Horticultural consultant : Employers and vacancy sources

Like most industries, horticulture has been affected by the recession; in part because of the reductions in funding given to commissioning public bodies and charities. However, a good number of employment opportunities continue to arise around the UK and abroad, and the likelihood of finding employment will be greatly enhanced by geographical mobility.

Typical employers include:

• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)  and its associated agencies, e.g. the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE)  
• Organic Research Centre, Elm Farm (EFRC)  
• ADAS  
• local authorities (county, metropolitan borough and district councils);
• The Highways Agency (HA)  
• national park authorities (National Parks );
• English Heritage  
• The National Trust  
• environmental and conservation bodies;
• The Wildlife Trusts  
• farming and horticultural co-operatives;
• food companies processing, packaging and distributing fresh and processed fruit and vegetables;
• commercial companies supplying products, equipment and services to the industry.

Significant numbers of horticultural consultants are self-employed. The Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC)  and the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants (BIAC)  each have several hundred members.

Sources of vacancies

• Search graduate jobs on this site.
• Horticulture Week  - Thursdays.
• Farmers Weekly  - Fridays.
• New Scientist Jobs  - mainly research-based posts. 
• Opportunities: The Public Sector Media  
• ADAS  
• DEFRA Recruitment  
• National Trust Jobs  
• National and local press.

Useful directories include:

• The British Institute of Agricultural Consultants (BIAC) Directory Search  
• Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) List of Members  

Most consultancies only have a small number of vacancies each year. Many do not recruit on a regular basis and vacancies are advertised as they arise, if at all. Speculative contact with consultancies can be useful as many posts are filled by informal networking.

Recruitment agencies rarely handle vacancies.