Vacancies
Join our team!
Here you can find all unfilled roles within the museum, both paid and unpaid, as well as work experience placements and Duke of Edinburgh volunteering
Voluntary Roles
Front of House
We are looking for volunteers to join our front of house team on a Saturday.
We have the following shifts available:
9:30am – 11:30am
11:30am – 13:30pm
We are also looking for volunteers who would like to work Front of House on an ‘ad hoc’ basis to cover any gaps in the rota.
For more information and a volunteer application form email us at [email protected] (or use the contact us form on the website)
Summer Exhibition Stewards
We need volunteers to steward our temporary exhibition throughout August. We have lots of different shifts available so email [email protected] to find out more (or use the contact us form on the website)
Education Team Volunteers
Duties can include:
- Developing activity sheets
- Assisting with education and group visits
- Option to assist at ‘out-of-hours’ events and visits
- Helping with Toddler Tuesdays (term-time only)
- Sharing the handling collection with groups – and receiving object handling training
- Option to be DBS checked so that you can work with a wider range of visits
For more information and a volunteer application form email us at: [email protected] (or use the contact us form on the website)
St Leonard’s Tower: Front of House/Guides
We are looking for volunteers to join our team that help run the Clock Tower openings from May-September.
Opening hours are 10am-1pm, so you could expect to be on duty from about 9.45am-1.15pm.
Duties are quite similar to being on the museum front desk – it’s all about being a welcoming friendly face.
A key aspect of this role is to ensure that all visitors that are going upstairs sign the disclaimer form.
Full duties would be:
- Assisting with locking and unlocking the tower
- Assisting in bringing in and out signage
- Greet the public and record numbers (sign the form if they are going upstairs)
- Talk to visitors about the history of the Tower and the Town
- Take money for the small selection of gift shop items we have available, or direct visitors to the museum to see the full gift shop selection
You would never be in the Tower alone, there will always be at least 2 volunteers.
The Tower will also be open selected Saturdays, dates to be confirmed.
For more information and a volunteer application form email us at [email protected]
Work Experience Placements and Duke of Edinburgh Volunteering
Work experience placements for 2025 are now full.
If you would like to be added to the waiting list please contact us at:
If you are interested in volunteering with Newton Abbot Museum as part of your Duke of Edinburgh Award please contact us at [email protected] for further information.
Paid Roles
Curator (Maternity Cover)
Organisation: Newton Abbot Museum
Salary: £37,938 – £ 39,513 per annum
Grade: SCP 28-30
Hours: 37 hours per week
Flexible working is preferred including occasional weekends and evenings to support events. This includes monthly Friends of the Museum evening talks. Time off in lieu will be given.
Term: Minimum of 6 months, maximum of 12 months maternity cover
Location: Newton Abbot Museum, Newton’s Place, Wolborough Street, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 1JQ.
To commence: early to mid October 2025
Closing date: 5pm, Monday 18th August 2025
Interviews will be held on: Wednesday 3rd September at Newton Abbot Museum
Funded by the Town Council, Newton Abbot Museum is a high quality and imaginative, free-entry museum that explores the history of the town and the local environs. From early settlement to the coming of the railway and beyond to the present day, the museum tells the stories of local lives, industries and places that have helped to shape Newton Abbot over time.
The museum opened to great acclaim in 2020 with the refurbishment of a grade II listed Victorian church. The new museum space, along with Town Council offices and community rooms, is located in the town centre. The move has resulted in visitor numbers increasing significantly from 2,000 per annum to over 15,000 in the last year with visitors enjoying the modern interpretation and interactivity the new displays offer. There is also an innovative and varied programme of creative and engaging events driven by the team’s desire to collaborate with the community they serve.
This is an exciting time for Newton Abbot Museum as we embark on a project to create a brand new collections facility and an associated programme of engaging community activities. In the autumn we will find out if our application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund is successful, and if so, the build will commence in spring 2026.
We are looking for a Curator to oversee and manage the museum and the medieval St. Leonard’s Tower in the heart of the town for up to 12 months of maternity cover. This role involves looking after the collection of 17,000 plus objects, running the day-to-day operation of both sites, managing a small team of staff and a team of 60 volunteers.
We are seeking someone who is flexible and proactive, and who can work effectively as part of a small team. You should have experience of curatorial processes, procedures and current museum standards, experience working with collections, conducting research, creating displays and working with a team of volunteers. We will consider applicants with Curatorial Assistant experience.
Download job description and person specification
CVs will not be accepted.
For informal enquiries please contact the Curator, Dr Charlotte Dixon:
Email Charlotte: [email protected]
You can also contact us by phone: 01626 201121.