Senior Soil Health and Biochar Scientist

Who We Are

American Farmland Trust is a national high impact organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural systems of practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 7.8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and helped thousands of farm families make a go of it, primarily through programs that increase farm viability and/or enhance farmland access. Long a pioneering leader, AFT is now riding a new wave of growth, driven by agriculture’s most pressing needs and opportunities. 

We believe diversity drives innovation. We are inclusive. We embrace differences. We recognize and respect the fundamental value and dignity of all our employees. We celebrate the unique traditions, heritages, and experiences our employees bring to the workplace. We are committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive culture that promotes and values diversity, and where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work every day. Please see AFT’s statement on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice. 

Job purpose

Reporting to the Climate and Soil Health Director, the Senior Soil Health and Biochar Scientist supports AFT’s Climate and Soil Health Initiative and contributes to leading national strategic climate, soil health, and biochar work across AFT and with partners, with the ultimate aim to catalyze a new conventional agriculture: one that is climate-smart, diverse, resilient, soil health promoting, equitable, and environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. The position contributes to AFT’s efforts to empower diverse farmers and ranchers across the nation to manage diverse, viable, profitable farming and ranching operations through systems of practices that promote soil health, rebuild soil function and biodiversity, build resilience to climate change, improve economic returns, sequester carbon and minimize GHG emissions.

Position summary

As an integral part of the AFT Program Team and the Climate and Soil Health Initiative, the (Senior) Soil Health and Biochar Scientist leads program technical development and management, data analysis, modeling, publications for varied audiences, and other research and transformational implementation and scaling efforts in these topics, with the goal to nationally advance highly functioning regenerative, climate smart soil health management systems adoption and innovation, and support policy advocacy, communications, and related efforts. 

This position leads and expands AFT’s leadership with the science and implementation of soil health with a focus on biochar as a tool in soil health management systems. There may be potential to evaluate and lead various entrepreneurial opportunities involving biochar as well as the on-ramping and scaling of additional innovative, high-potential agro-ecological practices. It requires a combination of scientific leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, excellent communication, and ability to collaborate across disciplines, teams, and diverse stakeholders. It identifies and builds work to address diverse gaps at the research and implementation interface in soil health and biochar across the country. 

Duties and responsibilities 
Climate and Soil Health Initiative funding has grown to encompass over $125M in funded projects in addition to engagement in projects across AFT’s other national and regional programs. This role will lead projects and workstreams that require collaborating across multiple federal, academic, non-profit, industry and other partners, and may collaborate to develop new funded efforts that enable the translation from research to scientifically sound, commercially viable opportunities for climate smart soil health management systems, that include biochar integration. One key priority focus area for this position is to build up AFT’s role in addressing the gaps to enable scale up of sustainable production and application of biochars as a tool in the toolbox for climate mitigation and resilience within soil health management systems. 

Technical Soil Health and Biochar Expertise and Scientific Leadership

• Lead applied research, literature review, technical review, data analysis, modeling, life cycle analysis, and impact-oriented programmatic design and implementation, and provide technical leadership for fundraising efforts relating to biochar and soil health. Collaborate across the team to compile, analyze, and publish project data and results.
• Lead and collaborate to create and publish transformative technical resources, including white papers, technical notes, peer-reviewed publications, guides, factsheets, manuals, decision support tools, and trainings, to promote successful implementation of regenerative practices and evaluate their outcomes.
• Address climate smart practice adoption needs, currently funded primarily in row crop, dairy, and beef systems, and for additional systems through on-farm cover crop and biochar focused soil health demonstration trials, including providing technical expertise for training development and implementation.
• Support Climate and Soil Health Initiative Director in fundraising efforts by developing compelling proposals and pitches and cultivating funder relationships. May serve as PI on future projects.

Stakeholder and partnership management 

• Lead collaborations with partners to develop transformative resources and programs nationwide. 
• Communicate AFT's Climate and Soil Health work and impact to stakeholders, in collaboration with project teams and AFT’s Communications team.

Thought leadership, training and outreach 

• Serve as AFT representative and leader in cross-organizational endeavors relating to biochar and soil health.
• Leverage current projects and partnerships for future initiatives.
• Represent AFT nationally at relevant external events.

Programmatic and team management   

• Lead and manage teams of AFT staff and partners on assigned projects or workstreams, collaborating across AFT, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Biochar Initiative (USBI) , and other federal, academic, non-profit, industry and other partners.  
• Provide technical leadership and programmatic management to achieve completion of deliverables for biochar on-farm soil health demonstration trials project, and collaborative agreement on biochar decision support. 
• Prepare progress and final reports for funders. 
   

