The David Scrase Curatorial Trainee

About the role

The Ashmolean Museum is seeking to appoint the David Scrase Curatorial Trainee in Western Art. This exciting 18-month opportunity has been made possible through the generous support of the Rick Mather David Scrase Foundation, reflecting their commitment to helping emerging curators gain valuable experience in curatorship and the arts.

Based in the Western Art Department, you will assist the curators with a range of activities, including managing new acquisitions, supporting exhibitions, contributing to research projects, and working on the ongoing digitisation of the Francis Douce Collection of prints and drawings.

This post offers a unique opportunity to develop practical curatorial skills while contributing to an important digitisation project, helping make a remarkable and historically significant collection more accessible to researchers and the public. You will receive structured training from curatorial and collections staff, including specialist instruction in object handling and documentation systems.

This is a full-time, fixed-term post for 18 months, working 36.5 hours per week on-site. The role involves occasional manual handling of museum objects, with appropriate training provided.

About You

You will hold a degree (BA level or equivalent) in art history, history, or a related subject, and have a strong interest in works on paper and in pursuing a career in museums or the heritage sector. You will have excellent research skills and attention to detail, alongside the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.

You will have experience working with databases or collections management systems, strong IT skills, and excellent written and verbal communication. Ideally, you will also bring knowledge of prints and printmaking techniques, cataloguing experience, and proficiency in another European language.

Above all, you will be enthusiastic, organised, and eager to learn, ready to contribute to one of the most prestigious museum collections in the world.

What We Offer

As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees\’ wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we 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

Diversity

Our staff and students come from all over the world, and we 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.

We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment processes are inclusive and accessible. If you require the job description or any other materials in an alternative format, or if you would like to request any adjustments to support you through the application or interview process, please contact the recruitment team at

How to apply

You will be required to upload your CV and a supporting evidence form using the attached template as part of your online application. Your supporting evidence form 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.

Only applications received online by 12.00 midday (GMT) on Monday 24 November 2025 can be considered. Interviews are expected to take place on Friday 5 December 2025 in-person.