Funded engineering & research placements for climate techs

Connecting you with world-class women researchers and engineers to help solve your R&D problems.

EOIs close on the 24th of April.

Accelerating net zero takes diverse expertise.

UNSW Justice Inclusion Access (JEINA) and TRaCE have partnered together to create a direct pathway for climate tech companies to access talented UNSW women researchers from migrant and refugee backgrounds. 

The program brings the technical and research expertise you need to you. Funded and end-to-end supported so you focus on the work that matters.

Up to $20k

funding available per placement. Covered by the program, not your budget.

3-6 months

of dedicated researcher time, shaped around your team’s needs.

EOIs close on the 24th of April.

How your company can benefit from this program

Climate tech companies and startups that take on a researcher from our program gain more than just extra technical capacity.

World-class research expertise

Access deep research expertise in climate science, clean tech and engineering without the heavy hiring cost.

Fresh perspectives on your R&D

Researchers from diverse backgrounds bring new problem-solving approaches to tackle your problems.

Funded, Fast and Low Friction

The secondment is funded up to 20k and designed to deliver immediate results with minimal admin on your side.

Building lasting ties with UNSW

Secondments can lead to ongoing collaborations and continued access to UNSW facilities and networks.

Our Researchers

Our 2026 cohort includes women researchers from UNSW with expertise spanning water and wastewater management, renewable energy, atmospheric science, sustainability, and more.

Environmental Engineer at the UNSW School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Driven by the global fossil fuel crisis and the need for green energy in Australia and China, Lan is committed to developing sustainable solutions that convert biowaste into renewable energy.

 

She specialises in biowaste-to-energy technologies, renewable energy platform development, and sustainable wastewater management, bridging research, industry, and education to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future.

Water industry, waste management and renewable bioenergy

Wastewater and biowaste treatment technologies


Biowaste-to-energy conversion and low-carbon fuel production


Anaerobic digestion, fermentation optimisation and process intensification


Environmental impact assessment and risk mitigation


PFAS biodegradation, microplastics and antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) fate in the environment


Advanced materials development for environmental and energy systems


Bioprocess modelling and digitalisation for scalable industrial operations

> Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UNSW

> Technical Advisor for TasWater

> Technical Consultant for GrainCorp

> Carbon Emissions and Energy Strategy Consultant for The Kanoo Group

Part-time over up to 6 months, or structured as shorter full-time sprints depending on your project.

Chemical Engineer at the UNSW School of Chemical Engineering 

Growing up in Egypt, where untreated industrial wastewater was frequently released into natural waterways, Nashwa developed a passion for addressing water pollution at its source.

She brings a strong background in sustainable water treatment, having worked on an industry partner project at UNSW focused on drinking water systems.

Nashwa is driven to contribute to climate and environmental technologies that enable industries to implement practical, economically viable solutions for sustainable water management.

Water industry and waste management

Coagulation and flocculation using polymeric materials


Functional materials for water and wastewater treatment


Adsorption processes and column studies


Water quality analysis: turbidity, colour, TOC, UV254, pH, alkalinity, conductivity


Zeta potential and particle surface charge analysis


Experimental design, optimisation and technical reporting

> Research Assistant at UNSW  

Part-time over up to 6 months, or structured as shorter full-time sprints depending on your project.

Environmental Engineer at the UNSW School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Raised in a community impacted by industrial pollution in Brazil, Thais developed a deep drive to tackle air pollution at its source.

 

Now based in Australia, she brings expertise in atmospheric science, air quality, and sustainability with a strong focus on the energy transition.

Atmospheric emissions, resource recovery and waste management

Atmospheric emissions characterisation using chemical and sensory techniques


Anaerobic digestion for renewable energy generation


Process stability monitoring in waste management facilities


Emissions management and resource recovery at large-scale facilities


Advanced data analysis and programming (MATLAB, R)

> Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Water Research Centre, UNSW

Part-time over up to 6 months, or structured as shorter full-time sprints depending on your project.

Humanitarian engineer at the UNSW School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Growing up in a city with streets lined with heaps of rubbish, Shamim grew a keen interest in contributing to solving waste management issues.

She has since developed her skills and expertise in solid waste management, sustainability assessments and resource recovery. 

 

She is committed to responsible solid waste and wastewater management, protecting the environment while recovering the valuable resources these materials contain.

Solid waste management, resource recovery and humanitarian engineering

Interdisciplinary research across natural and engineered systems


Integrated sustainability assessment


Environmental and social impact assessment


Nutrient flows and modelling

> Research Associate at UNSW

> Consultant at International Finance Corporation

> Consultant at World Bank

Up to 3 months.

How it works

Ready to bring a researcher into your team?

Placements are limited. Register your interest now to find the right match for your company.

EOIs close on the 24th of April.

This initiative was made in partnership with

Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy logo