Technical Science Lead

Location: India (Hyderabad/Bengaluru/Gurugram preferred), with periodic travel to field sites.

Manages: AWD field officers (GHG sampling) across project states.

Partners with: AWD Project Manager (delivery, logistics, partners), and science peers.

Role Purpose

Own the quantification and scientific integrity of Varaha's AWD (Alternate Wetting and Drying) rice methane program from validated GHG data through emission-reduction and lifecycle accounting to authorship of the technical sections of the Project Design Document under the Isometric Rice Methane Reduction Protocol. This is the seat accountable for whether AWD's numbers are defensible at registry review.

Key Responsibilities

Quantification (primary)

• Compute baseline and project CH₄ and N₂O emissions from closed-chamber flux data; seasonal scaling and aggregation across strata.
• Own uncertainty quantification and emission-reduction (ERR) computation under the Isometric Rice Methane Reduction Protocol v1.0.
• Maintain the quantification methodology and ensure reproducibility of all reported figures.

Lifecycle Assessment

• Conduct project-emissions, leakage, and lifecycle (LCA) accounting as required by the Isometric protocol.
• Author the corresponding PDD section and defend its assumptions.

PDD Authorship & Registry Engagement

• Author quantification, LCA, and monitoring-methodology sections of the PDD.
• Resolve Isometric protocol queries and lead technical defense through registry review.

GHG Sampling, Team Management & Data Sign-Off

• Manage the field officers conducting GHG sampling: set technical direction, sampling standards, and performance expectations.
• Hold final technical sign-off on GHG sampling and laboratory data quality approving data as quantification-grade before it enters the accounting. (Day-to-day SOP execution, monitoring, and lab coordination run separately; this role sets the standard and signs off.)
• Own sampling schedule design (drying events, fertilizer timing, frequency) and chain-of-custody adherence.

Must-Have Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in soil science, environmental science, agronomy, agricultural engineering, or a related field.
• Demonstrated GHG quantification from measurement data flux computation, emissions accounting, and uncertainty analysis.
• Working command of GHG flux measurement science (static/closed-chamber methods, GC data interpretation).
• Familiarity with carbon-project methodologies and registries, and with project-emissions / LCA concepts as applied in carbon protocols.
• Familiarity with rice/paddy systems and AWD.
• Some people-management or team-coordination experience.
• India-based; willing to travel to field sites and lab.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Isometric, or Verra / Gold Standard AFOLU methodologies; rice methane a strong plus.
• Prior authorship of quantification or LCA sections of carbon-project documentation (PDD/MR).
• Python or equivalent for flux QC and reproducible quantification pipelines.