Vacancies
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The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) needs keen and enthusiastic individuals to support the Garden’s mission to explore, conserve and explain the world of plants for a better future.
We have four sites around Scotland, Dawyck Botanic Garden near Peebles, Benmore Botanic Garden in Dunoon, Logan Botanic Garden near Stranraer and in Edinburgh.
We currently employ around 240 staff and work with around 300 volunteers to achieve our objectives.
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is committed to ensuring that all staff and customers are treated equally irrespective of their age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy or maternity. Our strategy may be downloaded from the box on the right.
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Related Links
Equal Opportunities Questionnaire
Employee Benefits and Discounts
If you require the above download documents in an alternative format, please email webmaster@rbge.org.uk or call 0131 552 7171.
Current vacancies
- Interpretation & Design Lead
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Starting salary £38.7k-43.6k (pay award pending), plus civil service pension and other benefits.
37 hours per week based in Edinburgh
Permanent position
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 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. We are at a hugely exciting time in our 350-year history as we look to deliver the Edinburgh Biomes project, a seven-year capital build programme to restore our heritage glasshouses, create a stunning new public glasshouse, and build new research facilities.
As part of this we are looking to significantly expand our interpretation and design team, and we are now looking for a dynamic individual to work alongside our Head of Public Engagement in developing the team to ensure the delivery of the visitor experience elements of the Biomes project. The postholder will also be instrumental in transforming our current visitor offer, and will lead on the development, updating and maintenance of an interpretive, accessible and inclusive visitor experience across all four of our gardens.
The postholder will set standards for and enhance the quality of our delivery in every area of engagement, supporting not only the obvious Biomes and Garden interpretive suites, but also the quality of design and content delivery across creative programmes and community engagement.
Applicants will need to have had recent and extensive experience of leading and project managing a range of interpretation programmes using multiple delivery techniques, including multi-media exhibitions. Experience in managing multidisciplinary teams including interpreters, designers and external contractors will be essential, and you’ll need creative skills and design judgement experience to be able to successfully manage content development for a variety of target audiences.
More information on the role, including a full job description and person specification, can be downloaded from the information brochure.
Interested candidates should send a CV and covering letter outlining the skills and experience you could bring to the post to recruitment@rbge.org.uk, along with a completed equal opportunities questionnaire from our website, by midday on Fri. 14th May. Interviews will be held in the week commencing 24th May.
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.
- Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager
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Starting salary £31.5k-£34.2k pro rata (pay award pending), plus civil service pension and other benefits.
Part-time - 22.2 hours per week
Based in Edinburgh/remotely
3 year fixed-term position
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. We are at a hugely exciting time in our 350 year history as we look to deliver the Edinburgh Biomes project, a seven year capital build programme to restore our heritage glasshouses, create a stunning new public glasshouse, and build new research facilities.
We are about to launch a new 5-year corporate strategy in response to the biodiversity crisis and climate emergency while delivering for Scotland and the World. As part of that strategy, we are striving to be an organisation which ensures equity and inclusion in all dimensions of our work, locally and globally. This includes achieving a step change in equality for Black and People of Colour, while continuing to respect and value a diverse range of perspectives.
The purpose of the Equality Diversity & Inclusion Manager role is to champion the integration of EDI principles into daily working life at RBGE at an organisational level. We’re looking to further develop an environment free from discrimination of any kind, and in partnership with colleagues to seek opportunities to influence and sustain change at a societal level both nationally and internationally.
This role will support us in our ambition to broaden representation in science and horticulture, enhance employment and career development opportunities and address barriers to participation, while closing skills gaps in taxonomic expertise, biodiversity conservation and horticulture, and supporting equity in access to education and knowledge.
This is a new role with a pan-RBGE focus designed to manage the delivery of our EDI agenda, plans and ambitions, including outcomes identified in our forthcoming racial justice report.
More information on the role, including a full job description and person specification, can be downloaded from the information brochure.
Interested candidates should send a CV and covering letter outlining the skills and experience you could bring to the post to recruitment@rbge.org.uk, along with a completed equal opportunities questionnaire from our website, by midday on Mon. 24th May. Interviews will be held on Thurs. 3rd June.
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.
- Head of Major Gifts
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Starting salary £50K, plus civil service pension and other benefits
37 hours per week based in Edinburgh/remotely
Fixed-term – 7 year contract
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 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. We are at a hugely exciting time in our 350 year history as we look to deliver the Edinburgh Biomes project, a seven year capital build programme to restore our heritage glasshouses, create a stunning new public glasshouse, and build new research facilities.
