Plant Tissue Culture Technician

Job description

We are seeking an experienced **Plant Tissue Culture Technician** responsible for the laboratory-based propagation of rare, endangered, difficult-to-propagate, and high-value plant species using **tissue culture and micropropagation techniques**. The role will support living plant collections, plant conservation programmes, and specialised in-vitro propagation activities. The successful candidate will establish and maintain sterile laboratory conditions, prepare culture media, initiate and maintain plant cultures, monitor plant development, and support the acclimatisation of tissue-cultured plants. ### Key Responsibilities * Propagate rare, endangered, difficult-to-propagate, and high-value plant species using tissue culture and micropropagation techniques. * Initiate, establish, multiply, root, and maintain **in-vitro plant cultures** according to species-specific protocols. * Select and prepare suitable explant material for tissue culture initiation. * Perform surface sterilisation and maintain strict aseptic techniques to minimise contamination. * Prepare and modify plant tissue culture media, including nutrients, vitamins, plant growth regulators, carbohydrates, and gelling agents. * Monitor cultures for growth, development, contamination, physiological abnormalities, and overall performance. * Conduct routine subculturing and transfer plant material under sterile conditions. * Maintain appropriate temperature, photoperiod, light intensity, and other environmental conditions for tissue cultures. * Operate, clean, sterilise, and maintain laboratory equipment including **autoclaves, laminar-flow cabinets, growth chambers, balances, pH meters, and microscopes**. * Monitor equipment performance and coordinate maintenance and calibration requirements. * Implement laboratory cleaning, sterilisation, contamination-control, and waste-management procedures. * Identify sources of microbial contamination and implement corrective and preventive measures. * Support the transfer and acclimatisation of tissue-cultured plants from **in-vitro to ex-vitro** conditions. * Develop, refine, document, and standardise tissue culture protocols for priority plant species. * Maintain detailed records covering explant sources, media formulations, culture dates, subcultures, treatments, contamination rates, multiplication rates, rooting success, and plant survival. * Maintain laboratory inventories of culture media components, consumables, chemicals, glassware, and sterile materials. * Support plant conservation and recovery programmes for endangered, threatened, rare, and difficult-to-propagate species. * Assist with research and trials aimed at improving propagation success. * Provide practical training and technical guidance to staff, interns, and students. * Ensure laboratory activities comply with applicable health, safety, chemical handling, biological material, biosecurity, and laboratory operating requirements. **Requirements** * Degree in **Biology, Plant Biology, Botany, Biotechnology, Plant Sciences, Horticulture**, or a related field. * Formal training in **plant tissue culture, micropropagation, plant biotechnology**, or related laboratory techniques is preferred. * **Minimum 5+ years of relevant laboratory experience** involving plant tissue culture and micropropagation. * Demonstrated practical experience in **culture initiation, multiplication, subculturing, rooting, and culture maintenance**. * Experience propagating **rare, endangered, difficult-to-propagate, or high-value plant species** is highly desirable. * Strong practical experience in **explant selection, preparation, surface sterilisation, and aseptic handling**. * Demonstrated experience preparing and modifying plant tissue culture media and working with **plant growth regulators**. * Extensive experience maintaining sterile laboratory conditions and controlling contamination. * Hands-on experience operating **autoclaves, laminar-flow cabinets, growth chambers, pH meters, balances, microscopes**, and related laboratory equipment. * Experience identifying and troubleshooting contamination, culture decline, abnormal growth, poor multiplication, and rooting problems. * Experience monitoring environmental conditions for in-vitro cultures. * Experience with **hardening and acclimatisation** of tissue-cultured plants to greenhouse or nursery environments. * Experience developing, testing, refining, or documenting species-specific micropropagation protocols. * Strong laboratory record-keeping, data-management, inventory-management, and technical documentation skills. * Experience supporting **plant conservation, ex-situ conservation, or endangered species propagation** projects is preferred. * Ability to collaborate effectively with **botanists, horticulturists, researchers, conservation specialists, and academic institutions**. * Demonstrated ability to train staff, interns, students, or laboratory personnel in tissue culture techniques. * Strong troubleshooting, analytical, observational, and problem-solving skills. * Strong attention to detail and ability to perform laboratory procedures consistently and precisely. * Previous experience in a **botanic garden, plant tissue culture laboratory, research institution, university, conservation facility, commercial micropropagation laboratory, or comparable plant-science environment** is preferred

Requirements

• We are seeking an experienced **Plant Tissue Culture Technician** responsible for the laboratory-based propagation of rare, endangered, difficult-to-propagate, and high-value plant species using **tissue culture and micropropagation techniques**.
• Requirements** * Degree in **Biology, Plant Biology, Botany, Biotechnology, Plant Sciences, Horticulture**, or a related field.
• Formal training in **plant tissue culture, micropropagation, plant biotechnology**, or related laboratory techniques is preferred.
• Minimum 5+ years of relevant laboratory experience** involving plant tissue culture and micropropagation.
• Demonstrated practical experience in **culture initiation, multiplication, subculturing, rooting, and culture maintenance**.
• Experience propagating **rare, endangered, difficult-to-propagate, or high-value plant species** is highly desirable.
• Strong practical experience in **explant selection, preparation, surface sterilisation, and aseptic handling**.
• Demonstrated experience preparing and modifying plant tissue culture media and working with **plant growth regulators**.
• Extensive experience maintaining sterile laboratory conditions and controlling contamination.
• Hands-on experience operating **autoclaves, laminar-flow cabinets, growth chambers, pH meters, balances, microscopes**, and related laboratory equipment.
• Experience identifying and troubleshooting contamination, culture decline, abnormal growth, poor multiplication, and rooting problems.
• Experience monitoring environmental conditions for in-vitro cultures.
• Experience with **hardening and acclimatisation** of tissue-cultured plants to greenhouse or nursery environments.
• Experience developing, testing, refining, or documenting species-specific micropropagation protocols.
• Experience supporting **plant conservation, ex-situ conservation, or endangered species propagation** projects is preferred.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with **botanists, horticulturists, researchers, conservation specialists, and academic institutions**.
• Demonstrated ability to train staff, interns, students, or laboratory personnel in tissue culture techniques.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to perform laboratory procedures consistently and precisely.
• Previous experience in a **botanic garden, plant tissue culture laboratory, research institution, university, conservation facility, commercial micropropagation laboratory, or comparable plant-science environment** is preferred

Skills