Animal and Plant Health Agency
Plant Health & Seeds Inspector
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Job Summary
The work of the Plant Health and Seed Inspectorate (PHSI) within Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is to maintain and promote a high plant health status in England and Wales, thereby contributing to APHA’s overall strategy of safeguarding animal and plant health status in England and Wales. In doing so, contributing to APHA’s overall strategy of safeguarding animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy.
The aims are achieved by excluding, containing or eradicating quarantine plant pests, regulating other plant pests to secure high quality planting material, and facilitating trade through the provision of plant health certification services. PHSI works to Defra’s strategy to “provide a better place for living” through the exclusion, eradication and containment of quarantine pest and disease and informing / training the general public, stakeholders, government and non-government bodies in plant biosecurity. Inspections on fresh produce in relation to marketing standards will also be conducted in addition to the Plant Health controls.
The Current Posts Available Are:
- South Central - 3 x posts all based at Winchester (Itchen Abbas) but one with the specific delivery area of West Sussex.
- Eastern Region South - 1 x post to be based at New Spitalfields Market E10
Job Description
As a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) you will be reporting to a Senior Executive Officer (SEO), you will plan and undertake a programme of tasks, working independently and/or as part of a team. The range of duties will be dependent on the working region, training, competence and statutory requirements, but may include:
Core Responsibilities
- Manage a designated geographical area: plan, prioritise, delegate, and ensure targets and quality standards are met.
- Line and functional management of EO inspectors for competent delivery of work.
- Act as local incident commander during pest/disease outbreaks.
Statutory Inspections & Compliance
- Inspect imported horticultural produce, plants, and planting material for compliance with import regulations.
- Enforce marketing standards and grading rules for fresh horticultural produce in England and Wales.
- Conduct statutory inspections for Single Market plant health requirements.
- Inspect crops for plant health certification/classification schemes.
- Perform duties under the Plant Varieties and Seeds Act 1964, including crop inspections, seed sampling, and enforcement checks.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Investigations & Enforcement
- Lead investigations and enforcement actions against traders; prepare court-ready case files for CPS.
- Collect and collate criminal evidence for breaches of statutory requirements.
- Conduct scientific licence audits and follow-up actions.
Export Certification
- Certify exports of horticultural produce and plants, issue conformity and phytosanitary certificates, and advise exporters.
Surveys & Sampling
- Carry out crop surveys and soil sampling to prevent spread of pests/diseases.
- Collect samples for olive oil standards, market pricing data, and pesticide residue testing.
Intelligence & Stakeholder Engagement
- Collate and communicate intelligence on plant health issues to Technical Advice Panels (TAP).
- Engage stakeholders to raise awareness of plant health controls and marketing requirements.
- Deliver specialised work on behalf of TAPs.
Plant Health offers a 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week level of service to the trade for import & export certification & biosecurity checks.
Depending on location you may be required to work in a shift pattern. This pattern can be early morning or a late evening shift and can span over weekends and public holidays.
Candidates should expect to work flexibly to meet the varied work patterns defined by business need. You may be required to work at other locations, so candidates must be prepared to occasionally work and stay away from home.
Candidates will need independent access to a car to visit clients / collect samples / carry equipment. Some client locations and working hours preclude the use of public transport. Business mileage will be reimbursed.
Person specification
For this post you will be assessed on the areas set out below. In addition to the below listed criteria we are looking for candidates who are disciplined, organised, able to analyse information with precision. Candidates must be confident even when under pressure and be team players, whilst taking ownership over their own work.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
The Following Experience Criteria Are Essential To This Post:
- Experience of having worked effectively in a people-facing environment.
- Experience of communicating with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience of prioritisation and meeting multiple deadlines under pressure.
- Experience of working with and including providing guidance and advice in accordance with operating procedures, guidance and regulations.
- Ability to work confidently as part of a team or independently in order to achieve team goals and objectives.
Licences Essential to this post
- Full Valid UK Driving licence (evidence to be provided at interview).
Qualifications
Essential to this post, and will be tested at both sift and interview:
- Minimum of a HND or equivalent qualification in Agriculture/Horticulture/ Biological Science or Knowledge of plants and horticulture to a working level equivalent to that of an HND.
- (If you are a final year student at College or university we will accept a predicted grade and use your completed course modules and in field experience that you outline in your CV and personal statement to judge your suitability).
Why work for APHA?
- Alongside your salary of £35,895, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £10,398 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
- Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an average employer contribution of 28.7%.
- A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
- An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities tailored to your role.
- Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
- A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 60% of their time in the office (minimum 60%).
Closing Date
- 11:55pm on 20th October 2026
To find out more and to apply - Plant Health & Seeds Inspector - Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UK
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London