Scientific Technician - Sustainable Farming

The "Sustainable Grazing Systems Experiment" was established in 2018 to compare different grassland management practices and understand their potential to reduce harmful emissions to the environment by a) replacing inorganic fertilisers with legumes; b) practising cell grazing instead of continuous stocking; and c) manipulating water tables. The post holder will be part of a team responsible for taking detailed measurements of i) greenhouse gas emissions (from animals and soils); ii) grass growth and sward composition; iii) animal performance and system productivity; iv) soil carbon; v) functional biodiversity and iv) water flow and quality in drainage waters. Some of these measurements will be replicated on commercial farms during separate field sampling campaigns.

Specific duties of the post holder include overseeing animal movements, monitoring pasture growth, adjusting grazing areas, collecting environmental and biodiversity samples, processing and analysing data, maintaining and using water sampling devices, handling and weighing cattle, and organising and conducting samplings in commercial farms participating in the ISPs. The post holder will also assist the team with administrative tasks such as placing requisition orders and requesting quotes. It is essential to maintain high-quality data recording and capture for all activities.

The post holder is expected to carry out the duties listed above, as well as any other duties reasonably required by the line manager or Institute, commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility for this post. Applicants must already possess the right to work in the UK since this role cannot sponsor visa applications (annual salary below the required threshold).

Overview: Rothamsted Research is a world-leading, non-profit research centre that focuses on strategic agricultural science to benefit farmers and society worldwide. We are looking for an enthusiastic and adaptable environmental scientist to work on a project called AgZero+ : Towards sustainable, climate-neutral farming, an initiative jointly supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and working in partnership with NERC Institutes.

AgZero+ research will identify and assess on-farm management practices with potential to reduce emissions and/or capture carbon while also having net benefits for production and the environment and combine these to design practical net zero+ farming systems. The post holder will be involved in designing new UK farming systems that can produce sufficient food while reducing emissions and pollution, protecting biodiversity, and enhancing soil health. Specifically, the post holder will be working with grazing livestock systems on a large scale, long-term grazing experiment (see below) and commercial farms in a "Network of Living Farm Labs" in Devon., Established in 1843, Rothamsted Research is one of the UK's leading Research Institutes delivering world class agricultural science. Our commitment to learning and development, equality, diversity and inclusion and flexibility in working arrangements creates a positive work life balance and enables a welcoming environment for all prospective employees.

We have an attractive benefits package including 30 days annual leave, a generous pension scheme, Employee Assistance Programme and an attractive campus offering cultural and recreational activities.