Biosecurity Lead (Principal Scientist)
Location: Likely to be Wisley Garden, but potential to be based at other RHS sites
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing date: 28th February 2022
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity with over 580,000 members. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place. The RHS’s Plant Health team is internationally recognised for their contributions to science and biosecurity, related to detecting, monitoring and sustainably managing pest and diseases of garden plants. The outputs of this research feed into providing up-to-date advice to RHS members and the wider public.
We are looking for someone with a background in biosecurity to lead and support work within the Plant Health team and help to make the UK biosecure and plant healthy. This role is likely to be based at the new RHS Science building at Wisley gardens. You will help to deliver the Science Strategy and biosecurity targets of the new RHS Sustainability Strategy, by leading a team of specialists to provide advice, improve policies and practices - including the implementation of the Plant Health Certification Scheme - and deliver effective surveillance and management of pests and diseases across all RHS activities. You will also be involved in overseeing provision of authoritative and up-to-date advice on garden pest and disease problems and in developing and expanding the research programme.
You will play a pivotal role in maintaining and improving biosecurity across RHS gardens and shows and will convene the Society’s Plant Health Working Group to provide up-to-date advice based on UK and EU plant health regulations. You will have a PhD in a relevant area of science, or equivalent relevant experience working with plant biosecurity or plant health-related projects and practical operations. You will also have excellent written and verbal communication skills and experience managing the work of others to lead an effective team.
The RHS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all personnel to share in this commitment. We are an inclusive employer and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/about-the-rhs/opportunities
We want to enrich everyone's life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.