Join us as a Team Manager and make an invaluable contribution to our Food Safety & Biosecurity!

As a Team Manager you will be based in the Detection & Surveillance Technologies (DST) Team within the Plant Protection Business Unit. The DST team is a multidisciplinary group of molecular biologists and project managers, working collaboratively with other teams in the areas of plant health, food safety, environmental science, and other disciplines. The team is engaged in innovative R&D work internally at Fera and collaboratively with partners for public-sector and private-sector customers. This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing team, working in a vibrant and highly multidisciplinary environment.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead and manage a team of molecular scientists & project managers, providing visible leadership and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Provide effective support to staff by facilitating access to resources and offering guidance to enable the successful management of their projects.
• Promote innovation within the team by encouraging collaboration among members with diverse expertise and across other business units.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues both within and outside of your team to shape Fera’s strategy and business plan.
• Translate Fera's overarching goals into actionable plans and performance objectives, ensuring alignment with team efforts.
• Conduct mid-year and annual performance reviews and hold monthly one-to-one meetings with each team member to drive continuous improvement and personal development. Provide constructive feedback and coaching to proactively address performance issues.
• Champion effective communication channels to facilitate smooth operations and cultivate strong working relationships within the team and across other business units.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks (e.g., ISO 17025, ISO 9001, H&S, licensing) and promote best practices across the business.

What we’re looking for:

• A dynamic, responsible, and highly organised individual. You are either a manager with a passion for science, or a scientist with excellent communication skills, project management experience and a strong interest in developing people management expertise.
• A BSc or equivalent level qualification in Science or other relevant subject, along with at least 1 year of relevant experience working with collaborative teams and functional management of scientists and/or project managers.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to inspire and motivate others.
• Strong understanding of service delivery and project management requirements, with demonstrated leadership in driving others to achieve significant milestones.
• Proven ability to support and encourage innovation in developing new services and in improving existing ones to increase both profitability and quality.
• Strong understanding of quality standards (e.g., ISO 17025 and ISO 9001) and regulatory requirements in scientific operations.
• Practical IT skills in software packages such as Microsoft Word and Excel.

What’s in it for you?

• ​23 days’ holiday (rising to 27) with the opportunity to buy extra leave.
• Flexible working hours, on-site gym, restaurant, and free parking
• The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice
• Company matched pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks’ fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks…and plenty more.
• Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle – from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology
• Access to our Employee Network Groups, which represent every strand of diversity and allow colleagues to connect and learn from each other on an open, inclusive platform
• Fera operates a LTIP ( Long Term Incentive Plan) under which all employees are awarded points towards shares in the Employee Benefits Trust on an annual basis. The Employee Benefits Trust holds shares on behalf of our employee, at the point of an equity event the shares will realise a cash value.

What we hope you’ll do next:

Choose ‘Apply now’ to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you. If you have any questions you’d like to ask before applying, you can contact

We’re an equal opportunity employer, which means we recruit and develop people based on their merit and passion. We’re committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone. If you need the job description or application form in an alternative format or if you’d like to discuss other changes or support you might need going forward, please email at and we’ll get back to you.