Senior Food Security Specialist

American Institutes for Research; United States; Remote; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a premier organization as a Senior Food Security Specialist where you will drive strategic leadership and project management for a critical data hub. This position offers the flexibility of working from anywhere in the U.S., focusing on innovative solutions to enhance food security analytics globally.

Qualifications

• 13+ years of experience with bachelor's or 11+ years with master's degree.
• Deep understanding of agricultural statistics.
• Strong familiarity with market and trade data.

Responsibilities

• Lead updates for FEWS NET agricultural data.
• Manage sources of agricultural data for accuracy.
• Develop sustainable data management SOPs.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Sciences or related field

Master’s degree in a related discipline

Job description

Join to apply for the Senior Food Security Specialist role at American Institutes for Research

Join to apply for the Senior Food Security Specialist role at American Institutes for Research

Join AIR as a Senior Food Security Specialist to provide strategic leadership and high-level project management support to the FEWS NET Learning and Data Hub, a critical component of the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) project. FEWS NET is a leading provider of early warning and analysis on acute food insecurity, supporting evidence-based decision-making to mitigate humanitarian crises globally. In this role, the Senior Food Security Specialist will translate complex food security concepts into actionable insights and requirements, thereby enabling the team to develop innovative, impactful software solutions. This position requires a seasoned professional with deep experience in managing large-scale, donor-funded projects, particularly in international development, data systems, or humanitarian response.

This position has the flexibility to work remote from anywhere in the United States or from any of AIR's U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories.

About AIR

Established in 1946, with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to solve some of the most urgent challenges in the U.S. and around the world. We advance evidence in the areas of education, health, the workforce, human services, and international development to create a better, more equitable world.

Responsibilities

• Lead the effort in updating and expanding FEWS NET sub-national agricultural data, covering a wide range of countries and crops.
• Expanding the geographic coverage of crop production statistics to achieve global scope, including data collection and processing for new countries.
• Curate and manage sources of agricultural data, ensuring accuracy and completeness for various countries.
• Develop and document sustainable methods and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for ongoing data management and updates.
• Create guides and protocols for efficient data collection and processing, including techniques for extracting data from various formats and standardizing it for upload and analysis.
• Continuously identify and assess potential data sources for crisis events, ensuring readiness for unforeseen situations.
• Evaluate the quality of data sources, documenting the rationale for their selection or exclusion in crisis response scenarios.
• Assist the team in developing, designing and refining analysis tools and visualizations to aid in quick comprehension and decision-making during crises.
• Work closely with FEWS NET Hub and other partners/stakeholders to plan and inform data management activities of specific FEWS NET regions.
  
  

Qualifications

Education, Knowledge, and Experience:

• A bachelor’s degree with at least 13 years of experience or a master's degree with at least 11 years of experience in a related field such as Agricultural Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Geography, Data Science, or a related discipline.
• A deep understanding of agricultural statistics including locating data sources, especially with regards to developing countries.
• Strong familiarity with markets and trade data and how to utilize it for food security analysis.
• Expertise in creating technical specifications for analysis or visualization tools.
• Preferred Experience but Not Required: Experience working with USAID or other international development organizations.
• A good understanding of the Famine Early Warning Systems Network.
  
  

Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work effectively in a dispersed work environment.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team with individuals from all levels.
  
  

Disclosures

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.

American Institutes for Research is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.

AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo reference and background checks.

AIR maintains a drug-free work environment.

Accessibility Notice: If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process due to a physical or mental disability, please send an email to Taliba Boone at [e-mail] or call 202.403.5000.

Fraudulent Job Scams Warning & Disclaimer

AIR is aware of individuals falsely presenting themselves as AIR representatives. Fraudulent job scams seek to extract sensitive information or money from victims. To protect yourself, please be aware that AIR recruitment will only email you from an “@air.org” domain. Please take extra caution while examining the email address, for example [e-mail] is correct and [e-mail] is not a legitimate AIR email address. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a communication you have received, please reach out to [e-mail].

If you see a job scam, or lose money to one, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report it to your state attorney general. Find out more about how to avoid scams at ftc.gov/scams.

AIR’s Total Rewards Program, is designed to reward our staff competitively and motivate them to achieve our critical mission. This position offers the anticipated annual salary as listed. Salary offers are made based on internal equity within the institution and external equity with competitive markets. Please note this is the annual salary range for candidates that are based in the United States.

Anticipated Annual Salary Range

$160,000 - $180,000 USD

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Management and Manufacturing

• Industries

  Research Services

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at American Institutes for Research by 2x

Get notified about new Food Specialist jobs in United States.

Quality Assurance Food Import Specialist

United States $65,000.00-$80,000.00 2 weeks ago

Detroit, MI $80,000.00-$95,000.00 1 hour ago

Regional Sales Manager Foodservice - Northeast Region

Pittsburgh, PA $108,981.65-$185,133.44 1 week ago

United States $72,000.00-$96,000.00 4 months ago

General Consideration - Continuous opening

Head of Global Thought Leadership- Food Safety

Regional Senior Sales Representative - Southeastern U.S. (Foodservice Cheese)

Dairy Products Specialist Trainee 1 (NY HELPS)

Full Service Restaurant Specialist- Southeast

North Carolina, United States $60,000.00-$80,000.00 2 weeks ago

Senior School Food Operations Specialist

San Jose, CA $91,350.00-$123,900.00 4 days ago

United States $95,000.00-$120,000.00 2 weeks ago

Business Development Manager - Food Equipment

Account Executive (Foodservice Equipment)

Director of Business Development- Business & Industry (Food Service Management)

Illinois, United States $65,000.00-$100,000.00 3 weeks ago

California, United States $19.00-$20.00 3 weeks ago

California, United States $94,000.00-$100,000.00 1 month ago

United States $85,000.00-$95,000.00 1 hour ago

Chicago, IL $60,000.00-$75,000.00 3 weeks ago

Commodity Supplemental Food Program Manager

San Francisco Bay Area $60,000.00-$75,000.00 3 weeks ago

Quality Assurance Specialist - HUB (Orlando, FL)

Dairy Products Specialist Trainee 1 (NY HELPS)

Rensselaer County, NY $53,764.00-$85,138.00 6 days ago

We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.