Scientific Assistant - Plant Pathology in Norfolk

We are looking for an enthusiastic, organised, and hardworking individual to join the Plant Pathology Team to support screening plants for resistance to plant diseases.

Job Purpose

To support the Plant Pathology Team in delivering high-quality plant disease resistance screening across different plant hosts and plant pathogens, through a range of laboratory and glasshouse activities carried out under established protocols. The role involves supporting assays run under tropical growth conditions (including assisting with plant set‑up and care during trials); maintaining fungal cultures and preparing inoculum for assays; monitoring and recording relevant environmental conditions during experiments; and collecting, recording, and summarising experimental observations in a clear and traceable manner to ensure robust, reproducible outputs. Training will be provided, with the expectation of building independence over time.

Responsibilities

• Support plant set‑up and plant care during disease assays under tropical growth conditions (e.g., labelling, watering as required, staging plants and basic environmental checks/records)
• Maintain fungal cultures (and other plant pathogens as required) and prepare media, plates and inoculum following SOPs
• Support inoculation and disease assays in the laboratory and glasshouse, including set‑up, sampling and basic phenotyping/scoring
• Collect, record and quality‑check experimental data, updating electronic databases with accurate, traceable documentation
• Work safely and compliantly in containment and controlled environments, following biosafety, stewardship and waste‑disposal procedures
• Contribute to process improvements by identifying issues, proposing solutions and helping to write, review and update SOPs and other documentation to support consistent, efficient screening workflow
• Collaborate with scientists and colleagues on day‑to‑day experimental work and other ad hoc tasks to support project delivery
• Communicate progress, results and any issues promptly to the line manager and project leads, and help ensure work is completed to agreed timelines

Requirements

• Interest in plant pathology, plant-microbe interactions or crop protection (qualification in biology/plant science a plus, but not essential for an entry‑level role)
• Ability to follow SOPs precisely and perform routine experimental tasks to a consistently high standard
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to plan and prioritise work to meet assay timelines
• Strong teamwork skills, with a collaborative and respectful approach to shared laboratory and glasshouse spaces
• Ability to work independently when required, escalating issues appropriately and asking questions when unsure
• Comfortable working in tropical growth/controlled environments (warm, humid conditions) and wearing required PPE for extended periods
• Willingness to learn practical plant pathology techniques (e.g., basic aseptic technique, culture handling, inoculation methods and phenotyping)
• Competent with Microsoft Office (particularly Excel) and confidence entering data into electronic systems (e.g., LIMS / Lab Folder) with attention to detail; a continuous‑improvement mindset, open to sharing ideas and contributing to documentation (e.g., writing/updating SOPs and workflows)
• Flexibility to adapt to changing assay schedules and priorities in a dynamic environment