Research Fellow
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an early career researcher, at the Ashmolean Museum, based in the Department of Western Art. We are internationally renowned for our paintings, sculptures, works on paper, and decorative arts from about the 1200s to the present day, shown across 23 galleries with the graphic arts kept in our welcoming Print Room. The British 20th-century drawings collection includes important works by artists such as Gwen John, Augustus John, Paul Nash, and Graham Sutherland.
You will research the British 20th-century drawings collection – so as to capture vital data, enrich the Ashmolean’s Online Collections, and promote access to the collections. In digitizing and documenting the collection you’ll work directly from the drawings, involving lifting and moving boxes. You’ll build research networks to deepen your knowledge and will have opportunities to share your work with academic and wider audiences.
Curatorial training is a key part of this role, and you will collaborate with curators and colleagues in Western Art and across the Museum, learning especially about the care and conservation of drawings, and about interpretation and public engagement. Reporting to the Senior Curator, you will be a core member of a friendly team in a Museum that is committed to equality and values diversity.
This is a full-time, fixed-term role for 2 years, working 37.5 hours per week.
This role involves lifting and carrying boxes of drawings or albums of drawings, in accordance with manual handling training and other safety procedures. Additionally, this role also involves some use of library ladders to access boxes of drawings on higher shelves in accordance with safety procedures.
About You
- You will have a completed doctorate in History of Art with a special interest in British drawings.
- You will have a scholarly record of research publications in British art history or evidence of the potential for such publications.
- You will have an understanding of research methodologies in relation to museum graphic arts collections.
- Excellent communication and IT skills are also essential.
As an employer, the University of Oxford genuinely cares about employees’ wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that they offer including:
- An excellent contributory pension scheme
- 38 days of annual leave
- A comprehensive range of childcare services
- Family leave schemes
- Cycle loan scheme
- Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans
More information is available at https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/staff-benefits
Diversity
The University of Oxford’s staff and students come from all over the world, and they proudly promote a friendly and inclusive culture. Diversity is positively encouraged, through diverse groups and champions, as well as a number of family-friendly policies, such as the right to apply for flexible working and support for staff returning from periods of extended absence, for example, shared parental leave.
How to apply
You will be required to upload your CV and a supporting statement as part of your online application. Your supporting statement should list each of the essential and desirable selection criteria, as listed in the job description, and explain how you meet each one. CVs alone will not be considered.
The Chair of this recruitment panel will be Colin Harrison, Senior Curator of European Art, who can be contacted with enquiries relating to the role (colin.harrison@ashmus.ox.ac.uk). General queries about the recruitment and application process should be directed to the Recruitment team within the Human Resources department (recruitment@glam.ox.ac.uk).
Please discuss secondments with your line manager in the first instance, as you must have their agreement that you can be released for a secondment before you submit an application https://hr.admin.ox.ac.uk/secondments
Only applications received online by 12.00 midday (BST) on Monday 14 April 2025 can be considered. Interviews are expected to take place during the week beginning Monday 12 May 2025.
* An automatic annual increment each year will be paid up to (and not including) the discretionary range within the University of Oxford’s Grade 7 salary scale.
