Research Fellow, Plant-Based Meat

Create written technical resources in plant protein science

The Good Food Institute (GFI) 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, fermentation-derived, 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

As a fellow, you will have the opportunity to apply your scientific background to review major topics in plant-based meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy to share with the alternative protein (AP) ecosystem. Your research will be crucial in informing the AP ecosystem on fundamental knowledge in the space as well as identifying further opportunities for growth and innovation. The Research Fellow, Plant-Based Meat will be responsible for the following:

Priority Projects

• Developing a lecture for GFI’s free online course focused on the characterization of alternative protein end products and ingredients.
• Co-authoring an updated plant-based landing page and end product formulation and manufacturing page on our GFI science web pages through literature reviews.

Other Projects

• Updating our plant-based literature library to contain recent, relevant literature and patents by conducting literature reviews and analysis.

Who We’re Looking For

An ideal candidate for the Research Fellow, Plant-Based Meat position will have experience that reflects the following:

• Ph.D. preferred; candidates currently pursuing a Ph.D. in food science, materials science, analytical chemistry, or other aligned fields may also be considered.
• Foundational scientific understanding of plant-based foods and plant proteins and the bottlenecks associated with their production.
• Strong scientific writing skills and ability to communicate effectively to both scientific audiences and science-interested lay audiences.
• Motivation to learn about new topics.
• Strong plant protein characterization expertise.
• Ability to perform independent, self-paced work.
• 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.

We want the best people and we don’t want biases holding us back. We use 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. Since 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

• Position Type: Independent Contractor
• Position Term: 10 hours per week for 16 weeks
• Reports to: Priera Panescu, Ph.D. Lead Scientist, Plant-based
• Location: Remote; United States
• Stipend: $4800 and will be paid pro-rata biweekly over the length of the assignment ($30/hour for 10 hours per week for 16 weeks)

Important Dates

Application Deadline: May 13, 2025

Anticipated Start Date: June 30, 2025