Agriculture Carbon Specialist

Just another WordPress site; United States; On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Nature Conservancy is seeking an Agriculture Carbon Specialist to plan, design, and implement high-integrity NCS agriculture carbon projects worldwide. You will lead technical accounting, modelling, and reporting, while coordinating with internal teams and external bodies to ensure project integrity and impact.

You will manage feasibility/design phases, support validation/verification, and build capacity across teams, with travel up to 25% and a two-year term.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and at least four years of relevant experience in evaluating, designing, and implementing NCS agriculture carbon projects.
• Experience with voluntary carbon market standards, VVBs, and carbon project developers.
• Experience managing complex carbon projects across multiple stages in unstructured environments.
• Experience with soil sampling, analytical analyses, and biogeochemical modeling for GHG quantification.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert technical guidance on soil carbon accounting and credible baselines across project lifecycles.
• Quantify GHG fluxes and carbon outcomes using soil sampling and models; prepare PDDs and technical recommendations.
• Evaluate PINs and contribute to governance processes to assess project quality and risk.
• Support due diligence for external carbon opportunities and advise on project integrity and impact.
• Guide the selection of high-quality carbon standards and methodologies for project integrity.
• Build internal/external capacity through training and knowledge transfer.
• Develop tools, templates, and guidelines to streamline project phases.
• Support validation/verification with documentation and interaction with VVBs.
• Manage NCS agriculture carbon projects through feasibility and design stages; monitor budgets and risks.
• Represent the GCM team in internal/external events and engagements with partners and auditors.
• Advise on risk mitigation and ensure quality criteria for carbon credits, aligning with program objectives.
• Apply cross-disciplinary knowledge to support strategic technical integration.

Skills

Technical carbon accounting

Project management

Soil sampling/analysis

Biogeochemical modeling

English communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in natural science, forestry, geography, conservation, ecology, or a related field

Job description

The Nature Conservancy is dedicated to achieving high environmental and climate integrity in our carbon projects, as well as unlocking new Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) pathways, geographies, business models, and innovative financing mechanisms. As part of the multidisciplinary Global Carbon Markets (GCM) team, the Agriculture Carbon Specialist supports field programs worldwide in planning, designing, and implementing high-integrity carbon projects. This position requires a strong technical background in developing high-integrity NCS agriculture carbon projects, accompanied by project management skills. The Agriculture Carbon Specialist will collaborate with TNC staff and partner organizations to bring promising ideas to fruition, helping to address the triple crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and equitable development.

The Agriculture Carbon Specialist will also provide technical support to guarantee that projects meet TNC’s criteria for high-quality, high-integrity carbon credits. They will manage the feasibility assessment and design of TNC carbon projects, assuming key responsibilities that include project planning and tracking, project-specific team leadership, budget design and management, time management, and project closure, among other tasks. Additionally, the Agriculture Carbon Specialist will also engage with Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs) to support the validation and verification processes, facilitating the exchange of findings and response rounds with the VVBs and the carbon standard.

The Agriculture Carbon Specialist will be responsible for coordinating relevant internal processes to ensure adherence to TNC’s requirements for carbon projects across the Conservancy. They may serve as an advisor to TNC’s Carbon Project Review Committee to evaluate and ensure adherence to TNC’s guidelines for high-quality carbon credits. This position involves domestic and international travel (up to 25% of the person’s time within a year). They will approach all work with a spirit of collaboration and respect for colleagues and partners across geographies, cultures, and subject matter expertise.

The location for this position is flexible for countries where TNC has existing staff/offices. Candidates who do not meet all the desired qualifications but have a passion for addressing climate change through the power of nature are encouraged to apply.

This is atwo-year term positionwith opportunity for extension based on budget and performance.

This is an exceptional career opportunity for a highly motivated and capable individual seeking to join the world’s leading conservation organization.

