Diversity and Motivation: Examining Career Paths in the Alternative Protein Industry
Did you know that more than a third of professionals in the Alternative Protein industry transitioned directly from university, while others brought valuable experience from diverse fields? This blend of expertise and fresh perspective is what’s driving the sector’s innovation, offering opportunities for professionals in all career stages.
In collaboration with Zuzana Šperlová, author of the thesis "Visions and Missions in the Alternative Protein Industry: Perspectives of employees, directors, and investors," this article offers an in-depth look at the diverse backgrounds, motivations, and career trajectories within the AltProteins industry. From the lab bench to the boardroom, we explore how individuals from various professions are uniting under a shared mission to address some of the most pressing global challenges, including climate change and food security.
What Backgrounds Do Alternative Proteins Professionals Have?
This project looked at a total of 12 professionals in the Alternative Protein industry. The aim was to show a broad variety of roles, so the participants included company founders and leaders, scientists, investors, and lawyers who specialize in novel food technologies. The individuals came from a diverse array of backgrounds, each contributing unique perspectives to the Alternative Protein industry. Among them were seasoned co-founders with over two decades of experience, fresh-faced employees just embarking on their careers, and individuals who had transitioned from unrelated fields. Those of the participants working directly on Alternative Protein development and production in general hold degrees in biology, biotechnology or engineering.
More than a third of the participants went into Alternative Proteins straight out of university, but the majority had work experience from other fields, before changing into Alternative Proteins. Notably, three participants had pursued additional education specifically tailored to the Alternative Protein sector, reflecting a growing trend of specialization within the industry. After deciding to work on Alternative Proteins, they obtained a master’s degree focused on specific technologies that allowed them to enter the industry.
Several participants shared stories of how their personal experiences and passions had shaped their career trajectories. For instance, one individual recounted childhood musings about feeding mouse meat to pet snakes, sparking an early interest in cellular agriculture. Another participant read about the first cell-cultivated burger in the news, which inspired her to go back to university and get a master’s degree in food science. Others described pivotal moments during academic research or encounters with effective altruism, which ignited their curiosity about Alternative Proteins.
How Do People Come across Careers in Alternative Proteins?
The journey to discovering Alternative Proteins as a viable career path was marked by a combination of curiosity, serendipity, and a sense of social responsibility. Participants recounted diverse experiences that led them to explore this emerging industry, from stumbling upon news articles or research papers to engaging with social movements like effective altruism. For some, the realization dawned during academic research, as they recognized the potential applications of their expertise in fields such as biotechnology or tissue engineering. Others were motivated by personal values, such as environmental sustainability or animal welfare, which drove them to seek out opportunities to make a positive impact through their careers.
There were two overarching themes that underlined a lot of the participants’ introduction to Alternative Proteins. The first one was veganism or vegetarianism, which was presented as a reason for familiarity with Alternative Proteins, and as a general context to explain the participants’ initial interest in the industry and its products. The second theme was problem-solving. Every participant seemed to approach Alternative Proteins as a solution to a problem they perceived as important and wanted to help solve. The participants were particularly concerned about environmental issues, animal welfare, a sustainable food system, and more.
How to Transition into the Alternative Proteins Sector?
The timing and reasons for transitioning to the Alternative Protein industry varied among participants, reflecting the diverse paths that led them to this field in the first place. Some individuals made a conscious decision to pivot from their existing careers to an emerging field, where they felt like they could make a difference and help address the pressing issues they find important. Others stumbled upon the industry serendipitously, discovering a passion for Alternative Proteins while pursuing academic research or exploring different projects. As mentioned in the previous section, the most common motivations for joining the Alternative Protein industry were focused on addressing environmental, sustainability, and animal welfare issues.
Looking into individual stories, one food scientist shared her experience scuba-diving, where she witnessed the environmental destruction of the coral reefs, after which she became vegetarian and decided to steer her career to helping animals. Another participant was studying to be a veterinarian to help animals, but saw the inhumane treatment of animals on farms and decided to try and remove animals from the food chain through creating cultivated meat.
Interestingly, none of the startup founders seemed to be motivated by wanting to be entrepreneurs – two of them specifically mentioned being hesitant about starting their own company, and viewed it as something necessary. For some participants, the career switch was quite a big jump from their previous careers, with a doctor becoming a cultivated meat entrepreneur or a lawyer becoming an investor in sustainable foods. For others, it was a natural path that started at university, often with skills from other industries that were directly translatable to Alternative Proteins. Several participants already had jobs that aimed to help animals or the environment, and they switched to Alternative Proteins as a more promising way to achieve these goals. One participant was aiming to remove animals from the pharmaceutical industry with his PhD research, from which he switched to cultivated meat in order to help the much more numerous farmed animals.
The Effective Altruism movement was mentioned as a source of motivation for the careers of three participants, specifically for an investor, an entrepreneur, and an engineer. Notably, many participants cited a sense of mission and purpose as the driving force behind their decision to switch careers, highlighting the motivation to solve some of the world’s largest problems, rather than personal success or entrepreneurial drive. The relative diversity of backgrounds and previous experiences further shows the wide possibilities for entering the Alternative Protein industry for people with various skill sets.
Navigating Alternative Proteins Careers
Looking at the diverse pathways leading into the Alternative Protein industry, it's clear that the sector is not just about the end product; it's about the people behind it. The individuals profiled in this exploration – ranging from scientists to entrepreneurs, and from those with a deep-seated passion for sustainability to those driven by the challenge of solving complex global issues – highlight the multifaceted appeal of the Alternative Protein industry. Each story, whether it began with a childhood curiosity or a profound professional pivot, underscores a common theme: a commitment to creating a more sustainable and ethical future of food.
Are you inspired to be part of this transformative industry? Whether you're a professional looking to pivot into a role that aligns with your values, or a new graduate looking to make an impact from the start, the Tälist job board is your gateway to the Alternative Protein sector. With hundreds of new jobs added each week, Tälist connects you with opportunities that match your skills and passions in the sustainable food industry. Don't miss your chance to join the future of food. Sign up now and be at the forefront of the sustainable food revolution!
Image credit: BlueNalu.