About the Project and the Friedman School

We seek an outstanding candidate to conduct original research on the social implications of alternative protein technologies in the United States. This exciting, high-impact position is supported by an award by the United States Department of Agriculture on the potential social impacts of cultivated meat, with a particular focus on workers and livestock producers. This position will be based at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, located on Tufts University's Boston, MA campus. The Friedman School is a rare blend of interdisciplinary nutrition research and policy expertise, and a leader in science, education, and public policy, whose faculty work together to address large and complex food systems issues across the globe. The postdoctoral scholar will have the opportunity to join over 200 Friedman School graduate students, other postdoctoral scholars, and faculty in seminars, workshops, and other scholarly and social activities as part of the Friedman School, the Tufts University Center on Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA), the larger Tufts community, and the Boston-area community of food systems scholars.

Duties & Responsibilities

Dr. Nicole Tichenor Blackstone will serve as the primary mentor for the postdoctoral scholar, with additional supervision from Dr. Sean Cash. Other team members include Drs. Katherine Fuller (Economist, Oregon State University), Alexander Blanchette (Anthropologist, Tufts School of Arts & Sciences) and collaborators elsewhere. The postdoctoral scholar will work with our interdisciplinary team to design and conduct a social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) of US cultivated beef under different future scenarios. There are also opportunities to contribute to related projects such as conducting combined assessments of social and environmental impacts of cultivated meat by leveraging ongoing environmental LCA (E-LCA) work; working on issues of consumer acceptance and public attitudes toward cultivated meat; and contributing to the generation of new studies and grant proposals. Much of this work is coordinated through the USDA-funded National Institute for Cellular Agriculture.

Key responsibilities of the postdoctoral scholar will include:

• Collecting and processing secondary data to parameterize a set of social indicators cultivated beef and US beef, including publicly-available datasets and social life cycle assessment databases (e.g., Social Hotspots Database)
• Designing, conducting, and analyzing surveys and/or interviews with supply chain stakeholders
• Collaborating with team members who are simulating future commercial scale cultivated beef production
• Leading the development of a prospective S-LCA case study on cultivated beef in the US 
• Designing and implementing research on broader social acceptance of cultivated meat products using e.g., consumer-facing surveys or experiments
• Supporting the implementation of an expert workshop to inform results interpretation and translation
• Developing peer-reviewed publications, and abstracts for presenting research findings internally and at scientific meetings
• Supervising graduate students collaborating on the project

A major emphasis will be placed on leading original analyses and manuscripts, career development, and transition toward an independent research career; up to 10% of time will be available to support the chosen candidate?s ongoing and new independent projects. A competitive salary, benefits, and travel/educational opportunities in the interdisciplinary environment at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy are offered. Funding to support this position is available for approximately 2 years, with an initial appointment period of 12 months. Reappointment is possible contingent on a review of performance and funding availability. Desired start date for the position is no later than September 1, 2025. Candidates from all over the world are encouraged to apply who are willing to conduct their research work in the US, at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA.

Required Education, Experience, and Skills

Applicants must have a PhD/DrPH/ScD in industrial ecology, quantitative sustainability assessment, applied economics, quantitative social science, sustainability science, interdisciplinary food systems science, or a related field. A strong record of original, first-author publications in quantitative social sciences or life cycle assessment is essential. Candidates must demonstrate excellent data management and analysis skills in R, Python, STATA, or equivalent. Candidates must have experience designing, conducting, and analyzing surveys or interviews. Candidates must have excellent written and oral communication skills, and the ability to work independently and with collaborators.  Applicants must be familiar with the concept of life cycle assessment and have a strong interest in sustainability, livestock production, and/or cellular agriculture. 

Preferred Education, Experience, and Skills

Candidates with prior experience 1) using input-output (IO) based datasets or modeling, or 2) conducting social or environmental LCAs, or 3) working with the livestock, cellular agriculture, or alternative/complementary protein sectors are strongly preferred. 

Full consideration will be given to candidates who submit applications by May 15, 2025. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Application must include:

1. Cover letter describing previous achievements, research interests, and why the candidate is suitable for this position (maximum 2 pages).
2. CV including a list of relevant publications.
3. Names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers for at least two academic referees.

Tufts University, founded in 1852, prioritizes quality teaching, highly competitive basic and applied research, and a commitment to active citizenship locally, regionally, and globally. Tufts University has also committed to becoming an anti-racist institution and prides itself on the continuous improvement of diversity, equity and inclusion work. Current and prospective employees of the university are expected to have and continuously develop skill in, and disposition for, positively engaging with a diverse population of faculty, staff, and students.

Tufts University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. See the University?s Non-Discrimination statement and policy here https://oeo.tufts.edu/policies-procedures/non-discrimination/. If you are an applicant with a disability who is unable to use our online tools to search and apply for jobs, please contact us by calling the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) at 617-627-3298 or at oeo@tufts.edu. Applicants can learn more about requesting reasonable accommodations at https://oeo.tufts.edu/

About Tufts University

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