Data Analyst, Cool Food

Job Summary:

In this role, you will support Cool Food Pledge by calculating members’ annual food-related GHG emissions, creating summaries of group progress toward the 2030 target each year, and analyzing new members’ diagnostic survey responses to inform strategic planning workshops. You will also support Cool Food Meals by working with data from restaurant chains and other foodservice providers to analyze their dish-level GHG emissions to determine which meals qualify for the Cool Food Meals badge. You will assist in the research and writing of annual progress reports and technical publications. Finally, you will improve the efficiency of data collection and analysis processes to meet the needs of a growing Cool Food membership that serves billions of meals per year.

This position is remote due to Covid-19, but you will be based in Washington, DC once restrictions have been lifted.

Job Responsibilities:

 60%: Research and data analysis for Cool Food Pledge

• Calculate members’ food-related GHG emissions on an annual basis
• Prepare summary reports for members and support communication of results
• Aggregate members’ data to track group progress
• Assist in research and writing of annual Cool Food GHG progress reports
• Analyze members’ diagnostic survey responses to inform strategic planning workshops

30%: Research and data analysis for Cool Food Meals

• Calculate members’ dish-level GHG emissions on a rolling basis to determine which meals qualify for the Cool Food Meals badge
• Draw from lifecycle assessment literature to research emission factors for specialty ingredients and particular food production systems
• Analyze nutritional data to ensure that meals meet nutritional safeguards
• Prepare summary presentations and support communication of results

10%: Improvement of data collection and analysis processes

• Improve efficiency of all processes on a continuous basis, proactively researching and suggesting upgrades
• Support execution of periodic environmental data updates and development of related technical publications
• Serve as a point-person to answer data-related questions on Cool Food Pledge and Cool Food Meals

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, environmental policy, environmental sustainability, or another relevant field
• Minimum of 2 years full-time work experience
• Background or experience with environmental impact assessment of food (e.g., life cycle assessment, modeling, greenhouse gas accounting or reporting)
• Excellent mathematical and writing skills; excellent attention to detail
• Ability to think creatively and innovatively
• Experience working with Excel, database software, and/or large data sets
• Previous experience or engagement with food companies, or other business audiences, is a plus
• Ability to work both independently as well as part of a team, including remotely
• Ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner
• Ability to adapt to rapidly changing priorities
• US work authorization is required for this position

Potential Salary:

$53,000 – $68,000. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with cover letter.  Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. 

Program Overview:

Cool Food is a platform that enables businesses to serve—and consumers to eat—more climate-friendly diets. It works through two initiatives: Cool Food Pledge and Cool Food Meals. The Cool Food Pledge is a global initiative that helps dining facilities offer delicious food while reducing food-related greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030. The Cool Food Pledge helps members track the climate impact of the food they serve, use behavioral science to develop plans to sell delicious climate-friendly dishes, and promote their achievements as leaders in a growing movement.

Cool Food Pledge members have already reduced their emissions by 16% per plate through 2020. Cool Food Meals, launched in 2020, is a consumer-facing campaign that identifies and badges meals that fall under a maximum GHG emissions threshold and meet nutritional safeguards. Panera Bread was the first restaurant chain to feature the Cool Food Meals badge on qualifying menu items, with three more food service providers joining in 2021. This exciting and dynamic initiative supports WRI’s Food Program, which identifies and develops solutions to the world’s food production and consumption problems, with a view to sustainably feeding nearly 10 billion people by 2050. We identify ways to reduce food loss and waste, enable consumers to make more sustainable food choices, and advance strategies to sustainably increase food production, such as restoring degraded lands back into productivity, increasing pastureland yields, and improving land and water management.

WRI Overview:

World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade in order to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean.

We are passionate. We value our diversity of interests, skills, and backgrounds. We have a flexible work environment. And we share a common goal to catalyze change that will improve the lives of people. Our shared ideals are at the core of our approach. They include: integrity, innovation, urgency, independence, and respect.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

We have been growing rapidly: our staff has doubled in size over the past 5 years, and our operating budget is now $150 million. Founded in 1982, WRI has a global staff of 1,000+ people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.  

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices.