Experienced Climate Expert with over 15 years of experience working with Union and State Governments, international organizations (UNDP, UNEP, World Bank), and private sector climate solution providers. Strong academic background with specialization in climate change and carbon sequestration. Proven expertise in designing, implementing, and monitoring climate-resilient agriculture, forestry-based carbon projects, and biodiversity conservation programs. The role focuses on analysing climate–crop interactions, designing climate‑smart agronomy packages, and guiding carbon‑positive farming interventions that improve smallholder resilience and meet sustainability standards.

ABOUT US - https://www.wadhwaniai.org/

Wadhwani AI is a nonprofit institute building and deploying applied AI solutions to solve critical issues in public health, agriculture, education, and urban development in underserved communities in the global south. We collaborate with governments, social sector organizations, academic and research institutions, and domain experts to identify real-world problems, and develop practical AI solutions to tackle these issues with the aim of making a substantial positive impact.

We have over 30+ AI projects supported by leading philanthropies such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID and Google.org. With a team of over 200 professionals, our expertise encompasses AI/ML research and innovation, software engineering, domain knowledge, design and user research.

In the Press:

• Our Founder Donors are among the Top 100 AI Influencers

• G20 India’s Presidency: AI Healthcare, Agriculture, & Education Solutions Showcased Globally.

• Unlocking the potentials of AI in Public Health

• Wadhwani AI Takes an Impact-First Approach to Applying Artificial Intelligence - data.org

• Winner of the H&M Foundation Global Change Award 2022

• Indian Winners of the 2019 Google AI Impact Challenge, and the first in the Asia Pacific to host Google Fellow

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the design and execution of climate-resilient agriculture and forestry projects.

• Provide technical expertise on carbon sequestration, GHG mitigation, and adaptation strategies.

• Develop crop and region-specific climate-smart packages (water, nutrients, varietal options).

• Prepare actionable advisories by integrating IPCC/ICAR guidelines and local data.

• Guide partners and stakeholders on climate-smart practices and carbon farming techniques.

• Train field staff, FPOs, and partners through workshops, ToTs, and awareness sessions.

• Support development of climate advisory content for platforms like LLM chatbot.

• Liaise with state agriculture departments, ICAR institutions, and climate finance bodies.

• Draft training manuals, policy briefs, log frames, and KPIs for climate programs.

• Contribute to grant proposals and compliance documentation.

• Utilize geospatial tools and forest inventory data for carbon stock mapping.

• Quantify carbon potential of agroforestry, cover crops, and conservation tillage. Lead GHG reduction and biodiversity impact assessments

• Manage data collection, QC, and integration (weather, soil, biodiversity), ensuring compliance.

• Publish research in peer-reviewed journals; represent the organization at climate forums.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate AI tools into climate solutions.

• Support technical documentation and compliance reporting in alignment with national climate policies, the Biodiversity Act (2002), Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanisms, and traditional knowledge systems, to support evidence-based planning, regulatory adherence, and donor-funded project accountability.

REQUIREMENTS

• In-depth knowledge of climate change, carbon markets, carbon sequestration, and forestry/agriculture-based interventions.

• Expertise in biodiversity conservation, traditional knowledge systems, and economic valuation of bio-resources.

• Strong experience in working with UN agencies, government departments, and research institutions.

• Familiarity with climate policies, audit frameworks, and international reporting standards.

• Hands-on experience with training design, community engagement, and stakeholder coordination.

• Technical proficiency in climate change, plant taxonomy/biodiversity, ecosystem services, and spatial data analysis.

• Good communication and documentation skills

• Ability to distil complex science into farmer friendly advisories and digital product requirements.

• Proven track record of strong documentation, report writing, and project management skills.

• Adaptability to work across interdisciplinary domains including AI for agriculture.

Qualifications & Experience

• Ph.D. or M.Sc in Climate Change / Botany (Biodiversity, Ecology, Carbon Sequestration).

• 10–15 years of relevant research or development experience in climate smart agriculture.

• Field exposure in smallholder systems and familiarity with Indian agricultural policies is a strong plus.
  

We are committed to promoting diversity and the principle of equal employment opportunity for all our employees and encourage qualified candidates to apply irrespective of religion or belief, ethnic or social background, gender, gender identity, and disability. If you have any questions, please email us at careers@wadhwaniai.org.