Volunteer Sustainable Packaging Expert

About RADIKAL and the Ashoka Fellowship

This is an opportunity to work with an Ashoka Fellow. Ashoka Fellows are leading social entrepreneurs who have undergone a rigorous selection process, testing the quality of their ideas and character, to become part of the Ashoka Fellowship and Network. Ashoka Fellows tackle the challenges of building innovative system change ideas to create and spread social impact in a world facing numerous challenges. They refuse to let the ‘impossible’ hinder their efforts to build a better world.

Please note, this is an unpaid, volunteer opportunity.

RADIKAL is an impact-oriented social franchisor that has pivoted since COVID-19 to focus on solving food security in Haiti through micro-enterprise. Our unique approach has pioneered an ecosystem linking smallholder farmers and production cooperatives to street food vendors, leveraging technology and emphasizing environmental impact. As a social franchise dedicated to improving the lives of women, their families, and communities, our grassroots business model currently focuses on empowering women in the informal sector to invest in structured micro-franchises that sell locally-manufactured food products. With the Sustainable Development Goals in mind, we believe our model can foster wealth creation in communities, develop new environmentally-conscious products like sustainable locally-made packaging, and pioneer an innovative approach to socioeconomic sustainability. More information can be found on our website: www.radikal.co.

For more information, please visit https://radikal.co

Role Summary

As RADIKAL scales to 10,000 vendors, we are committed to not contributing to Haiti’s severe plastic crisis. The Volunteer Sustainable Packaging Expert will lead the transition to a 100% biodegradable or circular packaging system. This involves designing zero-waste containers suitable for hot food and liquids, capable of withstanding tropical heat and rugged transport conditions. By solving packaging at scale for 10,000 vendors, this initiative demonstrates that industrial growth in the Global South can be regenerative rather than extractive.

Key Responsibilities

• Research, identify, and test local biodegradable materials (e.g., banana fiber, banana leaf, sugarcane bagasse, cassava starch) for food-grade packaging.
• Design a prototype "Return-and-Sanitize" system for stainless steel bouillon canisters.
• Consult on the industrial equipment needed to manufacture these materials in-house.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a materials scientist or packaging engineer with a profound passion for circular economies and proven experience in food-grade bioplastics. Please let us know today if you can help!

Volunteer Logistics

• Estimated hours required per week: 5–7 hours per week (Consultative)
• The estimated duration of the project is: 6-12 months
• This position is Virtual (Remote)

Language Requirements

• English
• French

Desired Skills And Experience

• Materials Science: Deep knowledge of bio-polymers (PLA, PHA), natural fibers, and agricultural waste composites.
• Circular Engineering: Experience designing "Closed-Loop" systems, including sanitization protocols for reusables.
• Supply Chain Integration: Ability to source raw materials locally in Haiti and design low-energy manufacturing processes.
• Lifecycle Analysis (LCA): Proficiency in calculating the carbon footprint and decomposition rate of proposed packaging solutions.
• Compliance: Understanding of international food-grade safety standards (FDA/EU equivalent).

Key skills/competency

• Biodegradable Packaging
• Circular Economy Principles
• Materials Science Expertise
• Packaging Engineering
• Food-Grade Bioplastics
• Biopolymer Knowledge
• Closed-Loop Systems
• Supply Chain Integration
• Lifecycle Analysis (LCA)
• Food Safety Standards