Research Fellow - Fermentation LCA

Summary

Join the Good Food Institute (GFI), a nonprofit think tank dedicated to improving the global food system, as a Research Fellow, Fermentation LCA. In this role, you will conduct a comprehensive landscape and gap assessment of fermentation-derived ingredient life cycle assessments (LCAs). Your research will be crucial in informing the alternative protein ecosystem about the environmental impacts of fermentation-derived ingredients and identifying opportunities for growth and innovation. You will be responsible for conducting a systematic review of microbially-based food ingredient LCAs, analyzing the environmental impact of fermentation alternative protein and fat products, summarizing key aspects of the LCAs, identifying impact drivers, and pinpointing research gaps and needs in the sector. You will also prepare open-access resources, such as fact sheets, whitepapers, and technical publications, to summarize the state of knowledge and guide the future of sustainable food systems.

Requirements

• Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in environmental science, chemical engineering, sustainability, public health, or a related field with a focus on or experience in life cycle assessment (LCA)
• Candidates currently pursuing an advanced degree or with at least 2 years of extensive relevant experience will be considered
• Experience in conducting or interpreting LCAs, with an emphasis on food systems or bioprocessing
• Familiarity with and strong understanding of LCA software and/or LCA methodologies (e.g., allocation, functional units, impact categories)
• Experience conducting systematic reviews, including landscape and gap assessments, with a focus on data extraction, data analysis, synthesis, and identifying research trends and knowledge gaps
• Familiarity with fermentation technologies and alternative protein products (e.g., biomass, microbial fats/oils, precision fermentation)
• Strong communication skills with experience in preparing scientific reports, whitepapers, or technical publications
• Ability to work independently in a remote setting while collaborating effectively remotely
• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Strong support for GFI’s philosophy and mission; demonstrated interest in plant-based & other alt proteins, public health, environmentalism, climate change, animal protection, or hunger relief
• A commitment to GFI’s values: believe change is possible, do the most good we can, share knowledge freely, act on evidence, and invite everyone to the table

Responsibilities

• Conducting a systematic review of microbially-based food ingredient life cycle assessments
• Analyzing and summarizing the environmental impact and underlying impact drivers of fermentation alternative protein and fat products including biomass fermentation (single-cell protein), microbial fats/oils, and precision fermentation proteins
• Summarizing the functional units, inputs, processes (e.g. strain, bioprocess type), LCA methods (e.g. allocation), and comparator products
• Identifying the primary impact drivers in fermentation processes and product categories
• Identifying research gaps, methodological alignment, and needs in the sector
• Preparing draft open-access resource(s) that summarizes the state of knowledge of the environmental impacts of fermentation-derived proteins as well as the highest priority gaps and needs for improvements based on data availability. These may include a fact sheet, action whitepaper(s), and/or a technical publication

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in preparing open-access resources or contributing to industry reports is a plus

Benefits

Stipend: $12,000 and will be paid pro-rata biweekly over the length of the assignment ($30/hour for 20 hours of work per week for 20 weeks)