Assistant Plant Pathologist

**Join us as an Assistant Plant Pathologist and make an invaluable contribution to our Food Safety & Biosecurity**

At Fera, we’re making the world a better, healthier and safer place. We’re a joint venture partnership between Bridgepoint and Defra and we’re working proactively to protect the world we live in and the food we eat. Our teams are investigating plant and bee health, crop protection and sustainable agriculture. Join us and discover better as you deliver world-class science for the future.

Our plant pathology team specialise in strategic research into the biology and control of diseases of agricultural, horticultural and tree health importance, to support sustainable crop production and protection of the environment from disease threats and a key theme of the team's work is disease surveillance and risk forecasting.

You’ll be focussed on carrying out efficacy testing, however, you may from time to time be required to assist with work across the teams wider project portfolio.

**Salary**:£23,920.00

**Location**:York BioTech Campus YO41 1LZ

**Working pattern**: 37.5 Monday - Friday (flexi between 7am & 7pm)

**Start date**: ASAP depending on recruitment and onboarding timelines.

**Closing Date**:20th September 2024

**What you’ll be doing**:

- Test fungicides and biological control agents for efficacy against a range of indigenous and non-indigenous plant pathogens
- Carry-out propagation and infection of host plants
- Carry-out visual assessments of plants
- Maintain records of experimental work
- Prepare and label consumables
- Assist with the production of media and buffers where necessary
- Maintain cultures for routine experimental testing
- Help to clean and maintain routinely used facilities and equipment

**What we’re looking for**:

- You may have a science qualification from school/college/university or equivalent science background across any of these specialisms (biology, agriculture, virology, bacteriology, mycology, nematology, entomology or molecular science).
- You’ll enjoy and or have experience of working in a laboratory following protocols and standard operating procedures.
- You’ll ideally have an interest in working with plant pests and pathogens, as well as excellent team working skills and can maintain quality whilst performing repetitive tasks.
- A good knowledge of aseptic techniques
- Experience in working to quality assurance standards
- A focus on delivering to a consistently high standard and accuracy
- A structured, accurate and logical approach to identifying, piecing together and interpreting relevant information from a wide-range of sources

**What’s in it for you?**
- Competitive salary - £23,920.00
- 23 days’ holiday (rising to 27) with the opportunity to buy extra leave.
- Flexible working hours, on-site gym, restaurant, and free parking
- The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice
- Company matched pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks’ fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks and plenty more.
- Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle - from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology
- Access to our Employee Network Groups, which represent every strand of diversity and allow colleagues to connect and learn from each other on an open, inclusive platform

**What we hope you’ll do next**:
**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £23,920.00 per year

Ability to commute/relocate:

- York, North Yorkshire: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Application question(s):

- Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status?

Work authorisation:

- United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person