Artwork Cataloguing Assistant in Cambridge

Salary: £13.88 per hour (+ holiday allowance rate at 14.53%)

Contract Type: Fixed Term, Part-Time, 15 hours per week for 2 months

Eligibility: This role is open only to current students and recent graduates (within the past three years) of the University of Cambridge

Location: St Edmunds College, Cambridge

Do you have experience in archiving, cataloguing, or collections documentation? Or perhaps you have a background, or a strong interest in art, art history, heritage, or cultural collections? St Edmund’s College is seeking an Artwork Cataloguing Assistant to support the Keeper of the Works of Art in documenting and cataloguing artworks across the College in May and June. This role offers an excellent opportunity for anyone looking to gain hands-on experience in collections documentation, archival practice, and art-historical research within a collegiate setting.

The Artwork Cataloguing Assistant will help record information about artworks using a structured catalogue template, gathering supporting documentation, and assisting with organising digital records. The role involves working closely with the Keeper of the Works of Art, the Head of Facilities & Accommodation, and other College staff as required. The overall number of contracted hours will remain the same; however, the scheduling of those hours may be adjusted if required, following consultation. Some artworks can only be accessed when certain College spaces are not in use; therefore, the ability to work occasionally between 5pm and 7pm on weekdays is required.

Key responsibilities

• Assist the Keeper of the Works of Art in cataloguing artworks in College using a standard documentation template.
• Record and organise information about artworks, including the objects, artists, provenance, etc. where available.
• Take photographs of artworks.
• Scan and digitalise paper records relating to artworks.
• Ensure all electronic files including pictures are appropriately organised and can be linked to the catalogue records.
• Conduct background research on artworks and artists when necessary to support catalogue records.
• Assist with drafting descriptive texts or label information for selected artworks.
• Ad-hoc tasks as required.

Person Specification

Experience

• Some prior experience of archival work, cataloguing, collections documentation, or research is desirable.
• A background or demonstrated interest in art, art history, museum studies or a related field is highly advantageous but not essential.

Skills

• Exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong IT skills, including confident use of word processing (e.g., creating and formatting documents), spreadsheets, email, and basic office equipment such as scanners and printers.
• Willingness to learn new skills and adapt to the requirements of the role.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues across the College.
• Ability to prioritise work and meet agreed deadlines.

We warmly encourage applications from candidates who meet most, even if not all, of the criteria.

Benefits

• Working daily allowance for food and drinks*
• Free car parking (where available and whilst on shift)
• Discounts at restaurants, shops & more
• Access to the Outdoor gym
• Access to LinkedIn Learning & Business Disability Forum

Equal Opportunities

We therefore welcome applications from candidates of all demographic backgrounds, including (but not limited to) gender, race, disability, neurodiversity, religion or belief, age, sex and sexual identity. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can contribute and succeed.