Organizer Information
The V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum) is a family of museums dedicated to the power of creativity, with its foundation dating to 1852, a year after the Great Exhibition of 1851 championed by Prince Albert, whose profits helped establish South Kensington's museum district. Its flagship site, V&A South Kensington, holds one of the world's largest collections of decorative arts and design, spanning roughly 5,000 years of human creativity and more than 2.8 million objects, including strengths in South and East Asian art, fashion, photography, and works by artists such as Constable and Turner. The V&A has grown into a multi-site family that also includes V&A Dundee (Scotland), the V&A Wedgwood Collection (Stoke-on-Trent), Young V&A (Bethnal Green), and V&A East, a new branch in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, comprising the V&A East Museum and V&A East Storehouse. This role sits within the Design and Digital Section of the museum's Art, Architecture, Photography and Design Department, with attendance expected at both South Kensington and V&A East.
Title & Description
Assistant Curator, Design and Digital
This role provides curatorial support for the development, care, documentation, research, presentation, and interpretation of the V&A's digital art and design, and product design collections. The postholder will also contribute to the museum's wider work, including policy, projects, public programmes, and fundraising/income generation support. The V&A describes this as a wide-ranging role in which the postholder can develop skills across all aspects of museum curation, reporting to Corinna Gardner, Senior Curator, Design and Digital.
The Role Overview
- Position Type: Full-time, 36 hours per week
- Contract Type: Fixed term, 24 months
- Salary: £28,520 – £32,952
- Reports To: Corinna Gardner, Senior Curator, Design and Digital
- Department / Programme: Art, Architecture, Photography and Design — Design and Digital Section
- Working Hours: 36 hours per week
- Work Pattern: Hybrid, minimum three days in office
- Principal Location: South Kensington, with attendance at V&A East
Position & Tasks
- Develop knowledge of the V&A's digital art and design, and product design collections, and an understanding of the museum's collection management systems
- Extend knowledge of the collections through day-to-day handling of objects, taking responsibility for object movement and appropriate documentation and collection care
- Undertake cataloguing, documentation and digitisation of collections
- Deal with public enquiries, assist in providing public access to the collection, and contribute to loans in and out programmes
- Support the maintenance and care of galleries in collaboration with colleagues, and participate in the development of temporary displays
- Participate in the development of material for publication in print and online, developing strong narratives and storytelling to engage broad audiences with the collection
- Collaborate with teams across the museum on the development of their programmes, contributing content as required
- Understand museum policies, strategies and priorities, and develop awareness of developments in the wider museum community
- Assist with the supervision of any volunteers or interns supporting curatorial activity
- Play an active role in the communities of participation across all the curatorial teams
Categories
- Curatorial Practice
- Museum Studies
- Digital Art
- Product Design
- Collections Management
- Design History
Eligibility
- Demonstrable relevant learning from work experience, study, and/or knowledge of digital art and design, and/or product design
- Demonstrable interest in, and enthusiasm for, telling stories about collections through temporary and permanent collection displays, exhibitions, publications, and learning and engagement; an interest in opening up the collections to a broader audience
- Demonstrable knowledge in the history of art, design, and performance
- Experience of handling materials with care and sensitivity to their physical and digital properties
- Good time management skills and ability to manage multiple tasks
- Ability to communicate knowledge of a specialist field to a range of audiences with a relevant communication style
- Demonstrable computer skills and ability to manage information systematically and accurately with keen attention to detail
- Highly motivated and able to demonstrate initiative
- Enjoys collaborating as part of a team and able to work flexibly and calmly under pressure
- Shares the V&A's values of Sustainability, Equity, Creativity, Collaboration and Generosity
- No geographic or nationality restriction stated in the source
Program Benefits
- Salary: £28,520 – £32,952
- 29 days of holiday plus public holidays each year
- Pension: 5.5% employee contribution, 10% employer contribution (post-probation)
- Life assurance scheme (to the value of 4 x annual salary)
- Family-friendly policies, including enhanced maternity and paid carers leave
- Interest-free loan for a travelcard, bike, or rental deposit (post-probation)
- Free sanitary products for all employees across all sites
- Free entrance to many major museums and exhibitions
- Benefits platform offering discounts at major retailers
- Social events, such as staff summer and Christmas parties
- Employee Assistance Programme — free and confidential support services
- Tickets to V&A exhibitions for the employee, friends, or family, plus 25% discount on V&A shops and cafés
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 14 August 2026
- Interview/Assessment days: 24–25 August 2026
- Potential start date: week commencing 7 September 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter
Location
South Kensington, London, United Kingdom
Additional Details
- The V&A operates anonymous shortlisting: the hiring manager cannot see the applicant's name, contact information, or equality data when shortlisting
- The V&A is a Disability Confident Employer, offering guaranteed interviews to applicants who declare a disability and meet the job criteria under the Disability Confident Scheme
- The organisation states a strict zero-tolerance policy on any discrimination, harassment, or bullying, and works closely with staff networks to develop employee experience
- Questions can be directed to the Recruitment team at careers@vam.ac.uk