Organizer Information
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is a London-based family of museums dedicated to art, design, and performance, founded in 1852 in the wake of the Great Exhibition of 1851, with a founding mission to educate designers, manufacturers and consumers in art and science. Today the collection holds more than 2.8 million objects spanning fashion, textiles, furniture, ceramics, glass, interiors, jewelry, metalwork, books, art, photography, theater and performance. The V&A has one of the world's oldest and largest photography holdings, having collected the medium since the 1850s; its Photography Centre at South Kensington, expanded across seven galleries, holds around 800,000 photographic items ranging from the 1820s to the present. As stated in the source, the Museum was the first UK national museum to establish a dedicated Research Department and holds Independent Research Organisation status with the AHRC, and has hosted PhD students across a range of doctoral schemes for over 20 years.
Title & Description
V&A PhD Placement — Cataloguing the Yu-Chee Chong Collection of Southeast Asian Photography, 1860–1920
This placement, part of the V&A PhD Placement Scheme, supports the cataloguing and research of the newly acquired Yu-Chee Chong Collection of Southeast Asian Photography, described as unrivalled in scope and significance. The collection spans Borneo, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Hong Kong, and — reflecting Malay population migration during the period — also includes items from Sri Lanka and South Africa. Subject matter covers topographical, architectural, portrait, and ethnographic photography, including rare images of Brunei and portraits from the courts of Siam, Malaya, Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Pacific Islands, along with a rare group of 1860s Balinese photographs believed to be among the earliest known images of the region.
The placement researcher will work with the V&A's Photography Section to assimilate existing donor research into the Museum's record-keeping systems, and to carry out further research into individual photographs and the photographic studios that were active across the region.
Categories
- Photography
- Research
- Internship
- Culture
Eligibility
- Open only to students currently studying on a funded PhD programme
- International students are welcome to apply
- Applicants must evidence a stipend for the full duration of the placement, at least equivalent to the UKRI national minimum doctoral rate
- The V&A provides no funding for the placement
- Applicants must be based in the UK during any remote-work periods, and must attend a V&A site at certain points during the placement
- Own computer and internet access required for any remote work
Program Benefits & Awards
- On-the-job experience within the V&A's Photography Section
- Mentoring from the placement's V&A staff supervisor
- Access to the Museum's wider workshops, talks, and postgraduate training events
- A bespoke training package designed for the PhD placement cohort
- Possible output: authored catalogue entries for the Yu-Chee Chong Collection
- Possible output: opportunity to present the collection to V&A colleagues
- Possible output: opportunity to speak at the V&A Research Institute Lunchtime Research Seminar
- Guaranteed interview for applicants who declare a disability and meet the minimum role criteria (Disability Confident Scheme)
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 16 August 2026
- Induction Day: 30 September 2026
- Start Date: October 2026 or January 2027
Location
V&A South Kensington, London, United Kingdom
Additional Details
- The V&A operates anonymous shortlisting, meaning the hiring manager cannot see an applicant's name, contact information, or equality data during shortlisting
- The V&A is a Disability Confident Employer and guarantees interviews to applicants who declare a disability and meet the minimum job criteria
- The Museum states a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination, harassment, or bullying, and describes an active commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion across its activities
- Questions about the role can be directed to the V&A Recruitment team at careers@vam.ac.uk