The Agriculture Carbon Specialist will be responsible for:

• Technical Advisory & Carbon Accounting:Provide expert technical guidance on soil carbon accounting principles, including analytical support and problem-solving skills to estimate credible baselines, demonstrate additionality, leakage management, and durability assessment across the full project lifecycle—from feasibility and design to development and implementation.
• Technical Analysis, Modeling & Reporting:Apply expertise in soil sampling, laboratory analysis, and biogeochemical modeling to quantify GHG fluxes and carbon outcomes; integrate findings with NCS soil carbon accounting methodologies and high-quality carbon standards into clear, decision-ready outputs, including feasibility assessments, project design documents (PDDs), and technical recommendations.
• Project Evaluation & Screening:Assess and rank prospective projects through review of Project Idea Notes (PINs) and technical criteria; contribute to internal governance processes (e.g., CPRC) to evaluate project quality, risks, and alignment with high-integrity carbon standards.
• Investment Due Diligence & Impact Assessment:May support the evaluation of external carbon project opportunities by assessing alignment with Impact Fund criteria and strategy, conducting technical due diligence, and providing recommendations on project integrity, risks, and expected impact.
• Standard & Methodology Selection:Guide project teams in selecting and applying the most appropriate high-quality carbon standards and methodologies to ensure project integrity and maximize the impact of carbon credits.
• Capacity Building & Training:Facilitate knowledge transfer and build internal and external stakeholder capacity through technical training, presentations, and ongoing support for TNC global, regional, and local teams.
• Tool Development & Optimization:Design, develop, and support the creation of essential applications, guidelines, templates, and tools to streamline and enhance the evaluation, feasibility assessment, design, and development phases of NCS carbon credit projects.
• Validation & Verification Support:Provide comprehensive support for project validation and verification, including the preparation of required documentation (e.g., Project Description Documents, Monitoring Reports) and engagement with Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs).
• Project Management & Oversight:Manage assigned NCS agriculture carbon projects through feasibility and design stages, including planning, budgeting, team structuring, progress tracking, and risk mitigation.
• External Engagement & Representation:Represent the TNC Global Carbon Markets team in internal and external events and meetings, and support the evaluation, selection, and engagement with third-party consultants, developers, partners, and auditors.
• Risk Management & Quality Assurance:Advise on risk identification and mitigation strategies to uphold the highest quality criteria for carbon credits.
• Strategic Technical Integration:Apply cross-disciplinary knowledge to support overall program objectives, making strategic technical decisions based on thorough analysis, experience, and contextual understanding.

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in natural science, forestry, geography, conservation, ecology, or a related field, and at least four years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination.
• Demonstrated technical experience in evaluating, designing, and implementing NCS agriculture carbon projects (Agricultural Land Management, Avoided Conversion of Grasslands and Shrublands, Wetlands Restoration and Conservation, and Biochar).
• Experience working for voluntary carbon market standards, VVBs, and/ or carbon project developers.
• Experience managing complex carbon projects or strategic initiatives at different stages of development (including project planning, initiation, implementation, monitoring, and closing) in an unstructured environment.
• Experience with the carbon project development cycle, soil sampling/analysis, biogeochemical models for GHG flux quantification, and NCS agriculture carbon accounting methodologies from high-quality carbon standards and compiling them into cohesive reports and recommendations (such as feasibility assessment reports or project design documents).
• Experience researching, critically analyzing, and evaluating information from divergent sources and compiling it into cohesive reports and recommendations for strategy and action.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated scientific knowledge of soil organic carbon, and/ or wetland conservation/ restoration initiatives, and/ or regenerative agriculture initiatives applied in carbon projects.
• Strong team player who can build relationships and work collaboratively across the organization and with Conservancy partners.
• Strong problem-solving and proactiveness
• Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to write and speak in languages other than English, such as, but not limited to, Spanish, French, Portuguese, or Swahili, is a plus.

Salary Information

The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of$85,000- $110,000.This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA.Where a successful candidate’s actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate’s location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the USA would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market, and not tied to USA pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.

Who We Are

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our mission and guided by our values, which include respect for all people, communities, and cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s many reasons to love life inside TNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out ourTNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.

One goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. In addition to the requirements in our job postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job and consider each applicant’s unique experience.

To quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and stay for the people.”

What We Bring:

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world!

TNC offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work well-being benefits. Learn more about our Benefits and Perkshere .

We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports of the health and well-being of the people we employ.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.Our commitment to equal employment opportunity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy’s background screening process.