Educated at Bangor University and Royal Holloway College after several postdoctoral positions Jane moved to the University of Westminster (then Polytechnic of Central London) as a Lecturer in 1990. She held positions there as a Senior Lecturer, Reader and was appointed as a Professor of Phycology in 2003. She became Dean of the School of Biosciences in 2006, and following merger of Schools within the University Executive Dean of the School of Life Sciences. Following further University restructuring and merger of Schools and a Department, she led the creation of the Faculty of Science and Technology and was PVC and Dean for three years. There followed a return to research (harmful algal blooms) and teaching (environmental science) for two years before the move to Shetland.

Throughout her career her research has focussed on the ecology and taxonomy of dinoflagellates. There have been two main themes for this research – the use of dinoflagellate cysts to interpret the fossil record and the role of microalgal life cycles in harmful algal blooms. Current research includes the role of temperature in modulating life cycle transitions in Alexandrium tamarense in the Gulf of Maine and the morphological variation of cysts in various species within the Gonyaulacales.

She has sat on Council for the British Phycological Society, the Systematics Association, the International Society for the Study of Harmful Algae, the Marine Biological Association and the Scout Association and is currently President Elect of the British Phycological Society and Editor in Chief of the Journal of the Marine Biological Association, UK.

Jane Lewis took up the post of Principal for Shetland College and Principal and Chief Executive Designate for the merging Shetland Colleges in October 2019.