About the job

Job summary

To deliver RBG Kew’s mission by acting as Bioinformatician within a project implementing mycorrhizal research for soil monitoring by Natural England and Forest Research as part of the terrestrial Natural Capital Ecosystem Assessment programme. This position will involve managing, processing and analysing large DNA sequence datasets from different technologies to identify fungi and their associated host plants underground.

Based at Kew Gardens, the post holder will provide guidance and help to other members of the research group, including staff, students and visitors.

Job description

Reporting to the senior research leader in Mycology in Mycorrhizal Ecology, Ecosystem Stewardship.

This is an exciting opportunity for a bioinformatician with experience in molecular ecology to join a research group until March 2025 in Ecosystem Stewardship at RBG Kew. 

The project involves the England Ecosystem Survey and Forest Research's Natural Forest Inventory Plus within the Natural Capital Ecosystem Assessment programme. We are generating data on mycorrhizal distributions across different UK habitats to understand and link below and aboveground ecosystem functioning in different land uses and soil vegetation types to inform environmental management and policy.  This provides a first opportunity to study the role of mycorrhizas in carbon and nutrient stocks and cycling, thus contributing a key but so far neglected variable for environmental assessment and monitoring.

The post holder will play a critical role in the analysis and management of project DNA sequencing data, and will develop the pipelines required to enable the successful identification of fungi and plants from roots and soils.  They will be an active member of a high-profile, multi-disciplinary team led by the project’s Principal Investigator, who will also act as line manager.

Person specification

Required:

-       Relevant degree and data analysis experience, ideally in the context of molecular ecology data of plants and/or fungi.

-       Bioinformatics expertise with sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline (e.g. bioinformatics, phylogenetics, genomics, systematics, molecular ecology) to develop pipelines and methodologies.

-       Experience contributing to projects and delivering successful outcomes, ideally in the discipline (e.g. bioinformatics, phylogenetics, phylogenomics, genomics, systematics, molecular biology).

-       Familiarity with the existing literature and research in the field or the ability to become familiar with the field.

-       Experience of working collaboratively within a large project across multiple institutions

Benefits

Our fantastic benefits package includes opportunities for continuous learning, a generous annual leave entitlement, flexible working to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance, an Employee Assistance Programme and other wellbeing support such as cycle to work scheme and discounted gym membership. We also offer a competitive pension, an employee discount scheme and free entry into a wide range of national museums and galleries, as well access to our own beautiful gardens at Kew and Wakehurst.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

To apply for this role, please submit your application through the Kew Gardens website.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.