About the job

Job summary

An opportunity exists for a Seed Bank Data Resources Assistant to join the seed biologists and conservationists at the Millennium Seed Bank, based at Wakehurst Place in West Sussex, up until March 2025.

As a member of the Seed Collections team, within Kew’s Science Collections Department, you will provide vital support to the team, by maintaining high standards in the management of data associated with the Millennium Seed Bank’s global collections; mainly, but not exclusively through data capture.

Reporting to the Seed Collections Manager, with technical oversight provided by the Seed Bank Data Resources Manager, you will also work closely with the current Seed Bank Data Resources Assistant. You will mainly be responsible for data entry (manual and electronic) from incoming seed and herbarium collections, into ‘EarthCape’ (RBG Kew’s Integrated Collections Management System). This will include data from all collections, including conservation and research, either from the UK or overseas.

Job description

Day to day tasks include: checking that the field data relating to the MSB collections is entered to a consistently high standard; liaising with the Seed Curation Managers, the Seed Collections Team; Conservation Partnership Coordinators and partner organisations to clarify queries regarding the data; and to geo-reference collection data, where necessary. You will also: check incoming data to ensure that plant names, etc. conform to MSB data standards. Other tasks include providing regular and routine statistics on the MSB Seed Collections, and carrying out teaching, supervising and outreach activities.

Minimum essential qualifications and experiences are: three A-Levels or equivalent (including biology or a similar subject); experience of entering data into a database, with a reasonable typing speed >50wpm; a working knowledge of database software, such as MS Access; good working knowledge of MS Office (including Word, Excel, Teams and PowerPoint) and general office administration experience, including record keeping skills.

Person specification

You will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills as the role has a significant team working and collaboration requirement You will be methodical, with good attention to detail and accuracy; The ability to work unsupervised for a reasonable time is essential; along with the ability to plan, set and work to deadlines; while being adaptable and able to cope with increased workload on occasion.

This role is based at Wakehurst with the option of regular home working, subject to operational requirements. 

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 as access to our own beautiful gardens at Kew and Wakehurst.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

If you are interested in this position, please visit the provided link to submit your application.

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.