This role will support the development and execution of our annual aquaculture certification benchmark, and engage with certifiers to drive impactful, data-driven changes in aquatic animal welfare standards. 

Hours: 36 hours per week

Location: Fully remote position
Open to applicants worldwide; must be compatible with Eastern Time Zone

Deadline to apply: January 5, 2025

Annual salary range: $45-50K USD, dependent on experience
 

OVERVIEW

Aquatic Life Institute (ALI) is seeking a proactive, detail-oriented professional with expertise/interest in aquatic animal welfare, certification standards, sustainable sourcing, strong research and project management skills, the ability to communicate complex findings clearly, build relationships, and advance ALI’s mission within seafood certification networks.

Reporting to ALI’s Head of Research, the Seafood Certification Specialist will support the development and execution of our annual benchmark, and engage with certifiers to drive impactful, data-driven changes in welfare standards. The Specialist will manage existing relationships with certifier partners, track and report on certification updates, and play a vital role in expanding our network of certifier and ratings agency partnerships for future benchmark iterations.

WHO WE ARE

Aquatic Life Institute (ALI), is a US-based nonprofit organization with an international reach, striving to alleviate suffering for trillions of aquatic animals farmed and caught in the global seafood system. We achieve this by advocating for improved seafood certification standards, influencing corporate practices, and shaping government policies. 

Our interventions are identified and executed according to one or more of the following principles:

• Reduce the number of animals in, or remove animals from, the seafood system and its supply chain.
• Refine the conditions in which animals are currently kept or captured in the seafood system and its supply chain. 
• Replace animal products with sustainable plant-based or cell-based alternatives to the extent possible in the seafood system and its supply chain.
• Reject the introduction of additional animals into the seafood system and its supply chain. 

ALI’s Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark is a powerful instrument that we employ to help elevate industry norms and practices related to positive aquatic animal welfare.

We are a fully remote team, with staff distributed around the globe.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

As ALI’s Seafood Certification Specialist, you’ll play a vital role in advancing aquatic animal welfare through your work in the following areas:

Annual Benchmark: You will lead the development, coordination, and publication of ALI’s annual certification schemes benchmark, assessing aquatic animal welfare standards across various schemes through collaborative relationships with new and existing certifier/ratings agency stakeholders. You’ll collaborate with the Head of Research to identify and engage with additional certifiers or ratings agencies, broadening the benchmark’s scope.
 

Certifier Recommendations: You will develop and refine recommendations for certifiers based on benchmark findings and industry research.
 

Tracking and Reporting: You will maintain an updated record of changes in certification standards, including those made by certifiers in response to ALI’s feedback.
 

Consultation Feedback: You’ll draft and submit feedback for open consultations with certifiers, ensuring that ALI’s welfare priorities and technical expertise are represented.
 

Relationship Management: You will establish and maintain positive, collaborative relationships with current certification bodies, enhancing ALI's influence and support for higher welfare standards.

WHO YOU ARE

To be successful in this position, you will have:
 

Knowledge of or willingness to learn about aquatic animal welfare, certification standards, sustainable sourcing, or related fields, and strong alignment with ALI’s mission to reduce the suffering of aquatic animals in the food system.
 

A degree in environmental science, marine biology, animal welfare science, sustainable agriculture, public policy, a related field, or demonstrated experience in interacting with certification bodies, standards organizations, or regulatory agencies, with an understanding of processes and the seafood industry landscape.
 

Strong ability to critically evaluate, compare, and synthesize certification standards and their impacts, whether on animal welfare, environmental sustainability, or social equity.
 

Proficiency in research methods and analysis. Detail-oriented approach to tracking changes in certification criteria, with experience in reporting key findings and producing clear, concise summaries. This includes proficiency with collaboration software (Google Workspace).
 

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to create accessible reports, summaries, and consultation feedback that balance technical rigor with clarity. 

If you were here right now, at the time of this job posting, you would be:

• Reviewing the 2024 Seafood Certification Benchmark including process overview, timeline, certification standards, evaluation criteria, results, blogs, media mentions, etc. 
• Reviewing previous certification standards feedback, identifying known feedback opportunities and dates for 2025, exploring additional certification or ratings schemes with upcoming standard consultation periods, noting technical working group openings, etc. 
• Organizing the Asana project page for upcoming annual benchmarking (using 2024 page as a reference), feedback, and incorporating a tracking/metrics section for feedback and consultations specifically. 
• Identifying any areas of opportunity we should consider for ALI’s 2025 agenda.

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW

At Aquatic Life Institute, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work culture. While we have outlined certain qualifications for this role, we encourage individuals from all backgrounds and experiences to apply, even if they don't meet every requirement listed. Your unique perspective and skills may be exactly what we need to continue advancing progress for aquatic animals! 

We are proud to be a fully remote team with staff and contractors distributed around the globe. Our compensation is benchmarked against US wages, and will not be adjusted based on regional cost of living. The compensation listed here will apply no matter where you are based. As a global organization, we offer flexible stipends for health & wellness, professional development, and home office needs. 

Equal Opportunity

ALI is a proud equal opportunity employer that is committed to making strides in its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice journey. We embrace diversity and consider all applicants for employment without attention to race, color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, pregnancy, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, veteran status, or any other characteristic. This is core to both our ethical underpinnings and our success as a globally-engaged team.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit your application (resume/CV, cover letter, and written exercise) here by 11:59PM Pacific Time on January 5, 2025. 

In your cover letter, please provide a concise but detailed response that covers the following points:

• Relevant Experience: Describe your experience/interest in the fields of aquatic animal welfare, certification standards, or seafood industry research, and explain how this has prepared you to lead ALI’s annual benchmark and certifier engagement activities.
• Analytical and Project Management Skills: Share a specific example of a complex research or benchmarking project you have managed, including any challenges you encountered and how you addressed them. 
• Collaboration and Communication: Describe how you have built and maintained relationships with external partners. How did you establish trust and influence in these relationships?
• Alignment with ALI’s Mission: Explain what excites you about the opportunity to advance aquatic animal welfare through higher certification standards. How do you see this role contributing to meaningful improvements in the seafood industry?

In addition to the general cover letter guidelines, please include a brief response to the following scenario (no more than 200 words)

You are preparing a recommendation for a certifier that currently lacks specific guidelines on humane handling practices for fish during transport. Based on your understanding of welfare principles, outline 2 key recommendations that could improve animal welfare in this area, and briefly explain why each recommendation is important. 

Please ensure your response is original and not generated using AI tools.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to every applicant individually. We truly appreciate the time and effort you put into applying. If you are selected for an interview, we will reach out to you directly by early January 2025. We wish you the best of luck and thank you for considering this opportunity!

Please contact our Head of Research, tessa@ali.fish, with any questions related to this role.