Artwork Cataloguing Assistant

Artwork Cataloguing Assistant 

• 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.
• Excellent communication skills.
• 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.

As well as a great salary and friendly team you will also receive:

• 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

About St Edmund’s College

St Edmund’s College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. Our vibrant and diverse student community is made up of around 500 postgraduates and approximately 150 mature undergraduates. With over 260 senior members academics working at the forefront of their fields or distinguished professionals and around 110 staff, you will be joining a dynamic and growing College with an ambitious vision for our role in shaping the future of higher education and collaborative research.

The maturity and diversity of our community have earned us a reputation as the friendly college. Relaxed, non‑hierarchical and welcoming, we pride ourselves on being a place in Cambridge where people of all backgrounds feel at home and can thrive.

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.

How to apply

To apply, please send a copy of your CV and cover letter to hr@st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk

Closing date for completed applications: Sunday 19th April 2026. Interviews will be held throughout the period that the advert is live and thereafter.

If you have informal enquiries about the post, please email the Keeper of the Works of Art on qql20@cam.ac.uk.

In applying for this role, you will provide personal data which the College will process in accordance with its data protection obligations and its Data Protection Policy: http://www.stedmunds.cam.ac.uk/data-protection

Any offer of employment is subject to evidence of your right to work in the UK and the receipt of satisfactory references.

Please note that this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship, as it does not meet the required criteria.