Foodthink Hiring | Not-Quite-Bullshit Jobs Waiting for You Who Still Want to Have a Go

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Foodthink is a knowledge, information and writing community focused on sustainable food and agriculture, founded and managed by a group of partners with long-standing experience in agricultural and food-related practice and research. Since our launch in August 2017, we have built connections with nearly 200 outstanding researchers and practitioners at home and abroad, working together to explore, report on, comment on and analyse practices, research, policies and innovations in sustainable agriculture and food.

Beyond curating original articles, Foodthink also aims to foster dialogue and collaborative learning between practitioners and the public through a range of formats, including lecture series, food and farming meetups, book clubs, film screenings, work visits, industry conferences and public events — raising awareness of sustainable food and agriculture issues among the wider public. Last year, we also launched the podcast “Food Talk”

● Guest Shu Meng poses with the audience after a sharing session.
● Our information stall at Friends of Nature’s 30th-anniversary market.

Dedicated to building industry infrastructure, the Lianhe Programme’s small-grants project has supported over 20 early-stage food and agriculture teams across China; its ecological farm internship project has helped more than 20 young people aspiring to work in ecological agriculture match with experienced farms for placements. Over the past few years, Foodthink has also co-organised a series of industry events, including the Guangdong Harvest Festival and the Farmers’ Assembly.

Now, we’re hiring again!

I. Editor (Full-Time, 1 Position)

The first position we’re opening is for an editor. Foodthink currently has three editors, but more often than not, we find ourselves roped into supporting a steadily growing list of other projects. So we’ve decided to bring a few more hands on board to the editorial team!

● The editorial team sometimes heads out for field interviews. This April, we visited Yu Jiangang, a rural-returning youth who rears silkworms.
Job Responsibilities
1. Plan and execute editorial topics, including commissioning articles, editing, image selection, layout and proofreading; 2. Conduct interviews and write for some articles, as well as translate and adapt English-language pieces;

3. Discover new writers and help run the contributor community;

4. Support Foodthink’s other work, such as organising public events, visiting farms and hosting industry conferences

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What We Hope to See in You
1. The ability to independently research, edit and write content, with some writing and editing experience (please include relevant work samples in your CV); 2. A strong interest in issues related to agriculture, food, the environment and rural development — relevant study or work experience would be a plus;

3. Good reading and writing skills in English

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II. Communications and Media Operations (Full-Time, 1 Position)

From time to time, Foodthink receives comments from readers: “You have such wonderful content — more people really ought to see it.” While we are grateful for the encouragement, we also recognise that, compared with producing content, communications is Foodthink’s weak spot.

Foodthink grew up in the heyday of WeChat Official Accounts, but now we are facing an entirely new media landscape. Since last year, we have begun experimenting with podcasts as a brand-new medium. Our frequent contact with mainstream media over the past few years has also made us keenly aware that even these “big trees” are under pressure to adapt. That is why we are looking for a more professional colleague to take charge of our communications work. If you are confident you have the skills for it, we would love to receive your CV.

● Recording a podcast with Jiucun Craft Brewing — this episode will be available soon.
Job Responsibilities
1. Develop a media communications strategy, covering written content, podcasts and online and offline events (book clubs, sharing sessions, the Harvest Festival and more); 2. Monitor trends in the relevant media landscape, offer suggestions for content production and help formulate related work plans;

3. Maintain media relationships and promote Foodthink’s content externally;

4. Manage Foodthink’s routine back-end operations and community communications;

5. Help plan Foodthink’s media products for the industry, such as newsletters and information digests

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What We Hope to See in You
1. Experience in media, communications or new-media operations, with a preference for print/text-based media; 2. A solid understanding of how content spreads online, with a good feel for current affairs and topics of interest in the food and agriculture sector;

3. A daily habit of following media covering food and agriculture, philanthropy and related issues, with a good instinct for language;

4. Strong planning and learning skills, with the ability to adapt to tasks across different media;

5. A good foundation in English

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3. Programme Officer (Lianhe Programme)

Beyond original articles, podcasts and more, Foodthink also aspires to support partners working in sustainable agriculture — and that is how the Lianhe Programme came about. Over the past few years, we have launched three rounds of small-grants projects. Since 2021, we have also initiated two rounds of the ecological farm internship scheme, matching young people who wish to work in ecological agriculture with suitable farms. We are now publicly recruiting a Programme Officer for the Lianhe Programme. If you would love to travel across the country and work with practitioners in ecological agriculture, this role could well be the right fit for you.

● At the annual gathering of the Kunshan Farmers’ Seed Network, posing with practitioners of in-situ conservation of heirloom seeds supported by the Lianhe Programme.
● Interns He Yan and Dawang from the ecological farm internship scheme pack citrus fruit at the farm.
Job Responsibilities
1. Maintain close communication with partners associated with the Lianhe Programme; 2. Plan activities within the programme and carry them out together with other team members;

3. Participate in project fundraising;

4. Complete the relevant documentation required by the programme

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What We Hope to See in You
1. A strong interest in issues related to sustainable agriculture, food, the environment and rural development — relevant study or work experience would be preferred; 2. Friendly and approachable, with the ability to build good relationships with all kinds of organisations and individuals;

3. Experience in project management is preferred;

4. Available for travel

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4. Programme Officer (Climate Change)

Since 2021, Foodthink has been closely following the impact of climate change on agriculture. We also hope that the positive contributions of sustainable agriculture to tackling climate change can gain further recognition in China. So what role should Foodthink play in all this? We hope to join forces with our new Programme Officer to imagine together what the future of the “Climate Change” programme could look like.

● Dai Yunyun, a rural-returning youth from Guilin — over the past few years, Foodthink has documented a series of stories about farmers like him and climate change. Articles on climate change can be found under the tag “#Climate Change” on our WeChat Official Account.
● At the annual gathering of the Kunshan Farmers’ Seed Network, we also organised a discussion among farmers about the impacts of climate change.
Job Responsibilities
1. Manage Foodthink’s climate change–related projects; 2. Participate in the design of the climate change programme and its fundraising;

3. Write articles and reports on agriculture and climate change;

4. Represent the organisation at various conferences and meetings

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Job Responsibilities
1. Familiarity with issues such as climate change and food systems, with a high level of expertise in relevant fields; 2. Previous work experience in the field of climate change;

3. A positive work attitude and a strong spirit of collaboration, willing to undertake pioneering work in a new field;

5. Good communication, reading and writing skills in English;

6. Available for travel

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What We Can Offer
A relaxed, friendly working environment; a salary above the mid-range for the non-profit sector;

healthy ingredients at reasonable prices

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Working Hours and Location
Beijing, near Zhichun Road station on Lines 10/13. 40 hours a week, with 1–2 fixed office days

and flexible working for the rest of the time;

but be prepared to take part in online and offline events in the evenings and on weekends on a regular basis.

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● One last snapshot from our everyday cooking sessions at the office: roselle jam that stained our fingers red. This was right at the height of the pandemic — our colleagues found themselves unexpectedly sealed in the office for a week, and cooking and eating together became one of the few comforts. You can read our lockdown story in the article “Seven Days and Seven Nights: Six of Us Sealed in the Office.”

How to Apply

Scan the QR code below, or click “Read the original” at the end of the article, fill in the application form and attach your CV, portfolio and any other relevant materials:

If you have any other questions, feel free to add FoodThink’s personal WeChat account: foodthinkcn, or email us directly at tianle@foodthink.cn.

If you have any questions about your application, or would like to share more of your work and ideas with us, you are also welcome to email us directly at the address above. If your application is a good fit, we will be in touch within two weeks of receiving it.

Published by Foodthink