Post Doctoral Research Fellow for Pesticidal Chemistry

The salary for this position is £42,153 - £43,419 per annum, depending on skills and experience [Band D]

Our fantastic benefits package includes opportunities for continuous learning, a generous annual leave entitlement, flexible working to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance, an Employee Assistance Programme and other wellbeing support such as cycle to work scheme and discounted gym membership. We also offer a competitive pension, an employee discount scheme and free entry into a wide range of national museums and galleries, as well as access to our own beautiful gardens at Kew and Wakehurst.

We are looking for an ambitious scientist with experience in analytical and natural products chemistry to join the Biological Chemistry group at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. This two-year, Innovate UK-funded project will investigate whether combining natural pyrethrins with Croton megalocarpus seed oil can improve the control of cabbage stem flea beetle in oilseed rape crops and overcome resistance to existing pesticides.

Working with Kew scientists and industry partners, including Pharmaglobal Ltd, you will investigate the chemical properties and insecticidal activity of these natural compounds, optimise their combinations and evaluate their effectiveness. You will also contribute to developing a potential commercial pesticide product, using Kew's facilities for natural products chemistry and collaborating with industry specialists.

Job Profile
Section 1: Job Description
Job Title: Post Doctoral Research Associate for
Pesticidal Chemistry
Post No:
Band: D Job family: Science
Directorate: Science Section/Dept: Trait and Interactions
No. of Direct Reports: No. of Indirect Reports:
Reports to (Position): Research Leader for Natural Products
Job Purpose:
To deliver RBG Kew's mission of finding value from nature by conducting research on synergising pyrethrins using
Croton megalocarpus seed oil for the control of cabbage stem flea beetle in oilseed rape crops.
Job Context:
As part of Kew's work with academic and commercial partners to develop plant -based pest control materials,
particularly, effective alternatives to synthetic insecticides. The post-doctoral research associate will work on a new
Innovate-UK funded private sector/academic collaborative project: Croton oil-synergised pyrethrins for the control of
cabbage stem flea beetle in oilseed rape crops through the Farming Innovation Programme. This project will work in
partnership with Pharmaglobal Ltd, a UK-based pesticide company and Brock & Morten Highfield Farm, where oilseed
rape is grown.
The project will include the use of Croton oil-synergised pyrethrins, which may help overcome pyrethroid resistance
by enhancing the efficacy of natural pyrethrins against resistant CFSB populations.
Accountabilities :
1. Develop an efficacious combination of natural pyrethrins with Croton megalocarpus seed oil for the
control of CSFB in planta. Elucidate synergistic mechanisms and establish optimal dosage rates,
while building on preliminary research from the Innovate UK-funded Pyrethrum in Bloom project.
Demonstrate compatibility and efficacy enhancement, through optimizing synergist ratios,
formulation chemistry, and application parameters for CSFB biology and oilseed rape systems.
Leveraging on Pharmaglobal's formulation expertise you will work with formulators such as Croda
UK to develop a new market ready EW product.
65%
2. Contribute to the supervision of PhD students and other team members (e.g. interns, students,
short-term visitors) and provide training/mentoring in specialist methodologies or procedures.
15%

You will have experience in plant material extraction, guided fractionation, chemical analysis and insecticidal assays, alongside experience operating and interpreting data from techniques such as NMR, LC-MS and GC-MS. Experience testing the biological activity of plant chemicals would be an advantage. This role would suit a natural products chemist, analytical chemist, biochemist or pesticide chemist with an interest in entomology and pest management.

Job Profile
Ability to manage own scientific research project and associated activities
Experience of presenting work at meetings and conferences
Ability to develop ideas for new research projects and income generation
Ability to train others in chemical analysis methods
Desirable
Developing independent collaborative research projects
Experience of fault finding and repair to research equipment
Supervision of a team of staff