Collections and Participation (Fixed Term)

University of Cambridge; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Cambridge invites applications for a Research Associate to join the Collections-Connections-Communities (CCC) initiative, a Strategic Research Initiative. This fixed-term post is funded for one year initially, with potential to continue to July 2030, and focuses on bringing underrepresented communities into research through participatory practice.

You will co-design and deliver ethical, scalable projects with community partners, nurture cross-disciplinary collaborations, and

Qualifications

• Experience of co-designing, managing, delivering and evaluating collections-based participation programmes.
• Research experience with participatory methodologies, evidenced by peer‑reviewed work or conference papers.
• Experience across multiple collections and stakeholders; line‑managing freelancers; knowledge of ethics and data protection.

Responsibilities

• Co-design and deliver scalable, ethical, innovative participatory projects with community partners.
• Nurture partnerships with curatorial, conservation, learning and public programmes teams; disseminate findings via publications and conferences.

Job description

We are looking for a Research Associate to join 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 & Participation team, funded for one year in the first instance with potential for future funding 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 digital participation, and a Natural History Engagement Coordinator.

You will co-design and deliver scalable, ethical, innovative and replicable projects using participatory methodologies, working with new and existing community partners through an agreed framework of ethics and care. You will nurture partnerships with curatorial, conservation, learning and public programmes colleagues, disseminate your work through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, and build capacity across the University's collections by offering training in participation methods. You will engage with evidence on community needs across the city and region, prepare funding proposals, monitor budgets, line-manage freelancers, and work with a new Impact & Evaluation team in University of Cambridge Museums to test and refine participation activity.

We're looking for someone with experience of co-designing, managing, delivering and evaluating collections-based participation programmes, and research experience with sufficient breadth and depth of specialist knowledge of participatory methodologies, evidenced by peer-reviewed research ¿ which may be co-authored ¿ or by conference papers. Experience of working across multiple collections and stakeholders while navigating conflicting priorities, of line-managing freelancers, and knowledge of ethical frameworks and data protection principles are essential, as is a postgraduate degree or equivalent collections experience of working with communities. A strong commitment to social justice and inclusive practice, and an understanding of Knowledge Exchange and Impact Pathways, would serve you well.

This is a rare chance to develop participatory research practice across an entire collections ecosystem rather than a single institution, with an activity budget of your own, a group of mentors with deep experience of participation in collections, and real scope to change practice in the sector. Occasional evening and weekend working will be required alongside the delivery of participation activities.

If you'd like to help transform the relationship between Cambridge's collections and the communities around them, we'd love to hear from you.

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

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.