Plant Taxonomist is mainly responsible for –

• (a)To conduct identification of medicinal plants and Chinese medicines (CM) for the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute;
• (b)To draw up standard operating procedures for the collection and preservation of plant specimens;
• (c)To provide advice on and formulate plans for the arrangement and storage of plant specimens;
• (d)To assist in the preparation, cataloguing and data collection of various medicinal plant and CM specimens, as well as microscopic sections;
• (e)To assist in the management and preservation of CM specimens;
• (f)To assist in the management of the Medicinal Plant Garden;
• (g)To liaise and collaborate with external herbaria;
• (h)To provide training on plant taxonomy and morphological identification techniques for frontline or internal staff; and
  • (i)To perform any other duties as assigned by senior officers.

Candidates should have –

• (a)a Master degree or above in Plant Taxonomy, Botany, 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 and possess in-depth professional knowledge in the identification and classification of herbarium specimens, plant biodiversity, classifications reflecting evolutionary relationships between different plant groups and species, and the authentication of Chinese Materia Medica varieties 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.