About the Organisation

The Worker-Climate Project is a small volunteer-led organisation building connections between trade unionists taking action on climate change. Since 2022, we’ve taken a range of approaches to help develop this movement, such as: surveying workers at in-person events; long-form interviews with activists; hosting worker roundtables; and accessibly indexing examples of worker-climate activity. Our current and future methods are dedicated to political goals of enabling a worker’s transition through grassroots worker activity. 

The placement project

You will be part of our volunteer organisation, building connections between trade unionists who are using workplace and industrial action towards climate and transition demands. This is an opportunity to engage in research embedded within a growing movement, supporting tangible tactical and network developments towards social justice.

Playing a key role in supporting our ‘Research Centre’ structure, you will work with volunteers to conduct a breadth and depth of investigation into the tactics and development of this movement.

Key objectives for this role within the Research Centre:

• Be part of producing our ‘Movement Assessment’ (MA) to research, index and compare across a huge variety of examples of worker-climate organising. This is an ongoing piece of work which would be joined near to publication, so an emphasis would be placed on pulling together this research into an accessible form and directing research to fill gaps in its coverage
• Collaborate in planning the publishing and engagement for the MA, ensuring it is used proactively and strategically by relevant trade union organisers
• Work with key team members to co-develop our next steps for research which supports other organisational activity, i.e., conducting long-form interviews with workers, updating Movement Assessment, hosting experimental workshops involving worker inquiry.

We are eager to tailor the placement to your interests as much as possible, so the following list of tasks is not exhaustive:

• Regularly supporting Research Center volunteers, i.e. check-in messages, creating guides for new processes
• Updating and integrating new entries for Movement Assessment Database
• Ongoing refining of MA Database based on usability feedback
• Interviewing activists to add depth to our research
• Working with events team to use database to develop workshops for trade union branches
• Collaboration in long=term research development planning
• Co-development of implementation plans for our MA report
• Outreach around our MA report based on implementation plans.

Through this placement, you will gain:

• Experience in the practical application of varied research skills
• Experience designing and implementing research specifically targeted to empower a social movement
• Experience working collaboratively with a team of dedicated volunteer researchers
• Participation in high-level strategic discussion on how to engage with political movements, and experience translating this into long-term research planning.

Whom we are looking for

This role would be most suitable for students with:

• Some experience in a social movement in any role
• Ability to work as part of a collaborative team of researchers.

Desirable experience or interests:

• Synthesising data-sets into accessible resources
• Engaging stakeholders with research
• Collaborative discussions shaping directions of future research focus

Supervision and collaboration arrangements

The student will have weekly catch-ups with the PEC Partnerships Lead, who will be the placement supervisor. A researcher at the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, a PEC partner organisation, with expertise in the topic area will offer additional expert oversight and  will join regular catch-ups as necessary.

Additionally, the student will work with the PEC’s Research and Policy Impact teams as relevant, and engage with key external stakeholders, including a member of the PEC’s Advisory Council.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to sponsor the student for a visa covering the duration of the placement, if required.

Sensitive Data & Confidentiality

The succesful candidate will adhere to the WCP's Volunteering Agreement, as well as our Data Protection & Privace Policy. 

How to Apply

STEP 1: Express your interest by emailing placements.gudtp@socsci.ox.ac.uk 

STEP2: Submit the following by e-mailing placements.gudtp@socsci.ox.ac.uk:

• CV
• 1-2 page cover letter demonstrating your suitability and motivation for the role

Deadline for applications: Sunday 22 November 2026

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed shortly after the deadline.