Deputy Director of Science (Collections) and Herbarium Curator

Permanent post, based in Edinburgh. Hybrid working arrangements may be possible.

Starting salary £63,000 (band G) plus civil service pension and other benefits

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) explores, conserves and explains the world of plants for a better future.

RBGE is a world leading botanical institute and international visitor attraction taking positive action for plants and people; from local communities across Scotland, to more than 40 countries around the world. Our priority is to tackle the biodiversity crisis and the climate emergency, and support the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Our work builds on over 350 years of history as a scientific botanic garden, a centre of education, the internationally important botanical collections in our care, and our extensive global partnerships.

Our four Scottish gardens – Benmore, Dawyck, Logan and ‘The Botanics’ in Edinburgh – attract over a million visitors every year. Together, these gardens comprise one of the richest plant collections on earth. As a registered Scottish charity, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is funded principally by the Scottish Government – but as an organisation, we are very much global.

The collections held at RBGE form the cornerstone of our research programmes and are a global resource for science, conservation, and cultural heritage. We are looking to recruit into an exciting new role which will provide strategic oversight and leadership of all the preserved collections (Herbarium, Library and Archives), their associated data, and digitisation. This includes leading the drive to secure funding and managing complete digitisation of the herbarium. The post holder will deputise for the Director of Science, and be the Curator of the Herbarium.

More information on the role, including a full job description and person specification and details of how to apply, can be found in our recruitment brochure. Although we see this as a full-time role, applications will also be considered from exceptional candidates looking to work on a part-time basis.

If you haven’t heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume your application hasn’t been successful on this occasion.