Position: Project/Senior Associate, Agricultural Carbon
About the job
As an associate, you will put science into practice to advise clients on the development of agricultural land carbon offset projects around the world, as well as on insetting, Scope 3 emissions, and similar initiatives. You will report to TerraCarbon’s Manager of Agricultural Land Management. Your work will help drive funding to small and large agricultural producers to adopt agricultural practices that improve soil health, increase carbon storage, and build resilience to climate change across croplands, agroforestry lands, and grazing lands. We are particularly looking for someone who brings expertise in soil carbon dynamics in rangelands or grazing systems, process-based soil biogeochemical models (e.g., Daycent, SNAPGRAZE, MEMS), and/or sample design for soil carbon stock change monitoring. You will work with a creative and passionate team of experts and the world’s leading organizations that are scaling up nature-based climate solutions.
The location for this position is remote. The job comes with a starting salary of $70,000 -$90,000 (based on location/experience), profit sharing incentives, health insurance benefits, 401(k) match, generous time off, and flexibility to support work-life balance.
What you’ll do
- Provide technical expertise to support consulting engagements centered around the development of agricultural carbon offset projects
- Contribute to science-based analysis and reports, drawing on the latest research and applying approved greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting methodologies for agricultural lands
- Build and develop relationships as a trusted advisor with for-profit, non-profit, and government clients
- Provide clear and detailed methods description of all analyses to clients and validation and verification firms
- Collaborate with internal staff and external clients to creatively solve challenges related to quantifying the climate and other impacts of improved management activities
- Support the development of new business opportunities and proposals for consulting assignments
- At the end of your first year, success would mean supporting the project feasibility analysis and/or design for at least three projects, serving as the project lead on at least one project, and developing strong familiarity with relevant accounting frameworks and methodologies
What you bring
- Graduate degree in soil science, agricultural science, or related field
- At least 3 years of working experience in a relevant field (e.g. scientific research, natural climate solutions, modeling, restoration ecology, etc.)
- Strong field and analytical skills, including proficiency in soil sampling design, statistics, and database management
- Acumen in project planning and management
- Strong verbal, written, and organizational skills
- Willingness to travel domestically and internationally (approximately 10-30% of the time) Fluency in English
Preferred Skills and Expertise
- PhD in soil science, agricultural science, carbon modeling or related field
- Expertise in grazing systems and/or process-based soil models strongly preferred
- Familiarity with emerging technologies for soil carbon monitoring (e.g. digital soil mapping, spectroscopy)
- Familiarity with carbon offset standards and methodologies, in particular the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and the VCS Methodology for Improved Agricultural Land Management (VM0042)
- Familiarity with Scope 3 accounting
- Experience living or working abroad, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Proficiency in a second language; Swahili is particularly desirable, though Spanish, Hindi, and other languages are welcome skills
What to send our way
- Your CV highlighting your education, experience, and skills
- Brief cover letter
- A writing sample
About TerraCarbon
TerraCarbon LLC is a leading advisory firm with the mission to combat climate change and biodiversity loss by driving market-based funding to nature-based solutions. TerraCarbon does this by developing and applying innovative methods and science to measure nature’s values for conservation groups, social enterprises, and supporting organizations that work with communities, landowners, and stakeholders worldwide.
Since we started in 2006, we’ve helped 40+ conservation projects around the world that are protecting over 5 million acres and that have reduced emissions by more than 50 million tonnes. Through these efforts, we’re helping drive new, market-based funding to restore, manage, and protect vital natural and working lands.
TerraCarbon is a Certified B Corporation which means we meet higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability, and have adopted a legal framework which requires us to consider the impact of our decisions on our employees, suppliers, community, consumers, and the environment. It is a way of demonstrating that our business has a higher purpose than simply profit, and that is contributing to the restoration, sustainable management, and protection of forests, wetlands, and working lands for the benefit of the world’s climate, wildlife, and people.
TerraCarbon values a diverse workforce. Women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community are strongly encouraged to apply.
Interested candidates should send a brief cover letter, CV, and writing sample to (jobs@terracarbon.com). Application deadline is April 3rd, 2024.
