Vacancies
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The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) needs keen and enthusiastic individuals to support the Garden’s mission to explore, conserve and explain the world of plants for a better future.
We have four sites around Scotland, Dawyck Botanic Garden near Peebles, Benmore Botanic Garden in Dunoon, Logan Botanic Garden near Stranraer and in Edinburgh.
We currently employ around 240 staff and work with around 300 volunteers to achieve our objectives.
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is committed to ensuring that all staff and customers are treated equally irrespective of their age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy or maternity. Our strategy may be downloaded from the box on the right.
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Related Links
Equal Opportunities Questionnaire
Employee Benefits and Discounts
If you require the above download documents in an alternative format, please email webmaster@rbge.org.uk or call 0131 552 7171.
Current vacancies
- Postdoctoral Researcher in Legume Evolution & Systematics
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Fixed Term (30 months), based in Edinburgh
Salary up to £34,957 (Band D) depending on experience, plus civil service pension and other benefits
The Legumes (Leguminosae/Fabaceae) are one of the most fascinating and economically important plant families. This exciting postdoctoral fellowship will explore evolutionary relationships in Leguminosae with a particular focus on the Papilionoideae subfamily. This is the most species-rich legume subfamily with around 14,000 species found globally and in almost every terrestrial habitat, ranging from tiny ephemerals to emergent forest giants. They are keystone species in many habitats and include some of the world’s most important crops such as the peas, beans, soybean, chickpeas, and lentil. Such protein-rich, nitrifying crops are playing an increasingly crucial role in humanity’s adaptation to global environmental change. By generating new, and analysing existing genomic DNA sequence data, this fellowship will help to improve knowledge of the phylogenetic relationships across papilionoid legumes and study the evolution of key traits and/or the classification of the subfamily. Legumes account for more than 50% of global biological nitrogen fixation and additionally there will be the opportunity to explore existing genomic data of rhizobium symbionts associated with tribes Fabeae and Genisteae in the papilionoid legumes. Collectively, the work will prove valuable for a wide range of researchers looking at aspects of legume biology and ecology, and the fellowship’s outward-looking, collaborative nature will reflect this.
The post is based at RBGE’s Edinburgh garden, giving full access to the research collections and expertise of colleagues, and Edinburgh’s wider research community. The project is undertaken in collaboration with researchers at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. In addition, it offers superb opportunities for support from and collaboration with the Legume Phylogeny Working Group (LPWG) – one of the key global research networks in describing and classifying the family’s diversity and understanding its evolution.
We are looking for candidates with a background in bioinformatics with a particular focus on high throughput DNA sequence data. Experience of gathering, processing and analysing genomic DNA datasets is essential, as is understanding of molecular evolution and phylogenomic theory. The position will require some laboratory work expertise, although new data collection will largely be outsourced. As the position will involve working extensively with the wider research community, excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral) are fundamentally important. A PhD or equivalent experience in bioinformatics, phylogenetics or similar is required.
Full details of the post, including a job description and person specification can be downloaded from this page. Further details on the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh can be found at http://www.rbge.org.uk/.
Informal enquiries may be made to Dr Gregory Kenicer (gkenicer@rbge.ac.uk).
To apply, please send a covering letter explaining your suitability for the post and a CV as well as a completed online equal opportunities questionnaire by e-mail to recruitment@rbge.org.uk. Applications should be received by 17th January 2022. Interviews will be held Late January/early February 2022.
If you have not heard from us by 31st January 2022, please assume your application has not been shortlisted.
No recruitment agencies please.
- Senior Laboratory Technician
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37 hours per week, permanent, based in Edinburgh
Salary £32,203 to £34,957 (Band D), plus civil service pension and other benefits
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is one of the world’s leading botanic gardens based on the quality, breadth and depth of our science, plant collections, public engagement and education.
We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Technician to join our Science division to support delivery of the RBGE Science and Biodiversity Strategy. Working within our Scientific and Technical Services (STS) team, you will be responsible for a small suite of microscopy laboratories, including several research grade light microscopes, a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) as well as general use microscopes and associated equipment. In addition, you will provide guidance and training to those using the equipment. You will also have responsibility for procurement, and will support general lab management and maintenance, health and safety, and image & data management. You will also provide wider technical support to the STS team across a range of different approaches including standard molecular laboratory protocols.
Applicants should have a BSc with practical lab experience or equivalent relevant work experience, be skilled in microscopy (light, fluorescence, SEM), have technical knowledge of preparation techniques, microscopy systems (including fluorescence and SEM), general lab equipment, protocols and processes, and of standard molecular laboratory protocols, including pipetting and PCR. This is a busy role, and you should be highly organised, and detail-oriented in the performance of technical processes according to defined procedures.
