Job summary
Want to work at the cutting edge of environmental science? Passionate about making a difference and playing your part in tackling the climate and nature crisis? Forest Research (FR) is all about giving top quality evidence and advice to policymakers and practitioners to make a positive impact on the ground. Internationally recognised, we need people who have the skills and passion to work on excellent science and provide practical solutions for nature.
We’re small enough that your voice is heard, yet large enough, as part of the Forestry Commission, that we have everything on hand to get the job done, as well as a variety of career pathways. Our staff are dedicated to their work and sharing it with others to bring positive change for our planet. And you will find us a flexible and inclusive employer, so you can have a work life balance that is tailor-made to your circumstances. So whether it’s climate or carbon, pests or pathogens, behaviour or biodiversity that interests you, you can be assured of a warm welcome to the team. To find out more, visit forestresearch.gov.uk.
We are seeking to appoint a Laboratory Technician to work in the tree health laboratories located at Alice Holt. The position will be part of the Forest Protection centre at FR. The role will encompass supporting laboratory activities for pathology and entomology in the containment facilities and the main FR laboratories.
Position: Laboratory Technician
Job Type: Full Time
Salary: £30,105 per year
Location: Farnham, Surrey
Job description
The position will be part of a wider laboratory management team who oversee the running of multiple laboratories at the Alice Holt site. The role will play a part in maintaining the laboratories to a good standard and compliant with Health and Safety requirements. They will assist the other laboratory technicians in supporting the research staff and lab managers. They will have the opportunity to learn about and work within a category II containment facility and use a laboratory information management system (LIMS).
Duties will be varied but will include:
- Waste management in the laboratories
- Support and contribute to the maintenance and calibration of equipment
- General laboratory housekeeping. This will include ensuring the labs are kept clean and tidy, cleaning fridges and incubators and defrosting freezers as required.
- Collecting deliveries from reception and delivering them to the correct location on site
- Replenishing laboratory consumables
- Labelling reagents and chemicals and ensuring their correct storage in the laboratories.
- Supervising contractors and service engineers
- Support and help with logging in and preparation of samples to be tested (LIMS)
- Contribute to the writing of COSHH assessments, Risk Assessments, and Standard Operating Procedures.
- Assist with preparation of culture media
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
- Bachelor of Science degree in the area of plant biological sciences, forestry or microbiology, or equivalent experience
- Demonstrated practical experience in a diagnostic or research environment
- Experience with technical laboratory tasks such as making stock solutions, media preparation, and waste sterilisation and disposal
- Good standard of verbal and written communication
- Competent IT user with experience of MS office packages
Desirable Criteria
- Knowledge of plant pests and diseases
- Knowledge of basic techniques used in mycology, bacteriology or identification of pests including culturing or preservation of specimens
- Experience of working in a containment laboratory
- Experience of working in an ISO17025:2017 accredited laboratory
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Working Together
Managing a Quality Service
Delivering at Pace
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
Working Together
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £30,105, Forestry Commission – Forest Research contributes £8,721 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Your career
Excellent professional development opportunities which are tailored to your role, with paid professional membership subscriptions, mentoring, and Civil Service Learning available to all
Access to world class laboratory facilities, as well as state of the art buildings within forest or science park settings
Your work/life balance
Flexible working options such as: up to two days flexi leave per month, blended working, part-time working, paid special leave, career breaks, and unpaid leave. Parents and carers will be supported to enable you to manage work and family responsibilities
A generous annual leave allowance of 25 days on entry increasing by 1 day each year to a maximum of 30 days (pro-rata for part-timers). Plus 2.5 days of additional leave and 8 days’ paid bank/public holidays
Your wellbeing
A culture which promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment
A range of wellbeing benefits including Employee Assistance Programme 24/7
We want you to feel part of something bigger and we encourage a community feel in our workplaces, with everything from cookery competitions to Pilates and fell running, plus topical talks at Wellbeing Wednesdays and Feelgood Fridays
Paid volunteering leave of 3 days per year so you can give back to your community and charitable causes by sharing your skills and time
Your benefits
- A highly competitive Civil Service Pension of 28.97% your salary
- An employee benefits scheme offering discounts on groceries, gym memberships, holidays, days out, online retailers and high street shops
- Cycle to Work scheme and Interest free loans
- Free parking is offered on-site, alongside electric car charging ports
- With maternity, adoption, and/or shared parental leave there’s the flexibility to have up to 26 weeks full pay, followed by 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid leave. Paternity leave of up to two weeks is available with full pay.
Any move to Forest Research from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Please apply at Civil Service Jobs – GOV.UK, you will be asked to supply:
A CV – setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role
A Personal Statement – (limited to 250 words). Please make specific reference to the essential criteria in the person specification
Supply a 250 word response to each of the Behaviours, Delivering at Pace & Working Together
We will use this information to assess your application against the essential criteria in the person specification.
Shortlist
The panel will select a shortlist of candidates whose applications best demonstrate suitability for the role, by considering the evidence provided against the Essential Criteria set out in the Person Specification. Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application.
Sift will take place on 9th January 2026
Interviews are planned to take place in person at Alice Holt week commencing 19th January 2026
If we receive a large volume of applications, then we will sift on CV and the lead behaviour, Working Together Candidates will be expected to answer questions on all behaviours listed at the interview stage.
Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Forest Research which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.
Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Visa Sponsorship
FR holds a licence to sponsor Skilled Workers under the Home Office points-based immigration system. Candidates wishing to apply should note that the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship would depend on an assessment of this role against defined criteria, which include:
- Whether the Job role has been identified as being a Critical Role in FR, which has been identified in the Workforce Plan, and / or
- Whether the Job role is a known Capability gap, which has been identified in the Workforce Plan for the relevant Centre, and
- Evidence of significant recruitment challenges in filling the Job role previously
Skilled Worker sponsorship may be available, subject to an application and assessment process and the Home Office points-based system.
For further details, please refer to the Sponsorship for Skilled Workers – guidance for applicants and managers on our website.
Application Process
Application Deadline
January 8th 2026