Digital Assets Internship Programme

Overview

Become an intern with the Digital Assets team at the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) and help create the datasets, tools, and insights needed by stakeholders to make informed decisions.

Duration:
Three to six months.

Time commitment:
15-35 hours/week.

Format:
Remote (onsite internship in Cambridge may be considered)

The programme

Aims & deliverables

The programme aims to bring more transparency to the digital asset ecosystem by creating the datasets, tools, and insights necessary to facilitate an evidence-based dialogue among key decision makers about opportunities and risks.

Programme deliverables comprise a combination of outputs that include unique open-access datasets, conceptual research reports, scalable digital tools, and capacity building activities.

The research agenda is centred around 3 thematic areas, each of which will produce its own research output:

Digital assets climate impact
includes the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index (CBECI) and focuses on broader ESG risks that may arise from both direct and indirect exposure to digital assets.
dFMI (distributed financial market infrastructure) configurations and processes
focuses on the core infrastructural building blocks (networks, platforms, applications) and associated activities.
Emergent money systems
Explores the emergence and evolution of new technology-enabled types and forms of money.

The Digital Assets Internship Programme has a remote-first approach and is therefore open to applications from all around the world.

The role

You will work with the Digital Assets team. The team is responsible for implementing the Digital Assets Programme, a new multi-year research initiative that builds on CCAF’s prior cryptoasset and blockchain research initially launched in 2016.

The purpose of the internship is to support the team’s research projects by assisting in data collection, analysis, and write-up of findings. An an intern on this programme you will support and maintain the national and international reputation of the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance for excellence in research.

You will work in close collaboration with the Digital Asset Programme core team as well as internal and external researchers. The internship will provide you with unique insights into the inner workings of a research institute focused on the digital assets ecosystem and may serve as a springboard for a future career in digital assets.

Main responsibilities

Research

Scoping and summarising of literature (including academic, regulatory, and industry-specific publications).
Dataset sourcing and supporting other data collection initiatives.
Market research to explore industry structure and activities.
Support of existing and new research projects for the respective thematic area(s). This may include:
- evaluating risks and benefits of digital assets, both from consumer and regulatory perspectives
- contributing to the ideation and development of new research projects on DeFi and stablecoins
- investigating and navigating the DeFi and stablecoin ecosystems
- designing analytical models such as the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index
- conceptualising and contextualising findings (eg representation of findings, dissemination, comparisons)
- contributing to the ideation and development of new research projects and features.
Conceptualisation of data and research output (incl. design of mock-ups).
Write-up of research-specific output.

Liaison and networking

Stakeholder management (maintaining existing relationships).
Partner outreach (eg industry participants, associations, organisations, individual experts and contributors).

Benefits

As an intern you:

will gain practical research experience and insights into the inner workings of a leading research institute
may be offered financial reimbursement for expenses (relative to your personal circumstances up to £800/month in case of full-time commitment and £400/month for part-time)
will work with a world-leading research institute and have access to the knowledge sharing sessions with peers and experts from the Centre
might be invited to be co-authors of research papers.
will receive a certificate upon successful completion of the internship programme to accelerate your career in digital assets by enhancing your CV.

About you

You should have the following qualities, skills, and attributes.  In addition to our simple application form you are asked to provide a CV and cover letter demonstrating how your own experience meets these requirements. 

Essential characteristics

Knowledge of digital assets in the context of the broader fintech ecosystem.
Bachelors, masters or PhD degree (final year students will be considered).
Background in economics, finance, law, computer science and/or social sciences.
Hands-on experience working with Microsoft Office Suite.
Driven and committed, demonstrating initiative, self-motivation, and eagerness to familiarise with new concepts.
Excellent time management and planning skills with a commitment to deliver and being held accountable.
Ability to work independently as well as being part of an interdisciplinary team in a collaborative project.

Desirable characteristics

Experience in conducting desk research, content analysis, data curation, user experience, and stakeholder management.
DeFi experience.
Product management experience.
Strong writing and communication skills (English); able to organise ideas logically and effectively, while clearly communicating those that are interesting and important to specific underlying research-related topics.
Python programming skills.
Modelling and data analysis skills.