Specimen Preparer

We are recruiting for a Specimen Preparer to join the Specimen Preparation Team within the Science Directorate. As part of this team, that includes five other Specimen Preparers, the successful candidate will contribute to the creation of over 35,000 herbarium specimens annually. The Herbarium at Kew contains around 7 million preserved vascular plant specimens, these specimens contain a wealth of information about plants and are used by Kew Scientists and researchers across the globe in studies into biodiversity, conservation, ecology and sustainable development. The post holder will be a highly motivated individual, able to contribute to the herbarium collections by producing herbarium specimens to Kew standards in a timely way.

We are looking for a highly motivated individual with excellent organisational skills and the ability to undertake repetitive tasks through to completion. You will be keen to work as part of a team, but also have the ability to work alone and make independent decisions when preparing specimens.

The successful candidate will have good manual dexterity and an ability to work quickly and precisely. They will learn new skills, be able to demonstrate the specimen preparation process to others and be confident interacting with the public and visitors in an engaging manner.