Summer Placement - Waste & Logistics Edinburgh, London, United Kingdom

Buro Happold group.; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consultancy firm is offering an 8-week summer placement in their Waste & Logistics team in Edinburgh or London. Ideal for university students, this role involves developing waste strategies and conducting research. Candidates should be pursuing a degree in a relevant discipline and demonstrate strong communication and Excel skills. The placement, set for Summer 2026, offers competitive compensation aligned with the UK Real Living Wage and supports a hybrid working model.

Benefits

Competitive reward package

Flexible working

Diverse and inclusive work environment

Qualifications

• Studying for a degree in a relevant discipline like Environmental Sciences or Waste Management.
• Demonstrating passion for managing materials and waste.
• Ability to interpret engineering and planning drawings.

Responsibilities

• Develop operational waste and logistics strategies.
• Conduct research and analysis studies.
• Write technical reports and estimate waste demands.
• Assist with project management, including budgets.

Skills

Awareness of key environmental issues

Understanding of construction sector

Excel proficiency

Pro-active attitude

Relationship management

Education

Degree or master’s in Environmental Sciences, Waste Management, Logistics, Behavioural Sciences, Geography or Sustainable Development

Job description

From helping shape entire cities to adapting infrastructure to deal with the climate emergency, a career at Buro Happold presents the chance to make a difference. This is an exciting opportunity to join our Waste & Logistics team in either our Edinburgh or London office for an 8-week summer placement.

About the Waste & Logistics team

No two days are the same in the waste, operations, logistics and flows team at Buro Happold. We work on multi-disciplinary projects, collaborating with many other engineering and scientific disciplines in infrastructure, environment, water, transport, and buildings team.

We advise on issues such as materials consumption and waste generation, circular supply and demand systems, goods delivery systems, waste collection systems, waste treatment/recovery systems, often in a pre- or post- building planning capacity. In essence we design sustainable waste and logistics strategies for the benefit of future communities

Thus, this role provides an exciting opportunity for someone at the beginning of their career to gain experience in waste and goods management and circular economy. The work involves coordination with many other environmental, engineering and design teams, becoming involved in a range of projects all with a view to improving the way that people live and connect with their local environment.

• Contribute to developing operational waste and logistics strategies, which aim to manage waste and products in new developments;
• Carrying out research and analysis studies, relating to waste and goods management;
• Technical report writing and estimating waste and goods demands
• Assisting with project management including budgets for specific assignments and projects.

About you:

Ideally, the candidate will be studying towards a degree or master’s level in a relevant discipline, for example, Environmental Sciences, Waste Management, Logistics, Behavioural Sciences, Geography or Sustainable Development. However, relevant academic achievement will need to be matched with a demonstration of a candidate’s passion and enthusiasm for the better management of materials and waste.

In addition, a candidate could demonstrate skills and knowledge in:

• Awareness of key environmental issues affecting building operations
• Understanding of construction sector and ability to interpret engineering and planning drawings
• Proficient in handling Excel spreadsheets and standard office software
• Pro‑active attitude in regard to project work and in the support of other job leaders
• Being aware of timetables for their own deliverables and maintaining good relationships with other stakeholders inside and outside the company
• We support hybrid working however as a professional at the start of their career journey we actively encourage and support working from the office, learning from peers and engaging workplace face to face conversations, workshops and problem sharing. Candidates would be expected to be in the preferred office four days per week.

What's in it for you?

A plethora of interesting and challenging projects to stretch your professional skills, a friendly and close-knit team, flexible working and a competitive reward package. The opportunity to work on multidisciplinary projects aside a range of specialist engineers, scientists and designers both within Buro Happold and our collaborators.

Application Process

The recruitment timeline can vary depending on the role and team you are applying to. Successful applications are progressed to interview stage within 2-3 months from the closing date of the advert. We will endeavour to keep you informed throughout the time that your application is being considered, however, due to the volume of applications received and the size of our team, we are not able to respond to individual requests for status updates.

This is a paid role for current university students for an 8-week placement taking place during Summer 2026. Exact dates can be flexible depending on candidate and team availability.

The annual salary for this placement will be in-line with the UK Real Living Wage.

Buro Happold values an individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of how you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.

Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds, and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.

We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment. We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing differences allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.

Please let us know if there are any adjustments, we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact [e-mail] so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.