Collections and Participation (Digital) (Fixed Term)

University of Cambridge; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Cambridge seeks a Research Associate to lead on digital participation within the CCC initiative, a Strategic Research Initiative that empowers researchers to use the University's collections to address big questions. Fixed-term for one year with potential to extend to July 2030.

You will develop scalable, ethical, innovative projects and co-design online communities of co-researchers, working with colleagues across digital, curatorial, learning, and conservation teams.

Qualifications

• Experience co-designing, managing, delivering and evaluating digital participation programmes.
• Experience building online communities of co-researchers and partnering with digital, curatorial, learning and conservation colleagues.
• Postgraduate degree or equivalent in collections studies, museum studies, or a related field.
• Knowledge of data protection and ethical frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Co-design, manage, deliver and evaluate digital participation programmes.
• Develop online communities of co-researchers and nurture partnerships with colleagues across disciplines.
• Disseminate work through publications and conference presentations; build capacity for reflective practice.
• Prepare funding proposals and monitor budgets; line-manage freelancers.
• Collaborate with Impact & Evaluation team to refine digital participation activity.

Skills

Crowdsourcing

Citizen science

Digital participation

Stakeholder engagement

Line management

Education

Postgraduate degree or equivalent collections experience

Tools

AI tools for GLAM

Job description

We are looking for a Research Associate to lead on digital participation within Collections-Connections-Communities (CCC), a Strategic Research Initiative at the University of Cambridge which empowers researchers to use the University's collections ¿ the UK's highest concentration of internationally important collections outside London ¿ to address the big questions of our time. This is a fixed-term post within a new Collections and Participation team, funded for one year in the first instance with potential to extend to July 2030, dedicated to bringing communities ¿ especially those that are underrepresented or underserved ¿ into research and practice within the University's collections. You will work alongside a Programmes Coordinator, a Research Associate focused on in-person participation, and a Natural History Engagement Coordinator.

You will co-design and deliver scalable, ethical, innovative and replicable projects with digital participation at their core, using methods that may include crowdsourcing, citizen science and the responsible use of AI tools for GLAM collections. You will develop and support online communities of co-researchers, nurture partnerships with digital, curatorial, learning and conservation colleagues, and translate advances in the field into scalable frameworks for digital participatory research. You will disseminate your work through publications and conference presentations, build capacity for reflective practice across the collections, prepare funding proposals, monitor budgets, line-manage freelancers, and work with a new Impact & Evaluation team in University of Cambridge Museums to refine digital participation activity.

We're looking for someone with experience of co-designing, managing, delivering and evaluating collections-based participation programmes in a digital environment, and research experience with sufficient breadth and depth of specialist knowledge of digital participation methodologies, evidenced by peer-reviewed research ¿ which may be co-authored ¿ or by conference papers. Strong digital skills, including the use of AI tools for GLAM collections and an awareness of the issues surrounding their responsible use, are essential, as are experience of working across multiple collections and stakeholders, of line-managing freelancers, knowledge of ethical frameworks and data protection principles, and a postgraduate degree or equivalent collections experience. An understanding of Knowledge Exchange and Impact Pathways would be an advantage.

Digital environments offer extraordinary potential for community participation with Cambridge's collections, and this role exists to realise it across an entire collections ecosystem rather than a single institution. You will have an activity budget, a group of experienced mentors, and real scope to define what responsible digital participation looks like for the sector. Occasional evening and weekend working will be required.

If you'd like to open up centuries of collections to people who have never been able to reach them, we'd love to hear from you.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 1 years in the first instance.

For any questions relating to this recruitment please contact [e-mail]

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.