Job Description

Join us as an Assistant Scientist and make an invaluable contribution to our Food Safety & Biosecurity!
The purpose of this role is to prepare and test samples, using molecular biology analysis, for plant health pests and diseases and to report on work to line manager and senior staff as appropriate. In addition to the day-to-day service delivery work, this role involves assistance with maintenance of laboratory consumables, equipment and facilities as well as working within quality systems, required as part of official accreditation schemes such as ISO 17025.
What you'll be doing:

• Assist with the diagnosis of plant diseases using molecular diagnostics (including real-time and conventional PCR)
• Assist with surveys and projects to monitor for the presence of plant disease, key elements include:
• Processing samples for diagnostic analysis using molecular techniques.
• Preparation and labelling of consumables
• Stock control/ordering consumables used in diagnostic work
• Assist in validation and implementation of improvements in detection methods.
• Help to clean and maintain routinely used facilities and equipment.
• Carry out work in accordance with ISO17025 and ISO9001 quality accreditation standards.
• Assist with the production of media and buffers where necessary.
• Book in samples onto electronic database as required.

What we're looking for:

• Preferably you'll have 5 GCSEs at Grade C or above (including English and Maths or Science) or equivalent experience.
• The post holder will be expected to work in a laboratory and meticulously follow protocols and standard operating procedures.
• You'll have good customer service skills and be able to prioritise your work in a busy environment.
• We are looking for someone with excellent team working skills, who cares for the quality of their work and asks questions when unclear. Our ideal candidate will have excellent written and verbal communication; they will be able to work in an organised manner to deliver work as efficiently as possible to meet deadlines whilst maintaining high standards. They will also need to be able to lift heavy samples of up to 10Kg.

Additional skills that will be desirable are practical laboratory experience in molecular biology or plant pathology, working with quarantine pathogens, an interest in plants and plant diseases, good IT skills particularly using databases and Microsoft applications including Outlook, and experience of working to accredited standards such as ISO 17025 and ISO 9001
What's in it for you?

• ?25 days' holiday (rising to 29) with the opportunity to buy & sell 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
• Fera operates a LTIP ( Long Term Incentive Plan) under which all employees are awarded points towards shares in the Employee Benefits Trust on an annual basis. The Employee Benefits Trust holds shares on behalf of our employee, at the point of an equity event the shares will realise a cash value.

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
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 and we'll get back to you.
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.

Skills Required