Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Scientist

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Carbon Trail

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Delhi, India

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About Carbon Trail

The world's leading retail brands are facing a wave of new sustainability regulations that carry significant financial and reputational risk. They need to measure, manage, and report on the environmental impact of their products, but the process is manual, slow, and complex.

Carbon Trail is the AI-powered platform built to solve this. We automate product impact assessment for fashion brands and retailers, turning a painful compliance chore into a source of strategic advantage. We are a fast-growing, founder-led company with a strong base of enterprise customers (including global leaders like Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail, Mammut, L.L.Bean, Deichmann).


The Opportunity: Shape the Future of Sustainable Fashion Retail

As our Sustainability Scientist, you won't just be running calculations; you will be the scientific core of our platform and the trusted expert for our clients. You are the bridge between deep climate science, cutting-edge technology, and real-world impact in the fashion & retail industry.

This is a unique opportunity to move beyond traditional, manual consulting and scale your expertise through a data-driven SaaS platform. You will directly influence our product roadmap, empower brands to make meaningful decarbonization decisions, and establish Carbon Trail as the gold standard for environmental footprinting in fashion & retail.


What You Will Do

LCA & Climate Science Leadership (40%):

  • Serve as Carbon Trail's in-house subject matter expert on LCA methodologies, with a laser focus on the PEFCR 3.1 for Apparel & Footwear.
  • Build and refine complex LCA models for various fashion products (from cotton T-shirts to leather sneakers), integrating both primary supplier data and secondary database information.
  • Stay on the bleeding edge of regulatory changes (e.g., PEFCR, Ecobalyse, Digital Product Passports) and translate them into actionable product requirements.
  • Conduct deep research on material impacts (e.g., recycled vs. virgin fibers, new dyeing technologies) to ensure our platform's data is accurate and defensible.

Product & Technology Integration (30%):

  • Work hand-in-glove with our CTO and Product teams to codify LCA logic, data structures, and calculation models into the Carbon Trail platform.
  • Champion the use of advanced tools; leverage programmatic approaches (e.g., using Brightway/Python) to automate and scale our modeling capabilities.
  • Validate product outputs, ensuring the software’s calculations are scientifically robust and compliant with relevant standards.
  • Provide the "voice of the scientist" in product strategy sessions, ensuring our roadmap aligns with scientific best practices and market needs.

Client Strategy & Enablement (30%):

  • Partner with the Customer Success team to lead technical deep-dives and workshops with our clients, educating them on LCA principles and the insights from our platform.
  • Analyze client-specific supply chains to identify and quantify the most effective decarbonization "hotspots" and opportunities.
  • Act as the ultimate technical authority during complex client onboarding and support escalations, building deep trust and credibility.
  • Author whitepapers, blog posts, and webinars to establish both your personal brand and Carbon Trail’s position as a thought leader.


What Will Make You A Great Fit

You are the bridge between deep environmental science and our fast-moving, software-driven platform. We're looking for a unique blend of scientific rigor, technological curiosity, and a passion for driving real-world change.


Core Experience & Scientific Foundation (Must-Haves):

  • Domain Expertise: 3-5+ years of hands-on experience conducting Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), with a strong preference for work in the textile, apparel, footwear, or consumer retail industries.
  • Methodology Mastery: Deep, practical knowledge of key standards. You must be able to apply PEFCR for Apparel & Footwear (EF 3.1) and ISO 14040/14044.
  • Carbon Accounting Fluency: Solid experience with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and a clear understanding of how PCFs feed into corporate Scope 3 reporting.
  • LCA Modeling from Scratch: Proven ability to build detailed LCA models, mapping greenhouse gas emissions and material flows across the value chain, using both primary and secondary data.
  • Strong Communication Skills: You are confident and articulate, capable of leading workshops and acting as a trusted advisor to our clients.

Technical & Product Aptitude (The Enablers):

  • Tool Proficiency: Hands-on experience with LCA software and databases. You should be familiar with tools like SimaPro, GaBi, or openLCA and databases such as Ecoinvent or Textile Exchange.
  • Education & Mindset: A Bachelor's degree or higher in environmental engineering, sustainability science, or a related field is preferred, but we believe deep practical experience can be just as valuable. You have a startup mindset—proactive, adaptable, and eager to take ownership.

Bonus Points (These will make you stand out):

  • Next-Gen Tooling: Experience with (or a strong, demonstrated desire to learn) programmatic LCA tools like Brightway. This signals you're ready to help us scale.
  • Product Collaboration: You have previously worked with software/product teams, translating complex scientific requirements into product features.
  • Public Voice: You have a public profile (e.g., publications, conference talks) in the sustainability space or a passion for building one.


If you have demonstrated this capability and believe you are a right fit, please do reach out at hello@carbontrail.net.