Full details of the post, including a job description and person specification, can be downloaded from this page.
We would encourage applications from all suitable candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
Applicants should send a CV and covering letter which outlines their suitability for this vacancy to recruitment@rbge.org.uk as well as complete and submit an online equal opportunities questionnaire by noon on Wednesday, 19 January 2022. Interviews will likely take place week commencing 31 January 2022.
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.
- Clerk of Works (Building)
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37 hours per week, fixed term until February 2026, based in Edinburgh
Salary £26,756 to £29,779 (Band C), plus civil service pension and other benefits
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is one of the world’s top four botanic gardens based on the quality, breadth and depth of our science, plant collections, public engagement, and education.
RBGE is embarking on an exciting period of estate development and construction, and we are looking to recruit a suitably experienced and highly motivated Clerk of Works (Building) to join our Facilities and Estates group until February 2026.
Acting as the RBGE representative on the construction sites, the successful candidate will be responsible for the supervision, inspection and reporting of construction and refurbishment activity on site and be responsible for ensuring that the building works are constructed to specification and that the required quality is delivered. This is a full-time role, and you will be based on site and be co-located within the Principal Contractors site accommodation.
Full details of the post, including a job description and person specification can be downloaded from this page.
We would encourage applications from all suitable candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
Applicants should send a CV and covering letter which outlines their suitability for this vacancy to recruitment@rbge.org.uk as well as complete and submit an online equal opportunities questionnaire by noon on 19 January 2022.
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.
- Assistant Horticultural Learning Technician
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29.6 hours per week, permanent, based in Edinburgh
Salary £21,213 to £22,662 (pro-rata) – Band B, plus civil service pension and other benefits
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is one of the world’s top four botanic gardens based on the quality, breadth and depth of our science, plant collections, public engagement, and education. This is an excellent opportunity to join our Education team as an Assistant Horticultural Learning Technician. This is a part-time role, working 4 days per week (Tuesday to Friday).
You will provide horticultural learning support to our education activities mainly within our nursery area. Tasks will vary from setting up practical classes, providing plant material for teaching purposes, ensuring that teaching areas are maintained and organised, act as a student liaison – answer queries re: tools and supplies, organising growing spaces as well as waste and compost trailers for plot projects.
You should have professional knowledge and a recognised horticultural qualification at National Diploma/SVQ level 2 or above, with wide-ranging horticultural skills and techniques skills base. In addition, you should have good communication skills, ability to supervise and mentor students and be able to demonstrate good practical and people skills. Applicants must also be computer literate and have a current, clean driving licence which includes minibus driving or be willing to obtain minibus certification.
Full details of the post, including a job description and person specification can be downloaded from this page.
We would encourage applications from all suitable candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
Applicants should send a CV and covering letter which outlines their suitability for this vacancy to recruitment@rbge.org.uk as well as complete and submit an online equal opportunities questionnaire by noon on 26 January 2022. Interviews will likely take place week commencing 7 February 2022.
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.
- Learning Technologist
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Part time, 29.6 hours per week
Fixed Term (3 years) based in Edinburgh
Salary £26,756 to £29,779 pro rata, plus civil service pension and other benefits
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is one of the world’s leading botanic gardens based on the quality, breadth and depth of our science, plant collections, public engagement, and education.
Help us share our passion about the world of plants!
We are looking for a creative and organised individual to help us expand and develop online learning at RBGE. Our aim is to engage and assist people in the UK and beyond to learn more about the wonderful world of plants.
PropaGate Learning, our virtual learning environment (using Moodle and Mahara) was launched in 2013 to enhance the development of our course delivery and is now one of the leading online providers of botanical and horticultural education (see the Learn section of the RBGE website for more information)
As we continue to expand and improve our range of online/blended learning courses, we are looking for someone who can ensure the online learning environments are maintained and managed and who can also support our tutors and students. Creating attractive and engaging online content will also be part of the role.
Applicants should have previous experience of the front-end maintenance of Moodle and Mahara sites. Experience of supporting tutors and students to use digital technologies is also essential.
Full details of the post, including a job description and person specification, can be downloaded from this page.
We would encourage applications from all suitable candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
Applicants should send a CV (please limit to 2 pages) and covering letter which outlines your suitability for this vacancy to recruitment@rbge.org.uk as well as complete and submit an online equal opportunities questionnaire by noon on 24 January 2022. Interviews will likely take place week commencing 31 January 2022.
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.
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