Agricultural Climate and Sustainability Consultant

ADAS; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 35,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Agricultural Climate and Sustainability Consultant to tackle pressing challenges in sustainable food production. This role offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with diverse clients, focusing on decarbonisation and enhancing agricultural sustainability. You'll engage in modeling greenhouse gas emissions, developing mitigation strategies, and assessing climate risks. Join a supportive team dedicated to innovation and professional development, where your contributions will significantly impact the future of UK food production. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to make a difference, this position is perfect for you.

Benefits

Contributory pension scheme

Life assurance

Support for Continuing Professional Development

Flexible benefits

Private healthcare

Volunteer days

Additional holidays

Qualifications

• Experience in UK agricultural or food production systems.
• Proficient in data science modeling and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop tools for analyzing farm data to support GHG assessments.
• Draft reports compliant with industry standards.

Skills

Problem-solving

Communication

Data analysis

GHG emission assessments

Education

Degree in Agriculture

Postgraduate experience in agricultural consultancy

Vocational qualification in Environmental Science

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Excel VBA

R

Python

Job description

The Vacancy

ADAS, part of the RSK Group, is seeking to employ an Agricultural Climate and Sustainability Consultant on a full-time permanent basis, with hybrid home and office working available out of the ADAS Boxworth office near Cambridge.

This is an exciting opportunity to work on one of humanity’s most pressing challenges: how do we produce safe, nutritious food sustainably and profitably while adapting to climate change. Consultants will work across various aspects of agricultural systems on a wide range of topics.

As an agricultural climate and sustainability consultant, you will collaborate with clients from government and the food supply chain to support decarbonisation, enhance environmental sustainability, and maintain productive, profitable agricultural systems. Your responsibilities will include modeling greenhouse gas emissions, water-use efficiency, identifying environmental benefits, developing mitigation strategies, and assessing climate risks to support the resilience of UK food production.

The role involves delivering consultancy solutions to clients from both public and private sectors, primarily through desk-based modeling and reporting. Effective communication with farmers, advisers, supply chain actors, and government is essential, along with practical problem-solving skills.

Key Responsibilities

1. Develop tools for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting farm and supply chain data to support GHG emission assessments and other sustainability evaluations.
2. Contribute to projects related to climate resilience, adaptation, and mitigation in agriculture.
3. Draft reports compliant with industry standards and client specifications.
4. Manage small projects, ensuring timely delivery within budget.
5. Assist senior staff in preparing tenders and proposals.

Person Specification

• Postgraduate experience in UK agricultural or food production systems or related consultancy work.
• Degree or vocational qualification in Agriculture, Biology, Geography, Environmental Science, or a related field.
• Experience with farm-level carbon accounting or frameworks like TCFD or TNFD is advantageous.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Windows, Teams, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Knowledge of advanced data science modeling, such as Excel VBA, R, or Python, is a plus.
• Fluent in English, with strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Full UK driving license and own transport (due to limited public transport access to the office).

Salary and Benefits

• Salary up to £35,000 per annum, negotiable based on experience.
• On-the-job training, mentoring, and relevant qualifications.
• Contributory pension scheme and life assurance.
• Support for Continuing Professional Development and Chartership.
• Participation in professional committees, membership allowances, flexible benefits, additional holidays, private healthcare, volunteer days, and other perks.

Interview Process

Candidates passing the initial sift will be invited for face-to-face interviews at Boxworth, Cambridge, during the week of 26th May 2025. Preparation includes three exercises: a short report, a data handling task, and a presentation. Each interview lasts up to one hour with 2-3 assessors.

About Us

ADAS is the UK’s largest independent environmental and agricultural consultancy, dedicated to securing British food and enhancing the environment. With over 75 years of experience and part of RSK Group since 2016, we offer tailored, research-based solutions across various sectors, working with landowners, government, and utility projects. We value innovation, client-focused strategies, and a supportive, inclusive workplace culture.

RSK Group, founded in 1989, emphasizes growth through diversification and employee development. We are committed to diversity, inclusion, and providing flexible work arrangements to support our team members’ professional and personal lives. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and abilities, fostering a vibrant, equitable workplace.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, join us to help build a sustainable future. Do you have what it takes?