Plant-based Research Intern

The Good Food Institute India (GFI India) is the leading organisation and expert in India’s emerging smart protein sector—the ecosystem of plant-based, cultivated, and fermentation-derived meat, eggs, and dairy. As part of an international network of organisations across the U.S., Brazil, Europe, Israel, Japan, and APAC, we are on a mission to 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. Working with scientists, businesses, and the public sector, GFI India is leveraging the country’s unique strengths—indigenous crops and agrarian economy, low-cost technologies and infrastructure, abundant talent pool, and biomanufacturing prowess—to pioneer an ecosystem that can put smart protein on every plate.

Internship · India (Remote)

How will you make a difference

The Plant-based Research Intern at GFI India will support the organisation’s scientific initiatives by contributing to high-impact smart protein publications in peer-reviewed international journals and edited book chapters, and by developing an India-specific research landscape analysis of the plant-based smart protein ecosystem. This internship will involve literature review, data compilation and scientific writing to support manuscript drafting for scholarly publications and build an India-focused research landscape for the plant-based smart protein ecosystem. The intern will assist GFI India’s plant-based expert in drafting scientific content, analysing research trends, and organising information into structured databases that inform GFI India’s science and technology initiatives. The intern will gain exposure to the state of science in smart proteins and receive mentorship from GFI India’s scientists, which would support future career development.

The Plant-based Research Intern will work on the following projects

Project 1: Supporting high-impact smart protein scientific publications

Conduct structured literature searches and compile relevant scientific studies from peer-reviewed journals and other credible sources related to plant-based smart proteins.
Assist in synthesising research findings, preparing literature summaries, and organising references to support manuscripts and book chapter development.
Contribute to drafting specific sections of scientific publications under the guidance of GFI India’s plant-based expert.
Support reference management, figure/table preparation, and formatting to align with the requirements of peer-reviewed international journals and edited book volumes.

Project 2: Supporting the development of an India-specific research landscape analysis for plant-based smart protein

Conduct systematic secondary research to identify and compile India-relevant patents and peer-reviewed publications related to plant-based smart protein research.
Support web-based data collection to gather information on funding sources and research grants, as well as relevant research infrastructure such as food pilot plants, extrusion facilities, and protein fractionation facilities.
Assist in compiling the collected data into a structured report, including key metadata such as authors, institutions, research themes, patent filing or publication details, and information on funding sources and research infrastructure.

Who we're looking for

We are looking for a smart, thoughtful, and creative self-starter who wants to transform the food system by supporting the development of sustainable smart protein that is accessible to everyone.

An ideal candidate for this position will have skills & experience that reflects the following:

Knowledge and experience:

A master’s degree in Food Technology, Food Process Engineering, Food Science & Technology, or Food Science & Nutrition. Fresh graduates or candidates with 6 months to 1 year of prior professional experience are preferred.
Experience in scientific writing, demonstrated through at least one publication in a peer-reviewed journal, a book chapter in an edited volume published by a reputed publisher, or a popular science article.
A basic level of IT literacy is essential, along with working knowledge of tools such as Excel and Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) for data organisation, documentation, and collaborative work. Experience in scientific literature search and management using platforms such as Google Scholar, Google Patents and Scopus is expected. Familiarity with compiling and managing research databases, handling bibliographic information, and using reference management tools (e.g., Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote) will be an advantage.

Skills and behavioural attributes:

Strong support for GFI’s philosophy and mission; demonstrated interest in public health, environmentalism, hunger relief, animal protection, or the drive and initiative to take responsibility for delivering impact.
Excellent written and verbal communication and organisational skills.
Good prioritisation and time management skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
Self-motivated and able to work well independently under pressure.
Ability to work creatively and effectively as a team member.
Comfort working remotely in a rapidly growing and evolving organisation.
Excellent people skills; the ability to build strong, collaborative, and positive relationships, and work well with colleagues and stakeholders.

Terms of internship: Full-time, fixed term engagement for a four-month duration

Reports to: Senior Scientist (Plant-based)

Location: Remote

Salary: Gross monthly stipend of up to INR 35,000 per month, commensurate with skills and experience

Closing date for applications: May 15, 2026 at 5 PM IST

Hiring stages:

After submitting your application, you will be shortlisted on the basis of your qualifications and experience in scientific writing, to the next stage - written assignment. If you qualify the written assignment stage, you will be invited for an interview with senior members of the GFI India team. The final step will be a reference check before the successful candidate begins the internship.

Benefits:

Hugely meaningful work at the forefront of a fast-growing, intellectually challenging sector
Working in a warm, inclusive and high-impact team environment

Applications closed