Vacancies

Full time (35 hours), permanent post, based in Edinburgh
Salary £40,112 plus generous holiday entitlement, Civil Service pension and other benefits.

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a world leading centre for plant science and conservation, with a strong commitment to inclusion, sustainability, and collaboration. We are seeking a Herbarium Registrar to help steward our unique National Collections.

The Herbarium supports the breadth of research, education and public engagement at RBGE. Our vibrant user community includes RBGE staff, students, associates, and visiting researchers. The collection is internationally renowned, with over 3 million specimens of plants and fungi spanning four centuries. We hold exceptional collections for Scotland, Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, and systematic foci including cryptogams, fungi, Pteridophytes, and flowering plant families Zingiberaceae, Sapotaceae, Gesneriaceae, Begoniaceae and Solanaceae. You will join a team dedicated to preserving the collection while ensuring our collections remain accessible, relevant, and rigorously documented.

Reporting to the Plant Records Officer and working closely with the Deputy Director of Science (Collections), the Herbarium Registrar plays an essential role in the day-to-day running of the Herbarium. You will be responsible for the documentation and movement of our botanical specimens, ensuring RBGE policies are implemented, and maintaining the accuracy and integrity of our digital and physical records using the collections management system. You will manage specimen accessions, loans, and sampling requests, working with the curation team and external colleagues to process specimens through incoming and outgoing collections management workflows. Your role will include facilitating visitor access, ensuring Herbarium users have the information they need; coordinating tours; and handling other requests for access to the Herbarium. You will assist with research projects in the collections, helping to gather and analyse data, and write written reports which may contribute to peer-reviewed publications. 

This is a rare opportunity to work with a busy National Collection used by a wide range of scientists and other researchers. We are looking for a highly motivated individual with knowledge of natural science or museum collections and the ability to translate technical information into practical advice. You are meticulous and well organised, with the management skills to prioritise your workload and deliver at pace, excellent communication skills and experience of working collaboratively. We welcome applicants who can demonstrate relevant experience and transferable skills, and who are motivated to make a difference in an organisation dedicated to nature.

To apply, please email recruitment@rbge.org.uk with the following:

•    Your CV
•    A covering letter outlining the skills, knowledge and experience you would bring to the post

Please also electronically complete and submit an equal opportunities questionnaire using the following link: EOQ form. This form should not be included with your email application.

Closing date:                            Midday (BST) on Tuesday 30 June 2026        
Interview date:                         Week commencing 20 July 2026    
Recruitment information:     Job description and person specification    

If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been shortlisted. No recruitment agencies please.

The Head of Communications & Public Affairs is a pivotal role at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) promoting our world-leading work in science, conservation, horticulture, and education.

Working as an active member of the Senior Leadership Team, this role will lead the organisation’s approach to strategic communications, seeking opportunities to engage external audiences, disseminate key messages, and raise RBGE’s profile on a national and international stage through press and media engagement.

With oversight of the communications and publishing functions, this role will also provide key support to the Regius Keeper and the Executive Team in shaping engagement and communication strategies with political stakeholders across the Scottish and UK governments.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a real impact in the next phase of RBGE’s corporate strategy, strengthening key policy relationships and promoting RBGE’s expertise to deliver real impact in the fight against the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

Closing date:                            09:00am (BST) on Monday 20 July 2026        
First interview date:               30 July 2026
Second interview date:          5 August 2026

Recruitment information: 

Further details on the job description, person specification, and how to apply can be found in the candidate pack for the role on our website here: Head of Communications and Public Affairs Candidate Pack