Qualifications

Technical Soil Health and Biochar Expertise and Scientific Leadership Experience

• Significant scientific/technical/mechanistic and on-farm, applied understanding and subject matter expertise in soil health, soil function, and interactions between production systems, soils, climatic conditions, and the need to adapt practices to site specific contexts, across multiple soils, climates, and/or diverse agricultural production systems.
• Familiarity with soil systems modeling as well as with microbial, ecological, and other soil science processes.
• Advanced understanding of soil health management practices and systems implementation, biochar use opportunities and challenges, and environmental co-benefits, their interactions with climate change science, and technical barriers for producer adoption and success.
• Commitment to and experience with advancing soil health promoting regenerative agricultural systems by using and, where needed, developing supportive models, tools, and technical resources that are grounded in research findings and on-the-ground experiences.
• Demonstrated success conducting independent research and executing complex technical and quantitative tasks such as statistical data analyses of complex agronomic or ecological datasets, using R, SAS, or a comparable statistical programming language.
• Proficient in thorough literature reviews and staying updated on soil health research, producer innovations, and emerging technologies.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for team collaboration on technical resources and publications for various audiences.
• Demonstrated experience and success in grant writing and other forms of fundraising as well as achieving peer, leadership, or donor buy-in on critical projects.

Stakeholder, and partnership management experience

• Demonstrated success in developing partnerships across various stakeholders.
• Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in agriculture and food systems.

Training and outreach experience

• Proficient trainer, presenter, facilitator, and communicator adept at translating practical and science-based concepts for diverse audiences with a focus on soil health implementation and related training. Experienced in developing educational materials, sharing project outcomes, and delivering public presentations for organizational representation .
• Ability to effectively communicate highly technical and complex information about soil health practices, biochar characteristics, application decisions and approaches, potential mechanisms and interactions in agricultural systems, and potential outcomes to varied audiences including the public, policymakers or other technical experts.

Programmatic and team management experience

• Proven history overseeing project implementation and delivery on time and within budget, leveraging specialized knowledge to achieve goals.
• High emotional intelligence. Collaborative and proactive leader and team player skilled in independent and group settings. Ability to effectively listen, respond to, and motivate team members to achieve common goals in a remote environment.
• Exceptional organization and clear communication regarding priorities and timelines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite in a virtual collaborative environment.
• Desire to participate in a strong team culture of shared learning, creativity, innovation and problem solving among AFT staff.

Additional Desired Qualifications

• Experience with and/or knowledge of markets for carbon sequestration or other environmental services.
• Familiarity with social/cultural barriers to behavior change and/or practice adoption in agriculture.
• Knowledge of NRCS and other current state and federal policies and programs related to agriculture, soil health, biochar, and climate mitigation and resilience.

Education and Experience

We will be hiring at either a more junior level or senior level depending on education, experience, and qualifications of the applicant pool. Also see compensation.

To qualify for the position regardless of level, the candidate must have:

• Regional or state scientific and implementation leadership experience, required qualifications detailed above
• Degree in agronomy, soil science, soil health, agroecology, farm production, conservation, or similar related agriculturally relevant sciences and commensurate amount of experience in agricultural sciences, including experience with soil health and biochar management.
• Masters degree and a minimum of 6 years of relevant work experience; OR
• PhD degree and a minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience

To qualify for the senior level the candidate must have:

• Significant regional or national scientific and implementation leadership experience, including successful fundraising, agricultural production systems expertise, and high level of qualifications detailed above
• Masters degree and a minimum of 10 years of work experience; OR
• PhD degree and a minimum of 6 years of work experience

Additional Considerations:

• Qualifications for the position described are more important than level of educational degree attainment.

Direct reports

• This position has no management responsibility at this time; may have potential to evolve into a management position.

Working Conditions

• This job operates in a teleworking or professional office environment when not traveling to engage with the science, agricultural, and conservation communities.
• Co-location at a university or other similar arrangement may be a possibility.
• This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers and phones.
• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required to meet deadlines or attend events.
• Travel throughout country as needed (up to 20%).

Compensation
The salary range for this position is $85,000 to $105,000, contingent upon experience, education, and qualifications (see thresholds in education and experience section). Candidates with more junior-level experience, education, and qualifications fall within the $85,000 to $90,000 range, while those at the senior-level range from $90,000 to $105,000.

American Farmland Trust offers a full benefits package:

• Medical & Prescription Coverage
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Company Paid Life Insurance & Long-Term Disability (LTD)
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) – Healthcare & Dependent Care
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• 401(k)
• Sick Leave: Regular full-time employees accrue 3.5 hours per pay period (13 “sick days” per year).
• Vacation Leave: Accrue 15 days during the first year increasing by one day per year to 20 days per year.
• Holidays: The Company observes the fixed federal eleven holidays during the year, and closes between Dec 25 and Jan 1 every year (all offices closed). Additionally AFT offers choice of 3 other floating holidays annually, depending on hiring date.

Why you should apply

• Be a part of a purpose-driven, committed, knowledgeable, high-performing, interdisciplinary, collaborative, experienced and fun team.
• A diverse and inclusive work environment.
• A cause and mission you can be proud of.
• Competitive compensation & benefits.
• Remote, flexible work!

Timeline
Applications should include

• CV that includes detail relevant to the desired experience and qualifications listed in this job description and backing up answers to screener questions
• Cover letter expressing interest in working in soil health, biochar, and climate at AFT and describing qualifications for the position.
• Applications received by 7/30, 2024 will be reviewed first. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

American Farmland Trust provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American Farmland Trust complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the organization has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.