Vacancies

Fixed term, full-time (18 months) or 4 days per week (22 months), based in Edinburgh with frequent travel within Scotland
Salary £25,424 (pay award pending) per annum pro rata for part-time, plus civil service pension, generous holiday entitlement and other benefits

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is one of the top botanic gardens in the world. Founded in 1670, RBGE is home to one of the world’s best living collections of plans (13,500 species), a herbarium of three million preserved specimens and one of the UK’s most comprehensive libraries.

We are offering a rare opportunity for a highly motivated individual to gain extensive practical skills in bryophyte identification, field ecology, recording and surveying, backed up with a sound knowledge of bryophyte biology and basic herbarium practices. The bryophytes are the mosses, liverworts and hornworts, which together form a key component of Scotland’s botanical diversity. This traineeship aims to facilitate the development of a career as a specialist bryophyte surveyor or freelance ecologist, and is an 18 month full-time position based in Edinburgh involving regular travel for fieldwork within Scotland (with an option to work part-time for 4 days per week for 22 months instead).

You will be self-motivated and actively seek out learning opportunities, comprehensively supported by staff and associates at RBGE. Formal training will be intermittent and for much of the time you will be working on your own (with access to the extensive RBGE facilities and in-house expertise). A key part of the work will be a project placement elsewhere in Scotland during which you will pursue a bryophyte surveying or research objective, submitting a written report as a formal deliverable of the traineeship. There is flexibility around the location and nature of the placement, dependent on your personal interests and the opportunities available with partner institutions.

You should have a strong interest in bryophytes and an enthusiasm to learn, backed up with an eye for detail, an aptitude for pattern recognition and an ability to manipulate fine structures using microscopy. You will be independent and capable of undertaking moderately strenuous fieldwork in remote, sometimes mountainous terrain. Although you are not expected to have significant expertise in bryology at the outset, you should have some basic knowledge, while wider experience and/or formal qualifications in natural history, nature conservation or ecology are highly desirable.

Likely start date end July / early August 2025.

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
•    and submit electronically the equal opportunities questionnaire linked here: EOQ form

Closing date:                           12 midday BST, Friday 6 June 2025
Interview date:                        w/c 16 June 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.

21 hours £31,080 per annum, Pay award pending (Pro rata £18,648) Part Time, Fixed Term (11 months)

Our Schools’ Learning team is looking for a Secondary Learning Officer to lead on our Secondary school offer. The role is 21 hours per week part-time and there is flexibility in the days worked (depending on requirements of the programming). The Botanics has an important part to play to complement learning in schools and to give experience of important real-world research and skills. This role leads on development and delivery of our programmes for young people which aim to inspire the next generation of botanists, horticulturists, environmental scientists, educators and engaged citizens at this time of climate change and biodiversity loss.

What does this role entail?

The role includes coordinating, preparing and delivering established programmes such as:

• Our week-long Science Summer School in August for 15-17 year-olds which goes behind the scenes into our collections and introduces young people to the work of the Botanics through activities such as fieldwork, plant ID and lab work
• Taxonomy Day where Advanced Higher students meet scientists and take part in tours and activities
• Herbarium tours for Higher/Advanced higher students
• Careers and Learning for Sustainability outreach sessions

You will also be responsible for developing and delivering sessions for teachers and ITE students, online resources, and responding to requests from Secondary Schools. An important part of this role is to maintain and build on existing networks and ensuring we are meeting the needs of our audiences.

Our holistic approach fosters development of teamworking and meta skills and in providing experiential experiences that bring learning about the importance of plant biodiversity to life and increase green skills. Our aim is to welcome, enthuse and value young people, so they become ambassadors for plants, planet and for the Botanics.

Your skills, knowledge and experience

You will have experience of teaching young people in formal/informal settings. You will have a strong knowledge and understanding of content in the secondary Biology curriculum up to Advanced Higher level or equivalent knowledge of subject matter gained in study/the workplace. You will have a background in STEM subjects with an interest in plant biodiversity and ecology, and skills in plant identification and field work. A familiarity with lab work, such as DNA extraction, and microscopy work is desirable. You will be a great communicator with a proactive positive attitude and a supportive, encouraging manner who can model curiosity, a love of learning, and a passion for plants and sustainability to young people. A flexible, inclusive, delivery style is essential to respond to needs of the individuals and the groups.

This role brings an exciting opportunity to immerse yourself in the work of a world-renowned Botanic Garden and collaborate with a team of educators, botanists and other experts in their field. Join us and play your part in our vision of a positive future for plants, people and the planet.

You will be required to have a PVG Disclosure for this role. RBGE will arrange this at no cost to yourself.

