Postdoctoral Researcher in Solanaceae Phylogenomics

About Us

We are a world‑class visitor attraction and leading science research centre. We use the Museum's unique collections and our unrivalled expertise to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today. We care for more than 80 million objects spanning billions of years and welcome more than five million visitors annually and 16 million visits to our website. Today the Museum is more relevant and influential than ever. By attracting people from a range of backgrounds to work for us, we can continue to look at the world with fresh eyes and find new ways of doing things. We employ 1100 staff in a variety of roles, all united by our vision of a future where people and planet thrive. We need everyone to have the passion and drive to help us with our mission to create advocates for our planet and inspire millions to care about the natural world. Diversity and inclusion matter to us. Our vision is of a future where both people and the planet thrive. Diversity is one of our core values and we strive to build a workplace where everyone feels a sense of belonging. All new staff who join us learn about the importance of diversity and inclusion to the Museum and how to contribute to creating an inclusive environment. We know we have more to do, but we are committed to ensuring that everyone who works at the Museum feels they can thrive and feel valued and respected.

About the role

We are looking for a postdoctoral level scientist with skills in phylogenetic and morphological analysis to work as part of a team investigating the evolution of the mega‑diverse plant genus Solanum, a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). We expect the appointee to produce, collate and analyse DNA sequence and morphological data for clades of Solanum species, focusing on the diverse “spiny solanums”, in either Australia or the Americas. You will join an international team of Solanaceae scientists, whose work spans biodiversity and genomics. The group works collaboratively and globally, with joint field work and papers. We expect the appointee to have had experience of working in the field collecting plants, in the laboratory with molecular sequences and in silico with phylogenomics data. The candidate will be expected to work independently with minimal day‑to‑day supervision, but collaboratively as part of the wider Solanaceae community.

About you

We are looking for a post‑doctoral researcher to work with a dynamic international team investigating phylogenomics and biogeography in the mega‑diverse plant genus Solanum (Solanaceae) in either Australia or the Americas. You will have a PhD degree in botany or the equivalent, experience in analysis of large phylogenomics datasets and of working in an herbarium with plant specimens, a good publication record, together with the ability to work independently and as a member of a dispersed team.

What we offer

• 27.5 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays (full time equivalent)
• Generous defined contribution Natural History Museum Pension Scheme (employer contribution 4 - 10%)
• Season ticket, bicycle and rental loan
• Life insurance
• Free admission to our exhibitions and many other paid exhibitions at museums, galleries and institutions across London and the UK.
• Staff discount at our Museum shops and cafes
• A wide variety of training initiatives and opportunities to build skills.
• Affordable membership to the Civil Service Sports Council which offers a range of benefits including an extensive list of special offers and reduced entry fees at a selection of cinema chains, theme parks, theatres, retailers and supermarkets.
• Membership to our Sports and Social Association (for a small fee), which includes access to our in‑house gym and clubs such as football, softball, table tennis and tennis and classes in Middle Eastern dance, yoga and Tai Chi.

Hybrid working

We are working towards a vision where both people and planet thrive, and nothing gives a greater connection with this, than seeing first‑hand, the visitors, scientific research and collections that all of our work is inspired by and working side by side with the teams delivering the visitor experience and events. We also recognise the benefits and flexibility that hybrid working brings. The Museum supports flexible working however, due to the nature of this role, the work pattern will be 100% on site.

How to apply

If this sounds like you, please apply below by clicking on Apply for job. Please note that as part of our commitment to anonymised shortlisting, panels do not view CVs during the recruitment process. If you choose to upload your CV, our system will automatically pull information from your CV into our application form. We advise you to double‑check your application form data before submitting as the tool may interpret CVs differently. We’re delighted that many of our vacancies attract a high level of interest. To ensure that every application receives the time and careful consideration it deserves, we closely monitor the number of applications we receive. In some cases, where interest is particularly high, we may close a vacancy to new applications ahead of the advertised closing date. Taking this approach helps us manage the process efficiently while maintaining a fair and thorough shortlisting process for all candidates. We therefore encourage early applications where possible.

Closing date: 1 May 2026 on 23:59

Interviews expected: w/c 25 May 2026

Please note that this role qualifies for Museum sponsorship. Whilst we would still expect the successful postholder to have valid right to work in the UK at the point of starting the role, the Museum can support in obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for this role to apply for future or continued right to work in the UK. Please contact our Recruitment Team at hrteam@nhm.ac.uk if you have any further queries regarding this.