The Curran Index is Hiring!

U.S.-Based Research Assistant Wanted

The editors of the Curran Index are pleased to announce they are hiring a qualified Research Assistant! This person will undertake archival work examining the proprietors’ marked copy of Fun held at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, USA. We expect this project to require about 150 hours of research, in return for a stipend of $5,500 paid by the Research Society for Victorian Periodicals.

The ideal candidate will be based within easy travel distance of the Huntington Library, and will have a research background in Victorian periodical studies, either studying for a PhD or doing post-doctoral research. Full criteria are listed below and in the attached job announcement.

Applications will be accepted through August 20, 2025. To apply, send your CV and cover letter to the editors, Dr. Lars Atkin and Dr. Emily Middleton, at curranindex@rs4vp.org (curranindex [at] rs4vp [dot] org).

About the Research and Responsibilities

Fun was a long-running and influential weekly illustrated comic periodical, whose articles and poems were unsigned. The Huntington’s unique copy includes handwritten notes on the pages of each volume indicating who wrote which of the contributions that make up the magazine’s contents. In some cases, the notes also record what the author was paid for a contribution. (View the catalogue record).

As the RA, your task is to extract this information for the first fifteen years of Fun, from 1861 to 1876, for inclusion in the Curran Index. You would also research the lives and careers of the magazine’s contributors so that this information can also be incorporated into the Index.

The principal duties and responsibilities of the successful candidate are as follows:

• Examine the proprietors’ volumes at the Huntington Library, taking high-quality photos of the pages where possible in accordance with the Library’s policies
• Record attribution information in a format suitable for upload to the Curran Index (guidance to be provided) including payments made to authors for articles contributed to Fun and biographical information about contributors
• Prepare appropriate metadata for the images and provide the files to the project team using OneDrive
• Report regularly to editors Dr. Lars Atkin and Dr. Emily Middleton
• Complete a research report and blog post to be published on RSVP’s website on the work undertaken

View the full job description here, which includes a detailed outline of the qualifications and experience requested.

Questions? Ready to Apply?

If you have questions about the role, please reach out to the editors at curranindex@rs4vp.org. To apply, send your CV and a cover letter stating your experience and interests to the same.