Data-scientist position

Organisation/Company Université catholique de Louvain Department Earth and Life Institute (ELI) Research Field Geography » Social geography Geography » Economic geography Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 9 Nov 2026
- 23:59 (Europe/Brussels) Country Belgium Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 38 Offer Starting Date 1 Mar 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe
- ERC Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

• do Pasto ao Prato is an open-data initiative which seeks to transform the sustainability of the meat industry in Brazil, by radically increasing transparency about the impacts hidden in supply chains.
• The DOMESTIC project seeks to map food flows in the Brazilian food system, revealing how cities are fed, how the footprint of food consumption varies among products and populations, and how public policy levers can address food security and sustainability goals.

The role:

You will estimate the Scope-1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions of Brazilian retail companies using cradle-to-store life cycle assessment. The methods should be aligned with international standards, such as ISO and International Sustainability Standards Board’s general sustainability (IFRS S1) and climate (IFRS S2) reporting standards, and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol ( https://ghgprotocol.org/ ). The expected result is a baseline estimate of total emissions for any given retail company, based on known store locations, sales, and logistics. Notably, the candidate will be able to use data on the origin of meat products from the do Pasto ao Prato initiative, and simulations of how emissions could be reduced through sustainable procurement practices. According to SEEG , livestock products are the source of 74% of emissions across the Brazilian economy, and so are expected to have an important weight in retail emissions accounts. Finally, the researcher will develop a platform which allows the emissions estimates to be updated with company-specific inventory data, where available.

Context: We are a multi-institutional, multi-lingual team: you will be based in the university of UCLouvain, Belgium, also collaborating (i) with colleagues in Brazil in do Pasto ao Prato ’s product development and stakeholder engagement teams, (ii) Prof Rami Salemdeeb at National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan), with expertise in corporate emissions accounting, and (iii) Dr Carina Mueller at the Stockholm Environment Institute, with expertise in land-use emissions accounting. You will also have opportunities to engage with external stakeholders (e.g. NGOs, companies, universities, government ministries, and app users) including where feasible and appropriate through representation at external events and stakeholder dialogues, helping establish and strengthen do Pasto ao Prato as an independent, science-based provider of data and intelligence on the sustainability of the retail sector in Brazil.

We seek curious, kind, and motivated persons with a Doctoral degree. Outstanding candidates with a master degree would be considered for a PhD position, but must have proven experience with life cycle assessment and data analysis. Candidates should have experience in the use of LCA software such as SimaPro or Brightway, and coding languages for data processing and analysis (python, R, etc). Knowledge of the Portuguese language is a strong asset for this position.

Salary and

benefits:

50-70k EUR/year (gross salary), depending on the candidate’s diploma (Master or PhD) and level of experience. Contracts will be based on Belgian regulations, which includes 20 days of legal holidays, 6 days of conventional holidays and 10 days of public holidays, and the regular benefits of Belgian social security such as health coverage.

The office is commutable from Brussels, the metropolitan capital of Europe, or Louvain-la-Neuve, which offers a more laid-back lifestyle with access to mountain-bike trails and rail connections to the beautiful Ardennes and beyond. Public transport costs for commuting are paid for by the employer, and we will facilitate remote-working for parts of the year (for example to participate in events in Brazil and stay connected with family abroad).

You do not need to be a Belgian
- or EU citizen, nor have a work/residence permit in order to apply for a job at UCLouvain. Your visa costs will be sponsored. We value diversity, inclusivity and creativity and we encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

The recruitment process for this position is intended to be as follows:

• Applicant screening based on the completed application form.
• Round 1 interview of 1 hour (November/beginning December)
• Round 2 interview of 1 hour (December)

This recruitment process will take