Agriculture Carbon Specialist

The Nature Conservancy•Washington, DC

2d•$85,000 - $110,000•Remote

About The Position

The Nature Conservancy is seeking an Agriculture Carbon Specialist to join their Global Carbon Markets (GCM) team. This role will support field programs worldwide in planning, designing, and implementing high-integrity carbon projects, with a focus on Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) in agriculture. The specialist will ensure projects meet TNC's criteria for high-quality carbon credits, manage feasibility assessments and project design, and collaborate with internal teams and external partners. Responsibilities include project planning, budget management, team leadership, and project closure. The position also involves engaging with Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs) and supporting internal review processes. The role requires domestic and international travel (up to 25%) and a collaborative approach. The position is flexible in location to countries where TNC has existing staff/offices and is a two-year term position with potential for extension. Candidates with a passion for nature-based climate solutions are encouraged to apply, even if they don't meet all qualifications.

Requirements

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.

Nice To Haves

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.

Responsibilities

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Facilitate knowledge transfer and build internal and external stakeholder capacity through technical training, presentations, and ongoing support for TNC global, regional, and local teams.
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.
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).
Manage assigned NCS agriculture carbon projects through feasibility and design stages, including planning, budgeting, team structuring, progress tracking, and risk mitigation.
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.
Advise on risk identification and mitigation strategies to uphold the highest quality criteria for carbon credits.
Apply cross-disciplinary knowledge to support overall program objectives, making strategic technical decisions based on thorough analysis, experience, and contextual understanding.