A Pharmacognosist is mainly deployed -

• (a)to assist in setting up and designing the various laboratories under a testing centre for Chinese medicines;
• (b)to identify the potential need of pharmacognostical research;
• (c)to assist in planning relevant researches on establishing appropriate marker substance for identification and assay of medicinal plant or proprietary Chinese medicines;
• (d)to assist in carrying out relevant researches on establishing appropriate marker substance for identification and assay of medicinal plant or proprietary Chinese medicines;
• (e)to write up final report of the researches and public articles in scientific journal; and
• (f)to carry out any other duties as assigned by senior officers.

Candidates should have -

• (a)a Master degree or above in Pharmacognosy, or a related subject from a university of Hong Kong, or equivalent (Notes 1 and 2);
• (b)at least four years' relevant full-time experience in the identification of active ingredients contained in the medicinal plant, and possess in-depth professional knowledge in the physical, chemical, biochemical and biological properties of drugs, drug substances or potential drugs or drug substances of natural origin as well as the search for new chemical from natural sources (Note 3);
• (c)excellent communication, interpersonal, analytical and organisation skills; and
• (d)proficiency in written Chinese and English, and good command of spoken Cantonese, Putonghua and English.