Archivist

Nuffield College seeks to appoint an Archivist to manage the College’s archive collections, both research collections (papers deposited with the Library) and College records. The College is currently undertaking a project to improve the management of records across their lifecycle, which will lead to the establishment of an expanded College Archive (physical and digital) to safeguard the institution’s history. The postholder will play a key role in support of this work.

Nuffield is a graduate college of the University of Oxford dedicated to advanced study and research in the social sciences, particularly economics, politics, and sociology. Nuffield College Library lies at the heart of the College’s academic endeavour and provides unparalleled support to students, researchers and academics. The College’s archive collections sit within the College Library and are split into two collection types, the Research Archive and the College Archive.

As well as effective management of the collections, the postholder is responsible for providing an efficient service for archive researchers and College staff using the archive. The postholder supervises the work of the part-time Archives Assistant and, as part of the Library team, will also be expected to contribute to the general operation of the Library and its services to readers.

Applicants should have experience of working in an archive, including an excellent understanding of the relevant principles of archival practice including cataloguing, intellectual arrangement, and conservation of materials. The successful applicant will demonstrate excellent attention to detail; good general IT skills; a flexible, self-motivated and proactive approach to work and the ability to contribute effectively to a small team. The ability to lift and carry small boxes of papers and books is essential. A relevant recognized qualification or postgraduate degree is desirable but not essential if equivalent experience can be demonstrated.

Our benefits package includes 41 days annual leave inclusive of public holidays and closed periods at Christmas and Easter, free meals whilst on duty, a season-ticket loan scheme, and contributory pension scheme.

Full details of the role, including selection criteria and information on how to apply can be found in the Job Description.

Job Description

 How to apply:

To apply online for this vacancy, please click on the 'Apply' link below. This will take you to the Interfolio Web Recruitment System, where you will need to register for an account (if you have not done so previously) and log in before completing an online application. For the online application you will be asked to complete an application form and a recruitment monitoring form, and to upload the following documents:

• a covering letter which describes the ways in which you meet the selection criteria for the post, as set out above. The letter should indicate whether you are applying for the full-time post or wish to take up the post on a part-time basis.
• a curriculum vitae (CV), which should include the names and postal and email addresses of two referees. We will assume that we may approach your referees at any stage unless you tell us otherwise, so please state clearly if you wish to be contacted before a referee is approached.       

APPLY

If you have any technical difficulties submitting your online application, please contact Interfolio at Interfolio-support@elsevier.com. Interfolio is a US-based service which processes data on servers based outside the EEA. The Interfolio privacy policy can be viewed here www.interfolio.com/privacy-policy/. Information submitted via hard-copy is not processed through Interfolio. For other queries, including how to submit a hard-copy application if your technical issue is not resolved, please contact the HR Department, vacancies@nuffield.ox.ac.uk.

The closing date for completed applications is at midnight on Friday 20th November 2026.

Interviews are expected to take place on Tuesday 1st December.

Nuffield College values diversity in its Fellowship and particularly welcomes applications from women, from disabled people, and from Black and minority ethnic people, who are currently underrepresented in senior posts at the University of Oxford.