Application Guide
How to Apply for Policy and Food Systems Specialist
at Aquatic Life Institute
🏢 About Aquatic Life Institute
The Aquatic Life Institute is unique as a nonprofit specifically dedicated to improving the welfare of aquatic animals, a relatively nascent but rapidly growing focus within the broader animal welfare and sustainability movements. Working here offers the chance to be at the forefront of shaping policy and food systems for a vast, often overlooked category of sentient beings, directly contributing to building an institutional framework for their protection.
About This Role
This role involves embedding aquatic animal welfare into high-level policy and sustainability frameworks, requiring you to draft submissions for EU and UN processes and conduct targeted research to produce advocacy materials. It's impactful because you'll be directly influencing international standards and corporate practices that affect billions of aquatic animals within global food systems.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve analyzing the latest draft of an EU regulation on farmed fish welfare, drafting a concise briefing note for partner NGOs, and then joining a virtual coalition meeting to align advocacy strategy. You'll likely spend significant time researching policy developments, synthesizing information into actionable documents, and coordinating with remote colleagues to advance specific institutional submissions.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Aquatic Life Institute Is Looking For
- Has 2+ years of hands-on experience drafting policy briefs, submissions, or position papers for EU institutions, UN agencies (e.g., FAO, UNEP), or similar international bodies.
- Demonstrates exceptional ability to translate complex research on aquaculture, fisheries, or animal welfare into clear, persuasive writing for policymakers, NGOs, and industry stakeholders.
- Possesses a systematic, detail-oriented approach to tracking ongoing policy consultations (e.g., EU Farm to Fork, UN Sustainable Development Goals) and can proactively identify advocacy opportunities.
- Shows genuine passion for or knowledge of aquatic animal welfare, sustainable food systems, or effective altruism principles, aligning with ALI's mission-driven focus.
📝 Tips for Applying to Aquatic Life Institute
Tailor your resume to highlight specific policy processes you've tracked or contributed to (e.g., mention a specific EU Directive or UN consultation you engaged with).
Include a writing sample that demonstrates your ability to synthesize research for an external, non-academic audience—ideally related to food policy, sustainability, or animal welfare.
Explicitly mention your familiarity with key frameworks relevant to ALI's work, such as the FAO's guidelines for sustainable aquaculture or the EU's animal welfare legislation.
In your application, reference a specific ALI publication or campaign (e.g., their work on fish welfare certifications or aquafeed) to show you've done your homework.
Highlight any experience working in remote, cross-cultural teams or coalitions, as this role involves contributing to advisory councils with diverse stakeholders.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Explain your specific experience with policy analysis or advocacy, detailing a project where you influenced a policy outcome or drafted a successful submission.', 'Articulate your understanding of the intersection between aquatic animal welfare, food systems sustainability, and international policy, showing you grasp the niche ALI operates in.', 'Demonstrate your research and writing skills by briefly outlining how you would approach creating a policy briefing on a topic like improving welfare standards in global aquaculture.', 'Express your motivation for working on aquatic animal welfare specifically, not just general animal welfare or policy work, to show mission alignment.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Read ALI's published reports and policy briefs (available on their website) to understand their evidence-based approach and key advocacy positions.
- → Research the specific EU institutions (e.g., DG SANTE, DG ENVI) and UN bodies (e.g., FAO Committee on Fisheries) most relevant to aquatic animal welfare policy.
- → Look into ALI's key partnerships and coalitions, such as the Aquatic Animal Alliance, to understand their collaborative network.
- → Explore current debates in sustainable food systems (e.g., blue foods, alternative proteins) to see where aquatic welfare intersects.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention aquatic animals, ALI's work, or specific policy frameworks like the EU or UN.
- Focusing solely on terrestrial animal welfare or general environmental policy without making the connection to aquatic species.
- Providing writing samples that are overly academic, technical, or internal-facing, rather than demonstrating clear communication for external advocacy.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Aquatic Life Institute!