What you’ll be doing:

• Assist with the identification of fungal diseases using traditional mycological methods: microscopic examination, isolations, incubations and bait tests.
• Meticulously follow protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Prepare samples for serological and molecular analysis.
• Record symptoms and document evidence, sometimes to deadline
• Contribute to stock control of culture media and consumables.
• Help clean and maintain routinely used facilities and equipment.
• When required, assist with serological and molecular diagnostics and the maintenance of the culture collection.
• Deliver work in accordance with ISO17025 and ISO9001 quality accreditation standards.

What we’re looking for:

• Ideally, you’ll have science qualification, preferable in Biology, Microbiology or Horticulture with an interest in Mycology and plant diseases
• 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 follow protocols/SOPs and work in an organised manner to meet deadlines whilst maintaining high standards.
• Additional desirable skills: experience of working in a busy laboratory; experience of working to accredited standards such as ISO 17025 and ISO 9001 and aseptic techniques

About Fera

At Fera, we’re making the world a better, healthier and safer place. We’re a joint venture partnership between Capita and Defra and we’re working proactively to protect the world we live in and the food we eat. Fera is a national and international centre of excellence for interdisciplinary investigation and problem solving across plant and bee health, crop protection, sustainable agriculture, food and feed quality and chemical safety in the environment. Join us and contribute to delivering world-class science for the future.

Fera are part of Capita Plc, a leading UK provider of technology enabled business services. We’re supporting and improving the lives of millions of people every day and we can only do this with the right people in place, working towards a shared goal. We encourage an open, honest working environment where everyone can be true to themselves and people are valued for their differences. We’re always challenging each other to learn and improve, because we know when we work together, we can deliver better outcomes. We work across such a huge range of businesses and sectors, that you’ll have the opportunity to grow and develop your career in any number of directions.

What’s in it for you?

• A competitive basic salary form £18,525
• 23 days’ holiday (rising to 27) with the opportunity to buy extra leave
• 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
• Access to our Employee Network Groups, which represent every strand of diversity and allow colleagues to connect and learn from each other on an open, inclusive platform

You’ll get the chance to follow your chosen career path anywhere in Capita. You’ll be joining a network of 63,000 experienced, innovative and dedicated individuals across multiple disciplines and sectors. There are countless opportunities to learn new skills and develop in your career, and we’ll provide the support you need to do just that. Our purpose is to create a better outcome for you.

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.

To view our Covid-19 and process adjustments information, please visit the Capita Careers site.

Equal Opportunities

We’re an equal opportunity employer, which means we’ll consider all suitably qualified applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, age, sexual orientation, disability status or any other protected characteristic. We recruit and develop our people based on merit and their passion for creating better outcomes, and we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. During the application process, you’ll be asked to share your personal characteristics and data with us. This helps us understand our audience so we can make sure we are doing everything we can to attract a diverse range of people and ensure our recruitment processes are fair and inclusive.