Published: 02/09/2026
School feeding programs feed over 450 million children every day, serving as both a critical social safety net and a strategic lever to strengthen food systems and support regional food production. Climate change represents a challenge to the resilience of school feeding programs. Our team has found a substantial “silent” cost of climate change to school meals: fewer children are fed through school meal programs than in a world without global warming. Yet, there is tremendous potential in shifting procurement toward regeneratively grown crops and diversifying school meal plates with underutilized crops. This project examines the climate and nutrition vulnerability of school feeding programs in focal case study countries. The research will compare projected versus actual school meal plates and identify crop substitutions that would increase climate and nutrition resilience. We anticipate hiring up to two research assistants to work collaboratively on this project, contributing to literature review, data compilation, and quantitative and qualitative analysis. Research assistants will have the opportunity to work within an interdisciplinary research team at the Stanford Center for Food Security and Environment.
RA (Hourly) Responsibilities:
- Conduct literature reviews on school meal programs and climate-resilient crops.
- Create standardized data entry tables and link school meal plate composition to Food Composition Tables for case study countries.
- Assist with transcription, coding, and qualitative analysis of expert interviews.
- Maintain comprehensive documentation of data sources and methods.
- Prepare well-organized and annotated datasets and assist with data analysis.
- Participate in weekly meetings and maintain regular communication on project tasks.
Eligibility: Stanford undergraduate student in good academic standing.
RA Qualifications:
- Experience with literature review, data management, and/or qualitative analysis.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
- Familiarity with statistical software (Stata, R) and/or qualitative software (NVivo) is beneficial.
- Excellent organizational skills and ability to work independently and collaboratively.
- Strong interest in food systems, nutrition, food policy, international development, or a related field is required.
Commitment and Remuneration:
- 5-10 hours per week (one quarter; extension possible depending on funding availability)
- Hourly pay in accordance with Stanford rates.
To apply: Interested applicants should email Dr. Nathalie Lambrecht (nlambrec@stanford.edu) by February 13, 2026, with a cover letter and resume/CV. The cover letter (max 1 page) should address your interest in the position and experiences relevant to the responsibilities and qualifications. We are seeking students with complementary skills and do not expect applicants to meet all qualifications. Candidates with strengths in either quantitative or qualitative methods are encouraged to apply. Include the subject line: “School Feeding RA Application.”