Metabolic’s mission is to transition the global economy to a fundamentally sustainable state. Metabolic Institute is a non-profit think tank, working at the intersection of academic research and real-world experimentation. The think tank advances open-source knowledge on global sustainability issues, by prototyping how society can thrive while remaining safely within planetary boundaries. Combining systems thinking, data science, and the latest analytical tools from academia, we map and understand local and global systems to assess where to intervene for the largest positive impact. Our work covers two main domains: 1) urban transitions and 2) the bioeconomy. We are a small international and dynamic team who share an ambition for catalyzing a sustainable future.
The Institute’s Bioeconomy Team researches challenges and solutions surrounding circular bioeconomic value chains, regenerative bioregions, and the global bioeconomy. To do so, we develop models, analytical frameworks, and guiding principles that are based on the latest scientific knowledge and can be openly accessed and leveraged by others. We work collaboratively with other public and private organizations to co-create, test, and implement these assets, helping to develop pathways that ultimately support the design of regenerative and circular bioregions, and transition global value chains towards a regenerative economy.
The bioeconomy team’s projects span the fields of bioeconomy, agrifood, forestry, carbon quantification, and nature-based solutions. Some projects are multi-year programs where you can develop models and tools over time, while other shorter-term, consultancy-oriented projects, allow for quick experimentation and application of knowledge and approaches developed elsewhere. In this role, you will work in a multi-disciplinary research team (industrial ecology, agriculture & forestry, earth systems science, agroecology, material science, sustainable development), supporting the data analysis aspects of research projects across multiple scales, from value chain to regional-level models, and from material flow to global bioregional spatial analyses.
Within projects, your work will focus on using data analysis tools and methods to analyze complex datasets, develop models of bioeconomy systems, create data science tools to support bioeconomy research, and deliver insights to inform bioeconomy transitions. This requires technical data skills and content knowledge, coupled with an eagerness to learn new things, innovation, and pragmatism. The main tools you will use are Python, Github, Google Sheets/Excel, and QGIS.
The position is a full-time role (32-40 hours per week), based at our office in Amsterdam.
The start date is flexible, but we are aiming for a start date between October and December 2025.
To fill this role, you should be a data analyst with strong skills in data-oriented research, applied statistics, and data science, combined with an intrinsic passion for sustainability and the bioeconomy. You bring solid technical expertise in programming, statistical analysis, GIS, and are able to connect these skills to content related to the bioeconomy (e.g., earth sciences, agriculture, forestry, and supply chains). Beyond technical proficiency, they can take a broader systems perspective to design innovative, data-driven solutions, and ideally have developed this affinity through experience in consultancy or research projects.
You should thrive in collaborative environments, working closely with others who have complementary skills in content expertise, design, communications, etc., while being comfortable serving as an expert and leader in data analysis approaches. You should have a passion for driving meaningful change through innovative data-driven approaches.
Be part of a dynamic and ambitious research team that is passionate about sustainability and making an impact in the emerging bioeconomy research spaces. Collaborate and work alongside leading experts in the fields of sustainability, circularity, and data science.
This opportunity will place you in an environment that values people with their own ideas and initiatives. We believe in flat hierarchies, shared decision-making, and impact over profit. You will be part of a close-knit community of people with shared interests and a strong company culture.
We are based in Amsterdam, but operate a hybrid working model, giving you the freedom to work both at home and at our vibrant office in Amsterdam. The people and relationship-oriented nature of this role requires you to work in Amsterdam at our offices several days per week.
Please submit your CV and letter of motivation in English, by September 26th at the latest.
Please note that we will be interviewing on a rolling basis.