Vacancies

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is seeking an exceptional leader to become its next Regius Keeper (CEO). This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of a world-renowned scientific and conservation organisation at the forefront of tackling biodiversity loss and climate change.

Further information on the Regius Keeper role can be found here: www.rbge.org.uk/regius-keeper

Applications should be made through our Partner Agency, Saxton Bampfylde: https://www.saxbam.com/appointment/royal-botanic-garden-edinburgh/

Closing date: 12 noon (BST) on Thursday 17 April 2025

Job Reference: DBSGA

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to RBGE on this appointment. Enquiries should be addressed to our Agency Partner, Belinda Beck: Belinda.beck@saxbam.com. 

Scottish Ministers are looking to make up to two appointments to the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Find out more.

Full-time (35 hours), fixed-term (7 months) post, based in Edinburgh

Salary £39,128 (pro-rata for contract duration £22,824) plus civil service pension, generous holiday entitlement and other benefits

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh seeks a seasonal Pollinator Ecologist to join the Edinburgh Nature-based Solutions Team for the 2025 season (funding for 7 months full-time). 

Working in close collaboration with Pollinating London Together and expert pollinator networks in Edinburgh, the ecologist will conduct comprehensive pollinator and habitat surveys to assess the health and diversity of pollinators at the Botanics, and at sites across the city. 

The Edinburgh surveys will establish a baseline for pollinator diversity and abundance (including bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects) and the state of urban habitat for pollinating insects, as well as a useful comparison to the work of Pollinating London Together in the City of London. Data generated through this appointment will contribute to city-wide biodiversity and greenspace partnerships (Edinburgh Living Landscape, Edinburgh Nature Network and Edinburgh Biodiversity Partnership) and the Pollinator Strategy for Scotland 2017-2027. 

The appointee will benefit from specialist training and knowledge exchange with Pollinating London Together, and the opportunity to contribute to community engagement and educational programs at the Botanics. 

The Context 

Edinburgh became a site of leading pollinator research through the Urban Pollinators project (2011-2014), a collaboration between academics in Edinburgh, Bristol, Leeds and Reading to understand and improve the health, abundance and diversity of pollinating insects in each city and the surrounding area. The Botanics is a founding partner of the Edinburgh Living Landscape, a network seeking to put nature at the heart of the city, for the benefit of local people and wildlife, and has led several pollinator action projects. Square Metre for Butterflies (2014-2024) was a collaboration with Butterfly Conservation to create green roof habitat for butterflies, especially the Northern Brown Argus. The Wild Line (2019-2021) was led by RBGE to improve Edinburgh's terrestrial and marine biodiversity. It facilitated new partnerships including between the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh City Council to create coastal meadows with nectar-rich plants for pollinators along the Edinburgh shoreline (with subsequent monitoring led by the University of Edinburgh). The Pollinator Pledge (2017-2024) encouraged participants to take action for pollinators, resulting in 272 responses across the city. The Botanics’ ‘Keep Edinburgh Buzzing’ free online course raises awareness and understanding of the importance of pollinators, and the ways we can help.

Pollinating London Together began in the city of London with a goal to enhance green space habitats so that they could be enjoyed by all while providing a space where all native pollinators could thrive. Gaining an understanding of the differences and similarities for green spaces beyond the city of London will provide valuable insight towards healthy green space habitats in urban environments across the United Kingdom. 

Figure 1. Coastal wildlife meadow (July 2021) from ‘The Wild Line’ project led by the Botanics (The Wild Line – Edinburgh Shoreline).

Although we see this as a full-time role, applications will also be considered from candidates looking to work on a part-time basis. We also encourage interested applicants to get in touch ahead of making an application (naturebased@rbge.org.uk). 

To apply, please email recruitment@rbge.org.uk with:

• your CV
• short covering letter indicating your fit to the person specification and your availability for work in Edinburgh over the next seven months
• and electronically submit the equal opportunities questionnaire linked here: EOQ form 

Closing date:                                12pm (BST) on Monday 7 April 2025

Interview date:                              Interviews will be held online on Friday 11 April 2025

Recruitment Information:          Job description and person specification

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. No recruitment agencies please.

Full-time (35 hours), permanent, based in Edinburgh

Salary: £31,080 plus civil service pension, generous holiday entitlement and other benefits

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a world-leading botanical institute and international visitor attraction located in the centre of Edinburgh. Our work builds on our long history as a scientific botanic garden and centre of education with internationally important botanical collections and a commitment to the study and conservation of plants. Situated in the heart of Edinburgh, the garden is a sanctuary for a wide range of plant species, attracting visitors from all corners of the globe.

