Current placement opportunities

Organisation name: Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

Organisation website: https://www.ashmolean.org

Location of placement: Primarily remote, with on-site training sessions and agreed site visits to the Ashmolean Museum and partner institutions. 

Timeframe: Three-month doctoral placements, starting in March 2026. There are x3 posts available for 3 months Full-Time or 6 months Part-Time. (Flexible start dates may be considered by mutual agreement).

Please note: We are also interested to hear from students who are keen to apply for a future start date as this will be a rolling opportunity that spans March 2026-March 2027.

Number of posts: Three doctoral researchers.

To apply: Please send a CV and a 500-word statement of interest outlining relevant skills and research interests to Victoria Jenner: victoria.jenner@ashmus.ox.ac.uk.  

Application deadline: Monday 16 February 2026, 10am.
Interviews: Week commencing Monday 23 February 2026.

Placement Description:

The Ashmolean Museum is developing a new digital initiative combining:

• A high-quality museum podcast, distributed in partnership with History Hit and
• A new Digital Membership product, offering subscribers exclusive content including early-access podcast episodes, bonus interviews, behind-the-scenes material, and recorded public talks.

This placement offers doctoral researchers the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the research, programming, and development of a year-long podcast series (52 episodes), alongside associated digital content for members.

Researchers will work as part of a small, collaborative research cluster, supporting the Podcast Project Manager and wider museum teams to shape episode ideas, identify narratives, and develop content grounded in collections, research expertise, and institutional partnerships. The podcast will feature episodes rooted in the Ashmolean’s collections, alongside “away” episodes developed with major heritage partners (including other GLAM institutions, Oxford colleges, and national heritage organisations). All external episodes will retain a clear Ashmolean anchor, foregrounding shared collections, research networks, and object histories.

What the placement will do:

During the placement, researchers will:

• Contribute to the programming and planning of podcast episodes, helping shape themes, narratives, and episode arcs for a rolling editorial calendar.
• Work closely with the Podcast Project Manager to generate episode ideas in collaboration with experts, curators, education colleagues, and researchers.
• Undertake background research to support episode development, drawing on museum collections, archives, and existing scholarship.
• Engage with subject experts, academics, heritage professionals, and institutional partners through interviews, meetings, and workshops.
• Select and contact episode guests.
• Attend structured onboarding and training sessions, including introductions to Ashmolean systems, processes, and editorial frameworks, as well as liaise with the selected production company, and distribution partner, History Hit.
• Support the development of digital membership content, including background features, contextual articles for the Ashmolean Members Magazine, and supplementary material linked to podcast episodes.
• Contribute to internal research notes, briefings, and documentation that support production and institutional sign-off.
• While the placement is primarily research-focused, there may be opportunities to observe or contribute to recordings, live events, or public-facing interpretation where appropriate.

Training, Support & Access:

The placement will operate in a manner similar to a work placement, aligned with the University’s Volunteer Process, to ensure appropriate access, training, and governance.

Researchers will receive:

• Structured onboarding and training at the start of the placement
• Introductions to key Ashmolean and partner staff
• Supervision and mentoring from the Podcast Project Manager
• Support from the Ashmolean’s research, digital, and membership teams
• Access to relevant CMS/DAMS systems where required and appropriate

Important Governance Information:

Due to the nature of the project, applicants should note that:

All outputs are produced within and for the Ashmolean Museum’s institutional voice.

Researchers will be required to agree to clear frameworks around:

• Intellectual Property (IP)
• Attribution and credit lines
• Permissions and approvals
• Institutional sign-off processes

Ideas and content developed during the placement cannot be independently removed, reused, or repurposed outside the project.

These requirements will be clearly communicated during recruitment and onboarding.

Who this placement is for:

This opportunity is suited to doctoral researchers interested in:

• Public engagement with research
• Museums, collections, and material culture
• Digital storytelling, podcasts, and creative research outputs
• Working collaboratively within a large cultural institution

Applicants do not need prior experience of podcasting or media production but should be open to learning new skills and adapting research for public audiences.

Selection Criteria:

Essential

• Demonstrable interest in museums, heritage, collections, or public-facing research.
• Excellent written English, with the ability to adapt tone and style for different audiences.
• Strong research and analytical skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to manage time effectively, work at pace, and meet deadlines.
• Willingness to engage with feedback and revise work accordingly.
• Openness to learning new skills and working within institutional frameworks.

Desirable

• Familiarity with museums, archives, or heritage organisations.
• Experience of public engagement, digital humanities, or collaborative research.
• Confidence speaking with academics, curators, or external partners.
• Interest in audio, storytelling, or digital content (no technical expertise required).

After the Placement:

The project is structured in research “clusters”, and there may be opportunities for:

• Further short-term involvement in later clusters
• Participation in a Humanities Impact training workshop (provisionally planned for Autumn/Michaelmas Term 2026)
• Contribution to shared reflections and insights that shape the future of the programme