Public Engagement Fellow

The opportunity

The Victorian Hand Project is a major externally-funded research study, in collaboration with Lancaster University, having received £846,900 of Standard Research Grant funding from the AHRC to enable an extensive programme of both historical research and public and professional engagement.

The project, which will run until late 2028, explores the emotional and embodied history of the hand in Victorian Britain. Our research aims to uncover how hands shaped racial, gender, sexual, and class identities in an increasingly complex and globalised world, influencing the way we relate to our bodies and their labour today.

You will work with the Victorian Hand Project team and be responsible for the conception, planning, and delivery of the project’s public engagement programme, ranging from workshops and exhibitions, to film screenings and content creation for the project’s website and social media. 

Collaborating with diverse stakeholders ranging from surgical professionals and hand-crafters, to artists and students, you will plan, organise, and facilitate workshops with key partners including the Royal College of Surgeons of England, London, and the Quilters’ Guild, York, and students at London College of Fashion, UAL, and Lancaster University.

You will also work with contracted artists, filmmakers, and project partners to organise and produce content for the project’s website and social media accounts, as well as curate and oversee the installation and de-installation of the project’s exhibition at the Festival of Quilts, NEC, Birmingham, and the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons.

There will also be the opportunity for you to write a sole-authored research article derived from your work on the project, as well as collaborate on the exhibition catalogue.

Your profile

You will need a postgraduate degree level qualification or equivalent professional expertise in one or more of the following areas: History; Galleries, Archives, Libraries, and Museums, such as experience of academic research and/or creative practice in one of these fields.

You will also need experience of community and public engagement, events organisation, and cultural programming.

We are UAL

University of the Arts London (UAL) generates and inspires the creativity the world needs for a better future. Since 1842, our colleges have been defining creative education. With curiosity, imagination and intent we make work which creates lasting change for people and our planet. London is core to who we are, a place where we meet and share ideas with people from different backgrounds and cultures.

Our creative network influences learning, culture, industry and society on a global scale. Our academics and practitioners deliver creative education and inspire new ways of thinking through research and innovation. We work with students at every level from pre-degree and short courses to postgraduate and online learning, enabling them to build the careers they want. Together, we are a community of makers, thinkers, pioneers and storytellers redesigning the future.

As a University we are ranked second in the world for Art and Design. We are formed of 6 Colleges with unique histories and identities: Camberwell College of Arts, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea College of Arts, London College of Communication, London College of Fashion and Wimbledon College of Arts. UAL also has 4 Institutes, 5 Research Centres, 1 Pre-Degree School and 2 subsidiary companies delivering specialist activities.

Application process

We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Thus, you will need to create an account and submit an application through our job board. As part of this, you will need to provide a supporting statement/answer some competency questions to demonstrate your suitability. Our recruitment process involves: Application, Shortlisting, Interview and Assessment, Offer, Onboarding.

We understand the benefits of using AI in work. But, if you are thinking of using it to submit an application, we ask you to think about what value it adds. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.

If we receive a high volume of applications, the closing day date might close early. We aim to communicate any changes to the closing date with at least 24 hours’ notice. If you have any general questions or have accessibility needs, please refer to our Contact us page.

Start your application

Candidates are advised to submit applications early.