Assistant Scientist- Nematology

Job Description
Join us as an Assistant Scientist (Nematology) 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.
As an Assistant Scientist you’ll assist with the extraction and preliminary identification of plant-parasitic nematodes from plant and soil samples, received from the APHA Plant Health and Seed Inspectorate (PHSI) and via the Fera Plant Clinic.
Role:
Assistant Scientist – Nematology
Salary:
£23,920
Location:
BioTech Campus YO411LZ
Working pattern:
37.5 Monday – Friday (flexi between 7am & 7pm)
Start date:
ASAP depending on recruitment and onboarding timelines.
What you’ll be doing:
Process a large number of plant and soil samples within deadline, following standard operating procedures.
Preliminarily identification and quantification of plant-parasitic nematodes, both free-living and cyst using low power dissection microscopy.
Work to ISO 17025 and ISO 9001 standards and to a quarantine code of conduct.
Report potato cyst nematode (PCN) analysis results to the PHSI by the most appropriate means i.e. electronic system, email or telephone.
Provide support for other diagnostic work or project work within the Nematology team and wider Plant Protection Programme as required.
Maintain nematode cultures for molecular standards and R&D projects.
What we’re looking for:
Ideally, you’ll have a science related qualification and exposure to or an understanding of quality standards.
Relevant experience of working with plant pests or pathogens is desirable.
An excellent communicator and team player
Great attention to detail
The post holder will be expected to provide good customer service and work in an organised and efficient manner. Taking direction from the Delivery Manager, they will be able to prioritise their work in a busy environment to meet deadlines.
We are looking for someone who can perform microscopy for long periods of time and can maintain quality whilst performing repetitive tasks.
A keenness to develop knowledge of nematological biology and taxonomy is highly desired.
What’s in it for you?
Competitive salary £23,920
​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:
Choose ‘Apply now’ to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you. If you have any questions you’d like to ask before applying, you can contact
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We’re an equal opportunity employer, which means we recruit and develop people based on their merit and passion. We’re committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone. If you need the job description or application form in an alternative format or if you’d like to discuss other changes or support you might need going forward, please email at
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and we’ll get back to you.