The Good Food Institute Asia Pacific
Elevate alternative
proteins through scientific ecosystem building in Korea
The
Good Food Institute APAC, a nonprofit think tank, is working to make the global
food system better for the planet, people, and animals. Alongside scientists,
businesses, and policymakers, GFI’s teams focus on making plant-based,
fermentation-enabled, and cultivated meat delicious, affordable, and
accessible. Powered by philanthropy, GFI is an international network of
organisations advancing alternative proteins (APs) as an essential solution
needed to meet the world’s climate, global health, food security, and
biodiversity goals.
We
unlock the knowledge and resources needed to transform how meat is
made—satisfying rising food demand in ways that accelerate climate progress,
protect animals and ecosystems, and strengthen public health. Please check out
resources in Korean on the GFI website here, GFI’s Year in Review, and GFI APAC’s Year in Review to find out more about
who we are and what we do.
Korea is home to world-class research institutions, drives funding of technological advancements, and has the potential to lead the global revolution in APs. This role will spearhead the Korea team’s scientific work with the local government and research community. We are in the process of setting up an entity in Korea and are looking for the right talent and fit to join the core team.
Your position will carry
both high responsibility and high impact, shaping how quickly Korea and the
world transition to a more sustainable and ethical food system.
As a Lead SciTech Specialist, you will lead, coordinate, and
grow workstreams dedicated to driving impactful research initiatives for APs at
the national level, in collaboration with the global and Asia Pacific SciTech
teams. You will deliver strategic planning and execution that collaborates with
researchers, academics, universities, policymakers, and other stakeholders
while sharing knowledge and best practices across GFI’s global network.
You will play a pivotal role in driving the creation and
adoption of evidence-based regulatory pathways for fermentation-derived and
cultivated proteins, securing significant public investment in R&D for all
AP modalities, and strengthening international collaboration opportunities for
Korean researchers and the science community, ultimately accelerating the
adoption of APs and contributing to a more sustainable, ethical, and resilient
food system in Korea and beyond.
Key responsibilities
Strengthen
Korea's alternative protein research funding landscape
● Catalyse
and increase open-access R&D investments for APs, by developing a research
funding strategy, including setting multi-year targets and implementing various
tactics for influencing research funding allocation.
● Accelerate
the highest impact AP research through prioritization for the Korean scientific
ecosystem informed by an in-depth assessment of the specific challenges and
surveying/interviewing Korean academics and consulting with global SciTech
colleagues.
● Strategically
match funding opportunities with high-impact alt protein research priorities
and scientists who are well-positioned to apply for these grants.
Accelerate market readiness by catalyzing
fair regulation
● Develop
and execute a strategy and action plans, in collaboration with the Policy
Specialist, to influence the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s novel food
regulations by tracking global novel food regulatory developments and
identifying key areas for improvement.
● Provide
scientific and technical expertise relating to Korean regulatory developments
and contribute Korean perspectives to policy-led regional and international
discussions, collaborating with GFI policy and SciTech colleagues and partners
to ensure Korea-specific issues and opportunities are addressed with strong
scientific grounding.
● Participate
in relevant regulatory fora to represent GFI Korea’s perspective, including at
global calls with GFI’s global network as needed.
Bolster the alternative protein R&D
ecosystem
●
Manage
and expand the Alt Protein Project Korean chapters, including strategic
planning, mentorship, and a biannual impact report.
●
Build
an AP research & training ecosystem in Korea by inspiring existing
scientists to work on APs and working with academic institutions to build
strong training systems and talent pathways.
Operational excellence and reporting
● Work
with the Operations Manager to support the management of departmental spending
on SciTech initiatives and adherence to people operations and operational
procedures.
●
Draft
SciTech-related budgeting in collaboration with the Director of Strategy and
Programs and the Operations Manager.
●
Perform
other duties as assigned to ensure the success of GFI’s SciTech initiatives.
We are looking for smart,
thoughtful, kind, and creative self-starters who want to contribute to global
efforts to fight against climate change, promote sustainable food systems, and
develop healthy and humane foods that are accessible to everyone. GFI’s staff
enjoy high levels of autonomy and must be self-motivated; work well both
independently and in concert with a larger, geographically dispersed group; and
be comfortable working in a rapidly evolving operational environment. An ideal
candidate for the Lead SciTech Specialist position will have experience
that reflects the following:
We
want the best people, and we don’t want biases holding us back. We strongly
encourage people of every background, race, colour, orientation, age, gender,
origin, and ability to apply. Since we value a diverse workplace, we prioritise
an inclusive climate free from discrimination and harassment during the
application process and after you join the team.
●
Terms
of employment: Full-time
(flexible hours), contract. Following the initial probationary period, you may
transition to a regular permanent employee role upon mutual agreement.
●
Reports
to: Director
of Strategy & Programs, Korea
●
Location:
Flexible
– we will consider applicants from anywhere in Korea. This is a remote role, and you
will be able to work from home or anywhere you choose within Korea. The current
GFI Korea team has a co-working day once every week in Seoul. The whole GFI Korea team gets
together in person approximately twice per year for around 1-5 days at a time.
Travel costs will be covered by GFI Korea in accordance with our travel policy.
●
Travel and work hours: Flexible hours with an occasional need to work at night or
early mornings to engage in global meetings with partners around the world.
●
Annual
Salary: 105-145
million KRW, depending on experience and qualifications. We may consider a
top-up for strong PhD holders.
●
Benefits:
Statutory
health, pension, workers’ compensation, and employment insurance per Korean
regulations; paid and unpaid leave per GFI Korea’s policy; medical, dental and
well-being support; professional development support; smart, kind and
respectful colleagues.
●
Right
to work requirements:
The successful candidate must, by the start of employment, have permission to
work and to be able to
travel within Korea. Please note that GFI Korea’s policy is not to sponsor
employment visas. The successful applicant will need to confirm they are
eligible to work in Korea without requiring GFI Korea’s sponsorship of an
employment visa.
● Application process:
a. Please complete this application form and upload your CV.
b. Screening
call:
An initial conversation to ask general questions.
c. Timed
assignment:
You’ll complete strategic assessments within a certain timeframe.
d. First
interview
with GFI APAC team members: Focused on organisational and team fit, as well as
deeper expertise questions.
e. Final
interview with
the leadership team to finalize the fit.
f. Reference
check:
We ask for two referees who can comment on your strategic and operational
capabilities.
Application deadline: 19 July, 2026
Anticipated start date: September 2026