Curatorial Fellow

The Gallery’s Fellowship Programme provides opportunities in various areas of its operations, such as curatorial work, conservation, education and library and archive studies. Fellows are appointed to undertake projects with a view to delivering on clearly defined objectives in areas such as collection management and care; exhibition and public engagement; research and education. Fellows are assigned a mentor and offered access to their colleagues’ expertise, and to the Gallery’s collections and research facilities.

The Gallery wishes to recruit a Curatorial Fellow to support the Curatorial Department in planning and realising a comprehensive, scheduled rehang of the collection.

The Curatorial Fellowship is a fixed-term contract for one year. Reporting to the Head Curator, the Curatorial Fellow will serve as an integrated member of the Curatorial Department. They will assist the Curatorial team in the preparation and realisation of the forthcoming rehang of the collection, as well as contributing to other departmental activities. They will gain first-hand experience of managing and displaying the permanent collection, public engagement, and the wider operations of the Gallery. They will work closely with individual curators while also liaising with members of staff in other teams and departments.

The Curatorial Fellow will also, alongside other Fellows, be invited to apply for travel and subsistence funding to allow them to undertake research away from the Gallery during the course of their employment.

The successful candidate will:

• Support the Head Curator and curatorial team in the preparation and realisation of the rehang of the permanent collection, scheduled to begin across the Gallery in early 2027.
• Undertake research into specific works as pertains to the rehang of the collection.
• Assist in the preparation of labels, panels and other interpretive text relevant to the rehang.
• Support the Head Curator and curatorial team in the realisation of the of the exhibition programme.
• Assist in updating the catalogue of the permanent collection and related curatorial files.
• Carry out provenance research.
• Take part in the Gallery’s public programme if required.
• Undertake other duties with in the Curatorial Department as required.

The successful candidate will have:

• A third level qualification in Art History or a related discipline.
• Experience of working in a museum, gallery or equivalent environment.
• A particular and demonstrable interest in and knowledge of the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.
• Strong research and analytical skills, and excellent attention to detail.
• Advanced writing skills.
• Excellent IT and digital media skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• A capacity and willingness to work both on her/his own and as part of a team.
• Strong administrative skills coupled with an ability to meet deadlines while maintaining accuracy.
• A positive attitude and proactive approach to work with a readiness to learn develop a career in the arts.

Conditions of Employment

This job description is a guide to broad areas of responsibility and accountability and should not be regarded as a comprehensive listing. This may be subject to review in view of new structures and/or the changing needs of the Gallery. All employees are required to be compliant with NGI screening and Garda Vetting procedures. The post will be subject to a satisfactory medical check and successful completion of a successful probationary period. Applicants must be fluent in English and be eligible to work in Ireland.

Citizenship Requirements

Eligible candidates must be:

1. A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway; or

2. A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or

3. A citizen of Switzerland, pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or

4. A non-EEA citizen who has a Stamp 4 permission or a Stamp 5 permission.

Please note: A 50 TEU permission, which serves as a replacement for Stamp 4EUFAM after Brexit, is considered equivalent to Stamp 4.

To qualify candidates must be eligible by the date of any job offer.

Job Details and Application Information

Salary: Salary is fixed at €32,000 per annum (pro-rata) for the duration of the contract.

Duration: 1 year fixed-term contract.

Working hours: Full-time, 5 days a week, 35 hours per week (net of breaks)

Any personal data that you provide when applying for this position shall be processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice.

How to apply

To apply for this role, please submit your application online and upload the following documents in PDF format:

• CV (should be no more than three pages) detailing your relevant achievements and experience to date.
• Cover letter (should be no more than 2 pages) outlining why you wish to be considered and how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role.

Only fully completed applications submitted before the closing date will be accepted.

All enquiries relating to the role can be sent through the messaging function within the Rezoomo application system, or alternatively to the HR Team at hrhelpdesk@ngi.ie. Canvassing will disqualify.

Panel

Candidates should note that at the end of the candidate assessment process a panel of successful candidates may be formed based on order of merit, from which future positions may be filled.

Closing date for receipt of applications:22 July 2026.

Interviews will be scheduled in July/ August 2026.

At the National Gallery of Ireland, we value equity, diversity and Inclusion we recognise the benefits it can bring to our staff and our visitors interactions. We celebrate difference and want our people to be representative of all communities. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please do not hesitate to let us know.

The National Gallery of Ireland is an equal opportunities employer