoration goals and carbon project standards
- Support the development of digital processes: Collaborate with our technology, GIS and software experts to digitize project workflows by bringing in your on-site practical experience, such as developing extrapolation approaches for vegetation assessments
Requirements
- In-depth knowledge of peatland ecosystems, including plant species identification, plant community dynamics, and the impact of hydrological changes on vegetation
- Ability to design and conduct vegetation surveys and assess the effectiveness of restoration interventions, comparing baseline and project conditions
- Familiarity with GIS tools and ideally remote sensing techniques for mapping vegetation
- Hands-on experience in conducting fieldwork on vegetation sampling and monitoring
- Strong skills in analyzing ecological data, interpreting results, and producing clear, comprehensive reports on vegetation outcomes and project progress.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, German skills added advantage
What we offer
- Passionate team trying to crack important, but hard problems in the field of peatland restoration
- Flexible and results-oriented work environment, remote possible
- Competitive remuneration package (including options)
- Opportunity to shape an organization early on and grow professionally
Please send applications to: careers@aeco.earth
- Location:
- 12053 Berlin or remote possible
Germany
- Provider:
- aeco GmbH
Rollbergstr. 28A
12053 Berlin
Germany
- Contact person:
- Flora Kwong
- E-mail:
- careers@aeco.earth
