About the job

Job summary

Applications for places on the Kew Diploma are now open.

Job description

Why apply?

“Getting on the Kew Diploma is like getting into Oxford or Cambridge University. The Diploma is regarded as the best botanical horticulture qualification in the world, at one of the greatest botanical institutions” (N.Evans Course 51)

• The Kew Diploma is the foremost botanic garden training programme in the world, for those graduating with a Kew Diploma it becomes a ‘passport to worldwide horticulture’

• Highly respected within the horticultural industry, Kew Diploma graduates can be found holding leading positions within historic and botanic gardens, parks, plant production, journalism, science, education and landscape/garden design.

• Unrivalled access to some of the leading horticulturists and plant scientists in the world.

• Access to a fantastic living plant collection at both RBG Kew and Wakehurst. 

• Access to a library containing one of the world’s largest collection of books relating to botany.

• Access to the herbarium which contains over seven million specimens.

• An opportunity to travel whilst on the course. (Travel Scholarship Project, Field trip to Eastern Andalucía in Spain)

• The Kew Diploma is a combination of practical work and academic studies. Our graduates know how and why.

• Salaried training. We will pay you a salary for the three years of your fixed-term contract with us.

Person specification

Please refer to the advert on the Kew website for a full Person Specification for this role.

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.