Director, Global Ag Methane

Environmental Defense Fund, Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 87,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

Environmental Defense Fund seeks a Director, Global Ag Methane to lead scientific writing and policy development across animal health and climate frameworks. The role requires coordinating with EDF’s Science & Innovation teams and international partners to advance published frameworks and practical tools for national climate policy alignment.

The position emphasizes independent execution of complex technical work, cross-cultural collaboration, and leadership in translating science into

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent experience in animal science, veterinary science, agricultural systems, environmental science, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience with livestock systems modelling and greenhouse-gas quantification methods, including experience in animal health as a climate mitigation pathway and how animal health and disease are represented in climate models and inventories.
• Demonstrated self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and the ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across cultures and backgrounds.
• Demonstrated experience in scientific writing and peer-reviewed publication.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate quantitative modelling, policy analysis, and technical writing into applied products.
• Proven experience turning complex scientific concepts into accessible, applied products for non-specialist audiences.
• Ability to independently execute and deliver multiple complex technical work streams on accelerated timelines.
• Experience working across cultures and time zones with international research partners.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities on parallel timelines.
• Ability to communicate effectively to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Spearhead scientific writing leadership for EDF’s animal health and climate research framework manuscript through to peer-reviewed publication, integrating co-author contributions, graphics, and review.
• Coordinate with EDF’s Science & Innovation team on scientific content and internal review processes.
• Collaborate with the Global Research Alliance (GRA) and European partners on framework content and translation into applied use.
• Provide technical guidance and liaise with co-authors and external collaborators.

Skills

Livestock modelling

Scientific writing

Policy analysis

Cross-cultural collaboration

Education

PhD or equivalent in animal science or related field

Tools

Climate modelling tools

Job description

Agriculture Methane Overview

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is a leading organization in efforts to reduce methane from livestock systems, one of the largest sources of human related methane emissions. To do this, EDF leverages its strengths in science, policy, company engagement and markets, andconveningofuniquepartnershipsto support farmer implementation of lower methane management solutions.

A widely recognized, but under invested livestock methane solution is improved livestock health. Under its Animal Health & Climate (AH&C) program, EDF has been the leading civil society voice on the role that improved livestock health can play for triple win solutions (improved farmer economics, enhanced global nutrition, and reduced climate impact from livestock systems). While technical solutions widely exist for livestock health, EDF is demonstrating the science needed to connect these interventions with climate wins, supporting governments to align climate policy with animal health policy, and support more investment in animal health as a climate solution that can be deployed today.

Overall Function

The Director, Global Ag Methane will work across EDF’s matrixed team of scientists, and experts in global and regional policy, livestock systems and business to accelerate EDF’s work to drive scientific evidence, policy success and investment commitments to deploy animal health interventions that have proven climate wins.Bringing a strong policy,emissionsmodelling, andanimal sciencebackground, this position willprovide scientific and technical leadership across the ongoing development andapplication of two foundational intellectual products under AH&C: the Animal Health and ClimateScientificFrameworkfor quantifying the impact of animal health on climateand the Policy Guidelines for incorporating animal health into national climate policy.

This role is central to translating science on animal health and climate into products that researchers, policymakers, and multilateral institutions can use. The position requires someone who brings together high-caliber expertise inanimal science, demonstrated experience inscientific writing,andapplied technical assistance, working closely with members of the EDF AH&C team and the AH&C program lead as collaborative partners on program implementation, other EDF experts and teams, and an international Coordination Committee to ensure developed products and efforts serve their intended users.

This position is a senior-level individual contributor, accountable for independently delivering specialized scientific, technical, and policy-related work. The Director is also expected to contribute to the strategic development of new technical initiatives, partnerships, and scientific opportunities, influencing the Livestock Methane and overall Agriculture programstrategythroughsubject-matterexpertise.

This positionreportsto the Senior Director, EU Agriculture Program.This role is embedded within EDF’s EU Agriculture Program and works closely with European research partners — including theGlobal Research Alliance (GRA)Animal Health Network co-chair and the Flagship Coordinator based in Edinburgh — and with EU member states engaged as Flagship Champion countries.

Key Responsibilities

Framework Publication

• Spearheadscientific writing leadership forEDF’s animal health and climateresearch framework manuscriptthrough topeer-reviewed publication,integratingco-author contributions, graphics, and review.

• Work collaboratively withEDF’sScience & Innovation team on scientific content, ensuring alignment between the external author perspective and EDF’s internal scientific review.

• Coordinate with the GRA, specifically theAnimal Health Network,and the GRA FlagshipCoordinator basedat Edinburgh Napier University on framework content and its translation into applied use.

• Work closelywith EDF’s Science & Innovation team on internal review procedures prior to submissionand liaise with co-authors including external collaborators.

Policy Guidelines

• Serve as lead writer forthe policy guidelines based on Phase I country assessments (New Zealand, Uruguay, Kenya, Cambodia, Vietnam).

