About the job

Job summary

RBG Kew has a long standing partnership with Natural England to support the Species Recovery Programme. This role will help deliver producing plants of Lady Slipper orchid, one of the rarest and iconic plant species in Britain, to support the Species Recovery Programme funded by DEFRA through Natural England. Kew will be working with several partners led by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

Job description

The selected candidate will support production of in vitro seedlings and weaning of lady slipper seedlings for conservation translocation at different locations in England.

Person specification

Educated to degree level in subjects such Horticulture or Plant Science (or with equivalent experience) with an interest in conservation.  Our ideal candidate will be a team player who can work across the Science and Horticulture directorates in RBG Kew. We are looking for someone who is a team player and work on your own initiative. The preferred candidate will be passionate about rare plant conservation and interested in both technical aspects of in vitro and horticultural growing systems.

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.