Main Purpose of Job Two field and Lab assistants are required to assist with research relating to cover crops and the impact of tillage on plant:soil interactions, linked to Scottish Government funded research programme. We need help with sampling two currently running field trials. One is a long-term field trial investigating the long term effects of tillage (ploughing vs non inversion tillage - https://virtualtours.hutton.ac.uk/grieveshousetour/ ) and rotations on soil and crop productivity, especially linked to processes that occur between plant genotype and the soil processes. The other field experiment is looking at processes involved in the successful establishment of winter cover crops in the Scottish climate. Winter cover crops can be used to build soil health, but the local climate means the window of opportunity for establishment is limited. The post-holder will assist with the sampling of these trials and the post-processing of samples using established protocols, including assessment of biomass and soil chemical and physical analysis. Main Duties of Postholder Field sampling of plants and soils to set protocols. Processing of field samples, including but not limited to separation and weighing of plant and soil sampling. Photography of samples. Assistance in preparing samples for analytical processing. Recording data from both field and lab measurements. Person Specification Education/Experience/Skills Essential Ability to be hands-on and follow instructions in fields and sampling methods Ability to adhere to health & safety instructions Interest in cropping systems / agriculture Numerate and ability to record measurements accurately Willing to work under both lab and field conditions (i.e. outdoors) Desirable Qualification in science subject Ability to use excel / learn to run and follow instructions for use of un familiar computer programmes Benefits offered Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - A confidential service available to support employees and their families with work or personal problems. Providing access to professional counsellors, psychologists, and work-life consultants available to help and support individuals in tackling all types of problems. Annual Leave – Generous entitlement up to 40.5 days a year, with carry over possible and guaranteed time-off for Christmas. Pension - Employer Contribution of 15% in a Personal Pension Plan and employee contribution flexibility. Self-managed hours and Flexible Working – option to manage and spread your working time in line with organisational needs to create a healthy work life balance. Additional Notes Please note the minimum salary threshold for a Skilled Worker Visa is currently £38,700.00. If the advertised salary for this posts falls below this threshold, we regret to advise that we may not be able to provide a Certificate of Sponsorship to a non-UK citizen for this role. Applicants who do not meet the conditions to be sponsored as per the UK governments page ( https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/when-you-can-be-paid-less ) will need to demonstrate an alternative right to work. Our Commitment to Equality and Diversity We will not consider the use of 3rd party recruitment agencies for the sourcing of candidates for this position. The James Hutton Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. The James Hutton Institute is a: Stonewall Diversity Champion; Athena SWAN Bronze Status Holder; Disability Confident Committed Employer and a Living Wage Employer. The James Hutton Institute is Happy to Talk Flexible Working. The Company The James Hutton Institute combines strengths in crops, soils and land use and environmental research, and makes a major contribution to the understanding of key global issues, such as food, energy and environmental security, and developing and promoting effective technological and management solutions to these. James Hutton (1726 – 1797) was a leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, an eighteenth century golden age of intellectual and scientific achievements centred on Edinburgh. He is internationally regarded as the founder of modern geology and one of the first scientists to describe the Earth as a living system. His thinking on natural selection influenced Charles Darwin in developing his theory of evolution. Our Values We respect and value our people and the people we engage with We want to make a difference We strive to be excellent in everything we do We lead by example We foster creativity and innovation Documents