As part of this we are looking to significantly expand our dynamic fundraising team, and have created an exciting new role of Head of Major Gifts to help lead us in delivering the Biomes project. The postholder will work alongside our Director of Development to shape and implement a series of ambitious fundraising campaigns to maximise our income and engagement and deliver against targets.
This is a key post in our fundraising team and will be critical to the success of the project. Applicants will need to have experience of managing high level prospects across mixed portfolios, and a strong track record in securing significant gifts and grants.
More information on the role, including a full job description and person specification, can be downloaded from the information brochure. Further information on the Edinburgh Biomes project can also be found there at https://www.rbge.org.uk/news/edinburgh-biomes. Informal enquiries on the role can be addressed to elacroix@rbge.org.uk
Interested candidates should send a CV and covering letter outlining the skills and experience you could bring to the post to recruitment@rbge.org.uk, along with a completed equal opportunities questionnaire from our website, by 5pm on Mon. 31st May. Interviews will be held on 17th & 18th June.
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.
- Alpine Trainee Placement
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Full time, fixed term (12 months) starting in August 2021
Placement split with 6 months in RHS Harlow Carr and 6 months at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - funded by the Alpine Garden Society
Salary: £21,213 (Pay Band B)
We have an opportunity for a Horticulturist to develop their knowledge and skills working with Alpine collections at both the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and RHS Harlow Carr. This placement will be split into two six month blocks, starting at Harlow Carr. The successful applicant will also spend time working at Mardale conservation project in Yorkshire gaining valuable experience in conservation management
You will receive training in all aspects of growing alpine plants and how to use these plants effectively in displays. This will include being involved in maintaining and enhancing the alpine collections at both gardens, propagation, and maintenance of alpine collections as well as data recording. In addition, time will be spent visiting other gardens and institutes.
Applicants should have a passion for growing alpines and be qualified to SVQ Level 1/2 or equivalent, can work to a very high standard, be computer literate, able to work in a group situation or individually, be highly motivated and be a good communicator. Additionally, the successful candidate should ideally have some knowledge of botanical horticulture and garden maintenance.
Please click here for a full job description and person specification which outlines the key and specific responsibilities as well as the essential and desirable criteria for this post.
Applicants should send a CV and covering letter, which outlines their suitability for the post as well as a completed equal opportunities form to recruitment@rbge.org.uk by midnight on Tuesday, 01 June 2021. Interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams and will be held in early June.
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.
- Outdoor Nursery Project Officer
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8 months, fixed term, based in Edinburgh
Part Time 29.6 hours, 5 days per week
Salary £26,756 to £29,779 pro rata (Band C)
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) have an exciting opportunity for an Outdoor Nursery Project Officer to join our Education team.
You will be responsible for a pilot project which aims to identify the feasibility of delivering an outdoor nursery for young children (aged 3 – 5) at RBGE. The botanical collection offers a magical opportunity to engage learners as early as possible, with the aim of having a positive impact on their long-term connection with nature and actions towards addressing the climate emergency. We are working with 2 nursery partners on this project, and it will be your responsibility to liaise with our partners (and parents as necessary), prepare an identified site for use (including risk assessments and equipment ordering as required), develop and deliver curriculum focused sessions 4 times per week, provide regular evaluation reports, and contribute to a final feasibility study to help guide the future direction of early years provision at RBGE. In the last year, RBGE education has undergone a period of significant transformation and consideration of the potential opportunities for greater nursery provision onsite is an important step in this ongoing journey.
Applicants should be appropriately qualified early years practitioners, ideally with outdoor learning or forest school experience/training. You need to possess a passion for working outdoors, with young children and an interest in the environment, horticulture and/or botany will be advantageous. You should bring a flexible approach to enable you to adapt your delivery based on the interests of the children and the seasons/weather. Excellent presentation and written communication skills are a must, and some experience of evaluation and social science research will be required. We are looking for a confident, enthusiastic educator who can deliver this project from earliest inception to final report.
This post would be considered as regulated work with vulnerable children and/or protected adults as specified in the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. The successful candidate will therefore be required to become a PVG Scheme member or undergo a PVG scheme update if they are already a member, prior to employment commencing.
A full job description and person specification can be downloaded from this page.
Interested applicants should send a CV and covering letter which outlines your suitability for this post as well as a completed equal opportunities questionnaire to recruitment@rbge.org.uk by 2nd June 2021. Interviews will likely take place on or around 14th June 2021. Ideally we are looking for someone to commence in post by mid/late July 2021.
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.
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