About the job

Job summary

We are seeking applications from promising early-career researchers with interesting, innovative, and viable research ideas for the Future Leader Fellowships in Plant and Fungal Science. 

The Future Leader Fellowship in Plant and Fungal Science provides a unique opportunity for early-career researchers to develop their scientific portfolio and skills in a vibrant research environment, working with colleagues in Kew Science to make substantial contributions to challenges facing humanity.  

Kew offers five Future Leader Fellowships each year, aligned across our Research Priorities. This Fellowship is within the Enhanced Partnerships Department and will contribute to Kew’s Science Strategy The successful candidate may be based at Kew or Wakehurst, with potential travel between the sites. 

Job description

Our flagship Future Leader Fellowship programme enables the brightest and most innovative young scientists to develop research projects in their field of expertise while gaining the necessary leadership and professional skills for the next stage of their careers.  

The successful applicants will form an integral part of our vibrant, dynamic and cross-disciplinary scientific environment and will gain direct access to the world’s most extensive plant and fungal collections along with state-of-the-art laboratory facilities. 

Line managed by a senior researcher, the candidate will be benefit from opportunities for development that include – but are not limited to – training workshops on topics from grant writing to research impact, a mentorship programme, bi-annual meetings with the Director of Science, and other chances for researcher-led training. They will also be able to apply for secondment and research funding internally and are encouraged to use this funding to travel for their research. 

The Fellowship aims to provide early career researchers with an internationally outstanding level of training and professional development, empowering them to become established as independent research leaders in their discipline by the end of the Fellowship. This Fellowship is offered as a four-year research post based at either Kew Gardens or Wakehurst. 

This Fellowship is within the Enhanced Partnerships Department, which comprises the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership, Interdisciplinary Research,  the Conservation Policy and Science Communications team, and the Commercial Innovation Unit. We strongly encourage proposals that would work across two or more of these teams. We are open to all topics within the scope of the Department, including (but not limited to):  

• ethnobotany of wild or cultivated plants;  
• Novel uses of plants and fungi 
• chemistry and authentication of useful plants and fungi;  
• biodiversity policy, including data sovereignty;  
• the interactions of any of these areas with the work of the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership.  

Person specification

You will bring experience gained during a PhD, and perhaps postdoctoral roles, in an aspect of research relevant to the work of the Enhanced Partnerships Department. You will have the potential or proven ability to plan, undertake, analyse, and communicate your research to a diverse range of stakeholders in order to achieve impact. Your previous training may be in science, or in the humanities and social sciences as applied to the topics listed above.  

The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to develop interesting research projects which align to Kew’s scientific mission and will provide interdisciplinary support to the Enhanced Partnerships Department. 

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.