Werkstudent*in Sustainable Agronomy & Agribusiness – Fokus LCA/PCF (open LCA / ecoinvent) (m/w/d)

Working Student 
Sustainable Agronomy & Agribusiness – Focus LCA/PCF (open LCA/ ecoinvent) (m/f/d) 

Location / work model: Cologne | Hybrid (remote work possible) – at least 1 day/week in our Cologne office preferred 
Start: asap
Workload: min. 12 – max. 20 hours/week | Duration: min. 6–12 months 

About the role 

This working student role is designed for candidates with a strong agronomy background (e.g., cropping systems, soil & nutrients, field trials, farm/field data, AgTech/precision farming) who want to translate agronomic reality into agribusiness-relevant insights — with LCA/PCF as the methodological core. You will support work along the established LCA phases Goal & Scope, LCI, LCIA, Interpretation. 

We work in a hybrid setup: remote work is possible; however, we prefer regular in-person presence in our Cologne office at least one day per week to enable close collaboration and fast alignment.  

This is a great fit if you… 

• have hands-on agronomy experience (field trials, agronomic datasets, inputs & practices, farm/field data)
• have some agribusiness exposure (value chain/market research, product or portfolio comparisons, consulting/commercial context, procurement, stakeholder comms)
• have already applied LCA/PCF in practice — including an LCA tool and an LCA database (e.g., openLCA + ecoinvent) 

About Us

ELFIN Consulting is an agricultural consulting firm and growth catalyst with a broad understanding of diverse agricultural topics, strengths in strategy implementation, and a flexible and pragmatic co-creation approach. Through our combined expertise in agronomy, management, and communications, we translate sustainability- and digital-focused growth strategies into tangible results and strengthen the understanding of the increased added value for relevant stakeholders.

Your responsibilities 

1) LCA/PCF modelling & data work 

• Contribute (and partly work independently) to Goal & Scope: system boundaries, functional unit, assumptions, data quality requirements. 
• Build and improve Life Cycle Inventories (LCI), including data collection, plausibility checks, and structured documentation (materials, energy, emissions, waste).
• Support Impact Assessment & Interpretation (e.g., hotspot analysis, scenario/sensitivity thinking, results preparation). 

2) Tool- and database-based implementation (hands-on required) 

• Work with LCA software (openLCA / SimaPro / GaBi / Sphera / Umberto or similar), including modelling logic, transparent source/version handling, and exports. 
• Use LCA databases (e.g., ecoinvent or equivalent) and handle datasets/method packages/versions in a structured way.  

3) Interface between agronomy and agribusiness 

• Translate agronomic practices/parameters into LCA-ready data structures (inputs, processes, assumptions, data quality).
• Convert results into agribusiness-relevant insights (option comparisons, business-oriented interpretation, stakeholder-ready slides/memos).  

What we offer 

• Demanding, methodologically sound project work in LCA/PCF with business relevance. 
• Hybrid work model (remote possible) with at least 1 day/week in our Cologne office preferred.
• Student-friendly flexibility, steep learning curve, and close integration into the project team. 

How to apply 

Please send: 

• CV (PDF)
• Proof (1–2 bullets each): one example for Agronomy, Agribusiness, and LCA/PCF (context + your contribution + output)
• Specify which LCA software and which database you have used and for what (e.g., modelling/import/LCIA/reporting).

• Availability (hours/week + earliest start date) 

   

Does this role sound like a good fit for you, and do you meet all the stated requirements?

Then we look forward to receiving your application!

Contact: Career@elfin.works, Sandra Korb (People & Finance Lead)   
Subject line in Email: “Working Student – Sustainable Agronomy / LCA”