Plant Health & Seeds Inspector in Swineshead

The work of the Plant Health and Seed Inspectorate (PHSI) within Defra's Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is to maintain and promote a high plant health status in England and Wales, thereby contributing to APHA's overall strategy of safeguarding animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy. The aims are achieved by excluding, containing or eradicating quarantine plant pests, regulating other plant pests to secure high quality planting material, and facilitating trade through the provision of plant health certification services. PHSI works to Defra's strategy to "provide a better place for living" through the exclusion, eradication and containment of quarantine pest and disease and informing/training the general public, stakeholders, government and non‑government bodies in plant biosecurity.

Inspections on fresh produce in relation to marketing standards will also be conducted in addition to the Plant Health controls. As a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) you will be reporting to a Senior Executive Officer (SEO), you will plan and undertake a programme of tasks, working independently and/or as part of a team. The range of duties will be dependent on the working region, training, competence and statutory requirements, but may include:

• Core Responsibilities
• Manage a designated geographical area: plan, prioritise, delegate, and ensure targets and quality standards are met.
• Line and functional management of EO inspectors for competent delivery of work.
• Act as local incident commander during pest/disease outbreaks.
• Statutory Inspections & Compliance
• Inspect imported horticultural produce, plants, and planting material for compliance with import regulations.
• Enforce marketing standards and grading rules for fresh horticultural produce in England and Wales.
• Conduct statutory inspections for Single Market plant health requirements.
• Inspect crops for plant health certification/classification schemes.
• Perform duties under the Plant Varieties and Seeds Act 1964, including crop inspections, seed sampling, and enforcement checks.
• Investigations & Enforcement
• Lead investigations and enforcement actions against traders; prepare court‑ready case files for CPS.
• Collect and collate criminal evidence for breaches of statutory requirements.
• Conduct scientific licence audits and follow‑up actions.
• Export Certification
• Certify exports of horticultural produce and plants, issue conformity and phytosanitary certificates, and advise exporters.
• Surveys & Sampling
• Carry out crop surveys and soil sampling to prevent spread of pests/diseases.
• Collect samples for olive oil standards, market pricing data, and pesticide residue testing.
• Intelligence & Stakeholder Engagement
• Collate and communicate intelligence on plant health issues to Technical Advice Panels (TAP).
• Engage stakeholders to raise awareness of plant health controls and marketing requirements.
• Deliver specialised work on behalf of TAPs.

Plant Health offers a 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week level of service to the trade for import & export certification & biosecurity checks. Depending on location you may be required to work in a shift pattern. This pattern can be early morning or a late evening shift and can span over weekends and public holidays. Candidates should expect to work flexibly to meet the varied work patterns defined by business need. You may be required to work at other locations, so candidates must be prepared to occasionally work and stay away from home. Candidates will need independent access to a car to visit clients/collect samples/carry equipment. Some client locations and working hours preclude the use of public transport. Business mileage will be reimbursed.

Disability Confident: A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. For more details please visit our website.