We are seeking a passionate and experienced Senior Horticulturist to join our Herbaceous team. The successful candidate will help us achieve our vision to provide a positive future for plants, people, and the planet by exploring, conserving, and explaining the world of plants for a better future.

Key responsibilities include:

• Work in key areas of the garden, maintaining the high horticultural standards seen across the garden.
• Propose and implement ideas to improve plantings and standards of presentation.
• Organise work plans and complete daily maintenance tasks.
• Supervise students and volunteers, ensuring their safety and the quality of their work.
• Maintain plant records and horticultural equipment.
• Manage the garden to deliver a world-class visitor experience while also developing and conserving the living collection.

You should have extensive experience in horticulture, particularly in herbaceous plant cultivation and garden management, a strong knowledge of plant identification, propagation techniques, and pest/disease management, excellent organisational and communication skills, be able to work independently and as part of a team and have a passion for plants and a commitment to conservation and sustainability.

To apply please email recruitment@rbge.org.uk with:

• your CV
• a covering letter outlining the skills, knowledge and experience you’d bring to the post
• a completed equal opportunities questionnaire: EOQ form

Closing date:                              Monday, 21 April 2025 (midnight)

Interview date:                           Tuesday, 29 April 2025  

Recruitment Information:         Job description and person specification

If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been shortlisted. No recruitment agencies please.

Full-time (35 hours), permanent, based in Edinburgh
Salary: £25,424 to £27,058 plus civil service pension, generous holiday entitlement and other benefits

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is one of the world’s leading scientific botanic gardens, holding knowledge gained over centuries that the world needs today. All known life depends on plants and fungi, and it is our mission to explore, conserve, and explain the world of plants for a better future. 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.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Horticulturist to join our Alpine, Rock and Woodland team on a permanent basis. Based primarily in the Rock and Woodland gardens, you will be responsible for general horticultural activities including weeding, watering, planting, propagation, grass cutting, and helping to develop garden areas. You will also maintain plant records and work on projects within the alpine, rock, and woodland areas. You will develop your knowledge of RBGE to benefit visitors, staff, and students and will actively support our volunteers.

You should be an experienced Horticulturist with a practical horticultural qualification at SVQ level 2 or equivalent or have relevant practical work experience. You will have an interest in alpine, rock, and woodland plants, have experience in garden maintenance and propagation techniques, be a positive team player with the ability to work independently, have good attention to detail and comfortable with taking instruction and working to deadlines.

To apply please email recruitment@rbge.org.uk with:
•    your CV
•    a covering letter outlining the skills, knowledge and experience you’d bring to the post
•    a completed equal opportunities questionnaire: EOQ form

Closing date:                           Monday, 21 April 2025 (midnight)
Interview date:                        Thursday, 1 May 2025    
Recruitment Information:    Job description and person specification

If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been shortlisted. No recruitment agencies please.

Part-time (21 hours), permanent post based in Edinburgh, with opportunity for hybrid working

Starting salary £37,265 (£22,359 pro rata) plus civil service pension, generous holiday entitlement and other benefits

Play your part in educating and empowering students to promote biodiversity, help tackle the climate crisis and learn more about plants, while working for one of the world's leading Botanic Gardens, first founded in 1670. 

We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic educator and experienced horticulturist to join our Biodiversity Education and Training team.

This role primarily involves developing, maintaining, delivering and evaluating online courses at RBGE. The primary focus of the post is teaching and supporting students on our online RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth and Development which we launched in September 2023. The successful applicant will be developing new course content and assisting students by answering questions on online forums whilst monitoring their progress through the course. As we continue to grow our course offer the role may evolve to include other courses and the teaching of horticultural students in a blended environment (onsite and online) providing further development opportunities.

We’re looking for applicants with a proven track record in the horticulture sector. You’ll need to be flexible in your approach, with strong planning and time management skills and the ability to use a wide range of teaching methods to engage students. Strong verbal and written communication skills will naturally be key, as will the ability to work effectively and collaboratively as part of a small busy team. 

A recognised teaching qualification would be useful though not essential, as would strong digital literacy, content design skills and some experience of the Moodle virtual learning platform.

To apply please email recruitment@rbge.org.uk with:

• your CV
• a covering letter outlining the skills, knowledge and experience you’d bring to the post
• a completed equal opportunities questionnaire: EOQ form

Closing date:                            09.00 (BST) on Thursday 10 April 2025

Interview Date:                         Thursday 17 April 2025

Recruitment information:      Job description and person specification

If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been shortlisted. No recruitment agencies please.