Principal Scientist or Senior Lead Scientist, Plant-based

Engineer a new paradigm in food production

The Good Food Institute is a nonprofit think tank working to make the global food system better for the planet, people, and animals. Alongside scientists, businesses, and policymakers, GFI’s teams focus on making plant-based and cultivated meat delicious, affordable, and accessible. Powered by philanthropy, GFI is an international network of organizations advancing alternative proteins as an essential solution needed to meet the world’s climate, global health, food security, and biodiversity goals.

How You Will Make a Difference 

In this role, you will have the opportunity to lead technical landscaping for plant-based proteins and ingredients, identify key challenges, and articulate solutions to accelerate the industry. Your analyses will help create a roadmap for improving the quality of alternative protein products and growing their market share. You will ensure that efforts and research funding are allocated toward the highest-impact research areas to accelerate the adoption of plant-based proteins and transform agriculture toward more sustainable systems. Working with key academic, nonprofit, and industry stakeholders, you will help plant-based alternative protein products achieve or exceed sensory and price parity with conventional protein products as quickly as possible. The Principal Scientist or Senior Lead Scientist, Plant-based will be responsible for:

People and project management

• Managing a plant-based Scientist on SciTech’s Technical Opportunities and Solutions subteam, who serves as an additional subject matter expert in the same technical domain. There is the possibility of the team expanding in the future.
• Overseeing the plant-based “zone” and being responsible for coordinating cycle and annual planning among pillar Scientists. Coordinating with team lead and other pillar leads to align the scope and vision of plant-based pillar with fermentation-derived and cultivated meat pillars.
• Coordinating and strengthening connections with plant-based experts and their workstreams at our global affiliates.
• Forecasting future plant-based bottlenecks that may inhibit the long-term growth of the alternative protein industry and proposing solutions to alleviate these bottlenecks proactively.
• Identifying the key areas requiring the most focused research and building connections to motivate research that addresses these knowledge gaps.

Technical leadership

• Serving as lead technical support for externally contracted analyses of the plant-based sector.
• Overseeing the build-out of explanatory materials for the plant-based sector to familiarize non-technical and early-stage technical stakeholders with the opportunities and needs within this alternative protein production pillar, such as curriculum materials, webpage explainers, and literature libraries.
• Providing subject matter expertise as a trusted consultant and speaker for researchers, companies, investors, foundations, and government agencies to guide external strategic decision-making surrounding plant-based technology and food science.
• Speaking at conferences, seminars, and internal and external workshops as a trusted public-facing plant-based expert.
• Supporting the SciTech research funding team by engaging high-priority funders and government agencies to direct capital toward the highest-impact areas of alternative protein R&D, including serving as a grant proposal reviewer for internal and external funding opportunities.
• Supporting a viable regulatory framework for plant-based products in the U.S. and globally by collaborating across GFI departments and with industry stakeholders.
• Building GFI’s capacity to serve as a knowledge hub for the industry and as a connector and force multiplier.

Who We’re Looking For 

The Principal Scientist or Senior Lead Scientist, Plant-based must have:

• A Ph.D. in a relevant scientific field and at least 3 years (Senior Lead) or 4 years (Principal) of direct or highly relevant alternative protein industry experience.
• Exceptional writing skills for technical and general audiences.
• Adept public speaking skills.
• Experience translating scientific information into formats for non-scientific professionals.
• A functional understanding of the principles, methods, equipment, and techniques used in plant-based alternative protein applications, with preferred familiarity with industry experience across the plant-based production value chain, especially in formulations and end products.
• Familiarity with navigating the regulatory landscape and product labeling claims considerations for plant-based products.
• Experience managing others, with the ability to mentor and inspire team members.
• Preferred: working exposure or formal training in techno-economic analyses, life cycle assessments, supply chain management, and science policy.
• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and nurturing this on your team and throughout GFI.
• Comfort working remotely and in a rapidly growing and evolving organization.
• 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.

We want the best people and we don’t want biases holding us back. We are testing a third-party anonymizing tool to redact personal information from submitted applications — including name, location, contact details, and several other factors — to reduce bias and increase fairness in our process. We strongly encourage people of every race, color, orientation, age, gender, origin, and ability to apply. Because we value a diverse workplace, we prioritize an inclusive climate absent of discrimination and harassment during the application process and after you join the team. 

Research indicates that men tend to apply for jobs when they meet just 60% of the criteria, while women and people from other marginalized groups only apply if they are a 100% match. If you are passionate about GFI’s mission and think you have what it takes to be successful in this role, even if you don’t check all the boxes, please apply. We’d appreciate the opportunity to consider your application. 

The Fine Print

• Terms of employment: Full-time, exempt
• Reports to: Simone Costa, Associate Director of Strategy & Innovation
• Location: Remote; United States 
• Travel: Up to two weeks per year for company retreats; up to one additional trip per quarter for conferences or stakeholder meetings.
• Benefits: Working from home, full medical coverage, optional dental and vision packages, a 401(k) plan with employer match, flexible holiday and vacation plans, opportunity for advancement, respectful managers, and supportive colleagues. More information here: https://tinyurl.com/GFIBenefits. 
• This is a U.S.-based position: In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. 
• COVID vaccination policy: GFI requires all US employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Proof of vaccination will be requested before the start of employment. GFI will consider requests for accommodations or exemptions from this policy on a case by case basis, in accordance with applicable laws.
• Salary: $119,570-$125,548 (depending on experience and qualifications)

Application Deadline: April 12, 2023

Decided not to apply? If after reviewing this job description, you have decided not to apply, please let us know why by completing this short survey: https://tinyurl.com/GFIJobSurvey. 

Interested in working at the Good Food Institute? Join us for the Career Opportunities Webinar to learn more about our work and ask questions about specific job opportunities! See upcoming webinar dates and more information at https://tinyurl.com/GFICareers.