Research Leader - Sainsbury Orchid Fellow
Research Leader - Sainsbury Orchid Fellow
Kew’s scientific vision is to document and understand global plant and fungal diversity and its uses, bringing to authoritative expertise to bear on the critical challenges facing humanity today.
Comparative Plant & Fungal Biology is one of Kew’s six scientific research departments, with around 90 research staff, students and associates, generating authoritative and wide-ranging insights into the systematics, evolution and traits of major plant and fungal groups.
You will work within the Integrated Monography team, specialising in the systematics, taxonomy and evolution of the most economically and ecologically important groups of plants, including the orchid family, Orchidaceae – one of the most diverse, valuable and threatened plant families on Earth.
Kew’s collections, which have been developed and refined by generations of experts, are vital to this research.
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Kew is the world’s leading botanic gardens, at the forefront of plant and fungal science, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major visitor attraction.
We want a world where plants and fungi are understood, valued and conserved – because our lives depend on them.
We use the power of our science and the rich diversity of our gardens and collections to provide knowledge, inspiration and understanding of why plants and fungi matter to everyone.
The Integrated Monography team discovers and describes species on a global scale, uncovering the evolutionary dynamics and relationships of plants using taxonomy and -omics technologies. We aim to complete the tree of life for our focal plant groups and unlock fundamental biodiversity knowledge for the broadest audiences and applications, such as conservation, land management, and plants as resources for the future.
You will need to be qualified to PhD level with significant postdoctoral experience, with specialist knowledge in a field of science relevant to pursuing monographic research on the Orchidaceae. You will have sufficient skills and experience to plan and develop a world-class research programme on the orchid family, contributing to the collections at Kew (e.g. plant systematics, taxonomy, genomics, evolutionary biology, biogeography, ecology).
This will include the ability to motivate, manage and mentor a small team of researchers, which might include PhD and postdoctoral students. You will also have a good track record in securing research funding, and evidence of managing budgets. Your publication record should demonstrate a broad and deep knowledge of the systematics and evolution of the orchids, and a range of research skills.
The salary will be £37,177 to £40,737 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a broad range of Learning and Development opportunities, with access to the Civil Service training curriculum, generous annual leave entitlement for new starters, family friendly policies, a choice of competitive pensions and flexible benefits scheme.
If you are interested in this position, please submit your application through the online portal, by clicking “Apply for this job”.
We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
No agencies please.