Who we are
We are an environmental consulting firm: our mission is to restore the balance between humans and nature, and we do this through the use of science, innovation and good governance. We support public and private entities to improve the environmental, social and economic impacts of policies, projects and investments on the ground. As a spin-off of the University of Padua, we work locally and internationally bringing scientific innovation into everyone’s lives.
At Etifor we like teamwork, we work hard and we never stop being curious. Being part of the team means sharing our values and the path we have taken to be a discrimination-free work environment (find out more in the Ethical Management System). For us, the only thing that really matters is how green your heart is: we welcome and value (bio)diversity in all its forms!
Who are we looking for?
- A passionate person who is already familiar with the theory behind ecosystem services who is ready to dive deeper into the measurement, certification, valorisation, and management of ecosystem services in both Italian and international contexts;
- A precise and organised person with excellent analytical skills and a predisposition to work in a team;
- A technically prepared and competent person who divides their time between field and office work, contributing both to data collection in the field and to desk activities related to data organisation, calculation and report processing;
- A person with excellent writing skills and good interpersonal skills able to interact with forest managers but also with public officials, agronomic and forestry technicians and civil society organisations;
- A person who shares our company’s ethical and sustainability values and has a personal and professional interest in environmental issues.
Are you the right person? Send us your application by 05.02.2023!
Responsabilities
The person will work within the FORESTS Programme and will support the Ecosystem Services Senior Project Manager and the FSC Forest Management Officer. The selected person will have the following responsibilities:
- support, alongside the Ecosystem Services Senior Project Manager, Etifor’s partner forest managers in Italy and abroad in the achievement of the ecosystem services certification (e.g. carbon, water, biodiversity, and cultural services), in particular according to the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Ecosystem Services Procedure;
- prepare reports and other technical documents related to the measurement, certification and monitoring of ecosystem services;
- conduct field research and data collection for baseline measurements and implementing monitoring programs;
- ensure, alongside the FSC Forest Management Officer, the correct elaboration and updating of the documents and requirements necessary for the FSC Ecosystem Services Procedure for the smallholder certification group “Etifor Sustainable Forests Group”;
- study, adapt and employ, with the support of the Ecosystem Services Senior Project Manager, the most advanced ecosystem services calculation methodologies and tools in the scientific literature.
Other responsibilities might be added to promote specific skills of the person.
Qualifications, experience and skills required
Education
A Master’s degree in the fields of engineering, forestry and environmental sciences and natural sciences is required, e.g:
- Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering
- Master’s Degree in Forest and Environmental Sciences
- Master’s Degree in Environmental Science
- Master’s Degree in Environmental and Territorial Sciences and Technologies
- Master’s Degree in Spatial, Urban, Landscape and Environmental Planning
- Master’s Degree in Natural Sciences
Other qualifications relevant to the project topics may also be considered an asset, based on the candidate’s work experience.
Experience
Preferably, the ideal candidate should have at least one year of experience in one or more of the following positions:
- researcher, collaborator or scholar in university departments dealing with the topic of ecosystem services;
- agronomist and/or forestry technician, either as self-employed worker or in associated firms (also as an internship);
- other work, research and/or volunteer experience related to the measurement, certification and valorisation of ecosystem services.
Candidates with less experience than that required may be evaluated on the basis of their qualifications and other specific skills.
Required skills
- Fluency in Italian and excellent knowledge of written and spoken English. Candidates with knowledge of other languages, in particular Spanish, will be positively considered;
- Excellent communication skills, especially a clear and effective writing style;
- Excellent knowledge of the Office package, in particular Excel;
- Excellent analytical skills, problem solving oriented, independence;
- Basic knowledge of QGIS and R software.
Knowledge of other software related to the calculation of ecosystem services will be considered an asset.
What do we offer?
Etifor’s team will help you grow within the company in an international and friendly work environment. In particular:
- you will work for a dynamic, young and innovative company, with a balanced gender ratio and an average age of 33;
- you will be part of a team working locally and internationally to reconnect people and nature by addressing issues related to climate change and biodiversity loss;
- you will work in an environment closely linked to research and academia, offering you numerous opportunities for training and education (Etifor is a spin-off of the University of Padua);
- you will have a smart working contract, allowing a good balance between home and office, and a flexible schedule with a result-oriented SMART working approach;
- depending on your contract and years of employment, you will benefit from the Etifor Employee Welfare Plan, which includes vouchers for transport, travel, sports, wellness and culture, as well as daily meal vouchers of the value of €8 per working day.
Contract details
Start: March 2023
Workplace: Padova – Piazza A. De Gasperi n. 41; possibility of flexible remote working
Length: 1-year fixed-term contract, with the possibility of renewal for an indefinite period; for candidates under 30 years of age, a 3-year apprenticeship contract
Level: to be defined during the interview and subsequent meetings and based on work experience and CV
Type of contract: full-time (Contratto Collettivo Nazionale Settore Commercio)
How to apply
The person must submit the required documents via the online form published on the website by 05/02/2023.
In the online form, in the “Application Type” field, please select “Ecosystem Services Certification Officer” and attach the following materials saved in a single .pdf file:
- Short covering letter stating the reasons for your application and underlining your strengths
- Updated Curriculum Vitae
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the interview on a date to be determined. Selections will be completed by February 2023.
For any other information, please write to us at jobs@etifor.com