Plant Health Inspector - Winter

Scotland is recognised internationally as a world leader in seed potato production, thanks to the exceptionally high health status of crops grown here. Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) plays a vital role in maintaining these standards and is the body responsible for the certification of seed potato crops in Scotland.

An opportunity has arisen within SASA, for two temporary Plant Health Inspectors to work in the Grampian (Moray, Banffshire, Aberdeenshire) area. SASA is a division of the Scottish Government’s Agriculture and Rural Delivery Directorate (ARDD) and provides expert scientific advice and services to the Agriculture and Rural Economy (ARE) Directorate and the wider Scottish Government on matters relating to crops and the environment.

Working as part of a team of inspectors, you will support Scotland’s seed potato industry by inspecting seed potato consignments and collecting soil samples from fields intended for seed potato production, specifically for the detection of potato cyst nematode. These seasonal roles generally operate between September and May, with work allocated by local area offices in line with customer demand for tuber inspection and soil sampling. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to Scotland’s agricultural success while gaining hands-on experience in plant health and regulatory inspection.

Full, comprehensive training will be given to successful candidates in the identification of potato tuber diseases, tuber inspections and soil sampling method.

Daily rate of £129.82 per day (travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed where appropriate).

Responsibilities

• Support area office travelling between farms to inspect seed potato consignments for a number of different growers.
• Identify faults in the crops and record results of inspection in accordance with best practice.
• Support office travelling between farms drawing soil for the purposes of potato cyst nematode detection.
  
  

Qualifications

Valid driving licence which enables you to drive in the UK - Please confirm in your CV/Personal Statement that you hold this qualification.

Success profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

Behaviours

• Making effective decisions – Level 2
• Communicating and influencing – Level 2
• Working together - Level 2
• Developing self and others - Level 2
  
  

You can find out more about Success Profiles here: Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot

How To Apply

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 750words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples 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, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an in person interview

and job simulation.

Assessments are scheduled for w/c 23 February 2026 however this may be subject to change.

About Us

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.

Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Working pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role. For this role, the candidate will be contacted by the local area office to work as and when the need arises according to customer demand for tuber inspection and soil sampling.

Security checks

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.

Equality statement

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Further information

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.