Student Sustainability Architects
As part-time paid positions, our Student Sustainability Architects join the team over the course of the academic year to bring new ideas and a student perspective to our different sustainability projects.
Student Sustainability Architects work up to 100 hours on a flexible basis to deliver projects that align with the University’s strategic objectives and also provide support for student engagement activities, events, campaigns and initiatives.
The Student Sustainability Architects programme was highly commended at the Green Gown Awards in 2018.
Previous projects have ranged from supporting planting of Gair Wood, designing a forest garden with a local primary school, organising swap shops on campus, reducing single use plastics in labs and supporting the University’s Hedgehog Friendly Campus programme. Read more about different Student Sustainability Architect projects in our blog posts.
2026-27 Student Sustainability Architect Cohort
Applications
Applications for the 2026/27 cohort of Student Sustainability Architects are now open: https://mycareer.leeds.ac.uk/leap/jobs.html?id=182689&service=Careers+Service.
The deadline for applications in Sunday 4th October at 23:59.
You must be a University of Leeds student for the entirety of the 2026-27 academic year to apply.
Projects
We are offering a range of projects across three categories:
- Developing Knowledge and Understanding
- Sustainability Behaviour Change
- Sustainability Engagement and Events
A full list of projects can be found in the Project Appendix on the MyCareer listing of the opportunity.
Benefits of being a Student Sustainability Architect
There are many benefits of being a Student Sustainability Architect – here are just a few.
- Gain invaluable paid work experience, working flexible hours around your studies and other commitments.
- Work with teams across the University to address common challenges and to create real change.
- Develop skills applicable in the workplace including event planning, running workshops, communication and presentation skills, teamwork and using initiative to solve problems.
- Help to deliver and embed the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
- Contribute to the University’s commitment to addressing global challenges.
- Attend skills building and development sessions.
- Expand your understanding of sustainability.
Posts
Let’s go round again! Another year of circularity at the Repair Café
Student Sustainability Architect Leoni Wilkins (BA Sustainable Fashion) reflects on her experience promoting student engagement with the campus Repair Café in 2025-26. The Repair Café...
A Student Sustainability Impact Intern Blog by Alysia Byrne
An introduction to me and the Leeds RSPB Group I am a young ornithologist and ecology undergraduate aspiring to do a PhD studying avian behaviour. I also have a passion...
Meet The Student Sustainability Architect Making LS6 a Better Place to Live
Meet Michael, one of our Student Sustainability Architects who is working on the Sustainability Service’s Community Streets Project. We chatted with him about the project...
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
We use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to guide our activity. Our work with Student Sustainability Architects is linked to all of the SDGs.
Find out more about our impact on the SDGs.
