Over the coming months we will be recruiting to various roles based at our tree nursery in Newton. To stay updated please set up Job alerts through our current vacancies portal and keep an eye on our social media in the coming weeks/months for more information.

Newton Nursery

Our tree nursery plays a key role for Scotland’s forests and land. Growing trees, not only for the timber industry but also new woodland creation projects and diversifying existing woodland too. Our nursery team are experts in taking a seed on the journey to become a sapling, ensuring the best conditions to develop the healthiest forests possible. 

Newton Nursery is in North East Scotland, around 30 miles from Inverness. This spot was chosen due to its unique microclimate that makes it significantly drier and sunnier than other places in the country. The area is also rich with fertile soil making it the ideal place for the young trees to grow. To learn more about the journey from seed to sapling and the history of Newton nursery follow this link: Newton Nursery - Forestry and Land Scotland

The future

As part of our ambitious redevelopment plans, we are excited to introduce a state-of-the-art 12,000m² glasshouse. The building will be around the size of two football pitches and capable of growing up to 19 million trees a year. Construction is underway on site and we will have our first trees growing in the glasshouse by next spring. 

You can read more about the redevelopment project here: Giant glasshouse to grow trees for future forests - Forestry and Land Scotland.

Head of Plant Seed and Supply

Live date: 22/4/2024

Closing date: 17/5/2024 

Interview date: 29/5/2024 

Interview location: Newton, near Elgin 

Salary: £61,409 - £67,959 

As Head of Plant and Seed Supply you will be accountable, through successful leadership of your team, for the resilient supply of healthy seeds and trees to ensure Scotland’s forests are resilient for generations to come. 

We are seeking a confident individual who will be responsible for establishing and leading a cohesive team comprising both new recruits and existing staff, navigating through a period of operational change with sensitivity and strategic direction. The successful candidate will have the significant benefit of support and learning from the vast technical knowledge and experience of the current post holder, as they remain working with FLS and move ‘sideways’ to focus on the nursery redevelopment project and development of exciting new innovations in plant supply. 

The Head of Plant and Seed Supply is expected to be a role model of continuous improvement, fostering a culture where exploration of new ideas and processes is actively encouraged. You will delegate responsibilities effectively to empower the team to take ownership of their work, make informed decisions, and contribute to the overall success of the organisation. You will also work closely with colleagues across FLS to develop and maintain an understanding of the bigger picture that will inform the direction you set for your team.

You will promote high standards and attention to detail in relation to health and safety, plant health and quality, biosecurity, identifying and learning from examples of best practice within the industry. 

The position will be primarily based at Newton Nursery, with options for a blended working approach. Some travel to sites across Scotland, and occasionally further afield, will be required.  

Job portal - Apply here 

Contact information and a CV template can be found at the bottom of the page.

Coming soon

Nursery Operative

Live date: TBC

Closing date: TBC

Salary: £28,255 - £29,556 

Tractor Drivers

Live date: TBC

Closing date: TBC

Salary: £28,255 - £29,556

We're seeking enthusiastic individuals to join our team, where you will work hands on with the seedlings and contribute to the growth of Scotland’s forests of the future. The roles perform a variety of tasks, both indoors and outdoors, throughout the seasons. While some tasks may be physically demanding and may require weekend work or long days, the rewards are worth it. 

As a Nursery Operative, you'll gain experience in seed sowing, planting, plant care, weeding, pest & disease monitoring, irrigation, and the sorting and packing trees for dispatch. We don’t expect you to be an expert in all of these practices already, but you must be willing to learn. 

If you have experience operating tractors and large machinery, we also have opportunities available. In this role, you'll help maintain our nursery fields and support the overall workload of the team. 

We value safety, plant health, quality, and biosecurity, we're looking for team members who share these values. Attention to detail is key as you work to maintain high standards in everything we do. 

If you're ready to be part of a team that's passionate about Scotland's forests and making a positive impact, we want to hear from you! Register for Job alerts here.

Senior Nursery Operations Manager

Salary: £49,493 - £53,884

Go live date tbc

Nursery Operations Manager and Nursery Managers (Glasshouse and Field)

Salary: £42,055 - £45,291

Go live date tbc

Nursery Supervisor

Salary: £ 31,611 - £ 33,125

Go live date tbc

Dispatch & Logistics Manager

Salary: £34,028 - £36,302

Go live date tbc

Nursery Team Leader

Salary: £34,028 - £36,302

Go live date tbc

What we offer

We understand that changing your role or workplace can be a big decision to make, with many aspects to consider. In addition to a generous pay, holiday and pension package we also offer: 

• Genuine consideration of flexible working options, such as compressed hours and a mixture of virtual, home and remote working
• Employer Pension Contributions of 27.5%
• Flexi-time with the ability to take off up to 2 days per month period (in addition to your annual leave allowance)
• An environment that supports work/life balance for everyone in the team
• Consideration of job sharing opportunities
• Opportunity to pursue continued professional development

Whatever your circumstances, if you think you would be the right fit for our team and meet the essential criteria for the role, we encourage and welcome your application.

How to apply

Please apply through the job portal with your CV and a supporting statement. Your supporting statement should be utilised to give additional evidence of how you meet the essential and desirable criteria. The supporting statement should be no more than 750 words, if the word count is higher we cannot consider the supporting statement as part of the assessment.

• Download - CV template (PDF)
• Download – Application Guidance  

For more information on the application process as a whole, please visit the candidate information section. 

Get in touch

 If you would like further information or have any questions, please contact:

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