How to apply

How to apply: step by step

Choose your role

A list of opportunities can be found within our Careers portal.

See our current vacancies

To apply, click on the job title of the role to view the advert, and click on the ‘Apply for this job’ button at the bottom of the page.

Register or Login

• If you are a new applicant, you will need to register for an account. 
• If you have previously applied for a job with us, you will need to log in to your account to complete your application. If you have forgotten your password, you can easily reset it by clicking on the forgotten password option; make sure to check your junk mail if you think the link has not arrived.

Complete the application form

The application form provides all the information we require to shortlist. You will need to complete all sections of the application form to submit an application. 

You can save your application as you go; you do not have to complete all the sections at once. To revisit your application, you will need to log in to the candidate portal.

If the role you are applying for has specifically asked for you to upload documents in the advert text (i.e. publication record), you can do so in the ‘document upload’ section. Please do not upload CV’s as they will not be considered. This is to ensure that your application is anonymous, and that our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible. 

Relevant skills and abilities 

This is the most important section of your application as this is where we will look for evidence of the skills we need. It is essential that this section is completed. 

There are three different questions in this section, each with a character limit. They include a question on your reasons for applying for the role, Kew’s values, and examples of your relevant skills, abilities, knowledge and experience to support your application. The latter is in relation to the essential criteria set out in the person specification of the job profile, which is published with each advert. 

You should focus on providing evidence and specific examples which demonstrate your suitability for the role. For each of the essential criteria in the person specification, you should provide an overview of your skills and experience, and then go on to provide direct examples to clearly show how you meet the requirement.

We value transferrable skills and encourage applicants who do not have direct experience through employment to provide examples from other areas that meet the requirements, for example through volunteering or education.

Pre-employment checks

If you are offered a role with Kew, we will send you an offer letter electronically and information on the next steps.

All offers are conditional based on receipt of satisfactory references and, where applicable, additional pre-employment checks. We follow the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, which is the recognised standard of screening for individuals with access to government assets. 

Depending on the position you are offered, the checks may include a Basic Disclosure or an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Having a previous conviction will not necessarily prevent you from working with us. In accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974), we consider each situation on an individual basis.

Additionally, in accordance with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, all staff are required to provide documentation to prove their legal right to work in the UK.