Undergrad Research Assistant

The Institute on the Environment (IonE) and the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota invite applications for an undergraduate research assistant in Sustainable Finance and Carbon Market Policy. Research assistants will join an interdisciplinary team of scholars and community partners exploring the sustainability tradeoffs of scaling sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Minnesota. This position is funded through a one-year IonE impact goal project, where we frame sustainability as a social, economic, and ecological state where the needs of all people are met in a way that sustains – and even restores – the natural world: where people and planet prosper together. We seek an undergrad researcher in Sustainable Finance and Carbon Market Policy to identify and catalogue existing companies building market and policy frameworks that measure the sustainability of sustainable aviation fuel feedstocks. Applicants are expected to have expertise within sustainable finance and corporate sustainability that is rooted in interdisciplinary perspectives. Applicants must also demonstrate their commitment to working with partners outside of academia and how their work contributes to the impact of these partnerships. This position will be co-hosted by the Institute on the Environment and the Carlson School of Management. At IonE, the undergraduate researchers will be based in the Knowledge Initiatives (KI) unit of the Institute, which hosts the portfolio of interdisciplinary sustainability research and scholarly activity for IonE. It is located at IonE on the St. Paul, MN campus and the person will be welcome to participate in IonE events as well as developing working relationships with other IonE staff, university researchers and students, and external partners. At Carlson, the undergraduate researchers will be based in the David S. Kidwell Funds Enterprise, located on the West Bank campus. This position allows for some teleworking; however, because of the collaborative nature of this work, the incumbent must be able to work on campus regularly (at IonE or Carlson at least 1 day per week). The position is set up as a 10/hrs per week for 390 hours for the fall and spring semesters, with potential for additional summer hours in 2027.

The Institute on the Environment builds connections: across the University of Minnesota's colleges and campuses, and between academia and the broader world. Founded in 2007, IonE brings the strengths of a public research university into a wider sustainability ecosystem, where solutions take shape with partners across the state, region and world.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

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The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023, 2025, 2026), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-life flexibility.