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

A covering letter

Your CV

A completed equal opportunities questionnaire: EOQ Form

Closing date:                          Sunday 2 June 2025 (midnight)

Interview date:                      9/10 June (TBC)

Recruitment information:  Secondary Learning Officer Job Description/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 post, based in Edinburgh
Salary £45,712 (pay award pending) plus generous holiday entitlement, Civil Service pension and other benefits.

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a world-renowned institution dedicated to plant science, horticulture, and education. Our diverse and complex estate includes listed heritage buildings, herbarium, laboratories, and glasshouse structures, as well as being a popular visitor attraction and events venue. With approximately one million visitors per year, we are committed to ensuring the highest standards of health, safety, and sustainability across all our sites.

As the Health, Safety & Sustainability Manager, you will play a pivotal role in leading and ensuring compliance with health, safety, and environmental regulations. You will develop and implement strategies, programs, policies, and procedures to enhance collaboration, accountability, and responsibility within the workplace. This position is based at RBGE’s Edinburgh site and requires travel to our regional gardens in Dunoon, Port Logan, and Peebles.

Key responsibilities include providing strategic leadership to foster a positive health and safety culture using performance metrics, serving as the Subject Matter Expert in health, safety, and sustainability while managing a team and collaborating with Trade Union representatives, and ensuring compliance with legislation through the development of RBGE’s Health and Safety Management program. The role also involves investigating incidents and implementing corrective actions, overseeing fire safety and emergency preparedness, leading sustainability efforts such as waste reduction and energy efficiency, and managing carbon reporting, including utility billing reconciliation and annual carbon accounts.

We are looking for someone who has strong communication and interpersonal skills, excellent problem-solving abilities, and proficiency in safety management e-systems, proven track record in leading health, safety, and sustainability initiatives within a complex organisation and a strong understanding of health and safety legislation, environmental management practices, and sustainability initiatives. You should have a NEBOSH Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety or equivalent. An environmental management qualification (e.g., IEMA, ISO 14001 certification) is desirable.

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:                           midday (BST) on 12 June 2025
Interview date:                        w/c 23 June 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 (37 hours), permanent post, based in Edinburgh
Salary £25,000 plus performance related bonus

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is one of the world’s top four botanic gardens based on the quality, breadth and depth of our science, plant collections, public engagement, and education. The Botanics Trading Company (BTC) is our wholly owned subsidiary and manages all our trading activity, including all our retail and catering offers, with profits being gift-aided back to RBGE.

We are looking for a highly organised and personable Sales Operations Executive to support and drive the success of our Commercial Services team. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced sales environment, excels at managing the sales pipeline, and brings precision and energy to every client interaction. You’ll play a key role in ensuring the smooth administration of the sales process—from lead tracking to contracting and invoicing—while helping to grow revenue across our diverse commercial portfolio.

A proactive can-do attitude is an essential part of this role with applicants having previous experience of working in a fast-paced event sales environment. Excellent communication skills and attention to detail are essential, along with flexibility and the drive and hunger to support the team to win business along with contributing themselves to sales. 

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:                         12pm midday (BST) on Thursday 12 June 2025
Interview date:                      TBC
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), temporary (6 months) post, based in Edinburgh
Salary £31,080 (pay award pending) plus generous holiday entitlement, Civil Service pension and other benefits.

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a world-renowned institution dedicated to plant science, horticulture, and education which also welcomes 1 million visitors to our Gardens every year. Our exceptional botanical collections – Living Collection, Herbarium, Library and Archives – support these activities and our work to catalogue and digitise these collections is a major strategic objective.

 Working with the RBGE Archivist, you will carry out collection reviews, cataloguing and conservation assessments in addition to liaising with external suppliers to complete agreed programmes of digitisation and / or conservation in our manuscript, printed and photographic collections.

You will have a key role in  completing collection surveys for the George Sherriff and Mary Gibby archives, creating full catalogue records for collections on the RBGE Archives Catalogue (AtoM), working with the RBGE Archivist and external conservators to identify items that require conservation, liaising with external suppliers to ensure the effective digitisation of collection items to an agreed standard and incorporating the digitised materials into the Archives Catalogue and / or Digital Asset Management (DAM) system as appropriate. The role also involves developing and documenting standard operating procedures for the digitisation of archival materials and carrying out public engagement activities relating to the projects / collections. 

We are looking for someone who has strong organisational and communication skills, excellent problem-solving abilities, and can work flexibly as part of a small team. Previous experience of cataloguing archival materials and an archives qualification are desirable. 

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:                           9am (BST) on Monday 23 June 2025
Interview date:                        w/c 7 July 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.