• Incorporate feedback from country stakeholders and partners (Agriculture Emissions Centre, GRA network).

• Documentcountry assessmentsandidentifiedpolicypathways andprovidetechnicalassistanceascountries use and interpret the results.

• Contribute to theapplication and uptake of thePolicyGuidelines acrossadditionalcountriesas well as any further revisions that improve them.

Applied Resource Development

• In partnership with the Animal Health & Climate program lead, help define the strategy, priorities, and sequencing for moving the framework and policy guidelines from development into country application and broader scale.

• Supportthe translation ofthe framework and guidelines into user-friendly, externally facing products that countries, research institutions, and multilateral partners can apply.

• Provideongoingtechnicalexpertiseand directassistanceto partners applying the framework and guidelines in country contexts, including the GRA Flagship research initiative (targeting 8+ countries), CLIFF-GRADSplacements andadditionalindependent research stays(several hosted at EUresearch institutions), and country projects

• Supportthe developmentof applied tools, guidance materials, and resources that enable non-specialist users to operationalize the framework.

• Engagewith the World Bank,IFAD,FAO(IFAD and FAO are both headquartered in the EU)and other multilateral institutionsto support uptake and operationalization of the framework and guidelines, includinghow theycan inform climate lending and project evaluation.

EU Science to Policy

• Provide scientific leadership on reviewscharacterizingthe methane emissions profilesand solutions available for the beef sectors acrossfarm typologiesinEDF Europe’scorestrategic countries(Belgium-Flanders, Denmark, Ireland, France, Spain, Poland, Hungary, UK).

• Provide independent scientific assessment of the expected methane reduction outcomes fromthe beef and dairy sector projects led by Climate-KICwith EDF Europe’sparticipationon farms in CorkCounty,Ireland, including site visits.

• Advisethe Senior Director, EU Agriculture Program on livestock methane priorities, scientific opportunities, and the design of future EU technical workstreams.

Technical CoordinationandCommunication

• Participate in Coordination Committee meetings and contribute to scientific discussions on framework application.

• Contribute technical inputs for funder reporting and partner communications as needed.

• Coordinate regularly with EDFleadscientists and other experts to ensure scientific coherence and shared decision-making on technical matters.

• Collaborate through the Senior Director, EU agriculture program with EDF’s EU region team to bring learnings and key messages from the activities above in EDF’s European program, whether for policy advocacy opportunities or communications.

Building Internal & External Capacity:

• Participate in advancing EDF’s organizational effectiveness and culture goals,sopeople from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address environmental and organizational challengesin ways aligned withEDF values

• Contribute to EDF’s work advancing global capacity building and knowledge.development (CLIFF-GRADSand research stays at international institutions,mainly inthe EU) and ensuringa justtransition approach tothe animalhealth and climate work.

• Engage with external partners, with particular focus on European research institutions and leading researchers on the main topics of EDF’s ag methane programs, as needed to expand EDF’s scientific network in Europe and globally on Animal Health & Climate.

• Serve as a technical and modelling resource to the EU Agriculture program and broader EDF agricultural methane programs on questions related to livestock health, productivity, and emissions quantification.

Qualifications

Required: ****

• PhD or equivalent experience in animal science, veterinary science, agricultural systems, environmental science, or a closely related field.

• Minimumof10 years of relevant professional experience.

• Demonstrated experience with livestock systems modelling and greenhouse-gas quantification methods, includingexperience in animal health as a climate mitigation pathway andhow animal health and disease are (or are not) represented in existing climate models and inventories.

• Demonstrated self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and the ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across all cultures and backgrounds.

• Demonstrated experience in scientific writing and peer-reviewed publication.

• Demonstrated ability to integrate quantitative modelling, policy analysis, and technical writing into applied products.

• Proven experience turningcomplex scientific concepts into accessible, applied products for non-specialistaudiences.

• Ability toindependentlyexecute and delivermultiplecomplextechnicalwork streamson accelerated timelines.

• Experience working across cultures and time zones with international research partners.

• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multipleprioritieson parallel timelines.

• Ability to communicate, including through effective presentations, to diverse audiences.

Preferred

• Knowledge of climate policy frameworks, particularly NDCs and livestock sector policies. Experience with the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases or similar international research networks.

• Prior experience developing technical guidance documents, toolkits, or applied resources for policy or practitioner audiences.

• Familiarity withclimate finance,multilateralorganizations, international financing institutions,anddevelopmentbank processes.

Travel Expectations

Limited travel to conferences, meetings,etc.as relevant to the Animal Health & Climate ProgramandEU Ag Program.Less than 10% of time both Europe and global.

We offer a strong total rewards package encompassing competitive salary, robust benefits, and professional development opportunities consistent with a modern global organization. We take into account factors such as candidate experience, skills, training, internal team equity and local norms.

Please note that pay ranges are country specific. As a result, the stated currency is not meant be converted into any other currency.

75,600 - 83,600 EUR