History Lab warmly invites applications for its 2025-2026 Committee. History Lab is the national body, hosted at the Institute of Historical Research, which represents over 1,500 graduate students of history across the UK. We are seeking enthusiastic and committed team members to fill a variety of roles that help to shape the intellectual and social life of our postgraduate community.

If you are interested in applying for any of the following roles, please email  ihrhistorylab@gmail.com with:

• A Current Academic CV
• A Short Statement (max. 300 words) Outlining your Suitability for the Role

Please include the role you are applying for (incl. second preference) in the subject line of your email. The deadline for applications is Friday, 15 August 2025. Interviews will be held remotely, via Zoom, in the weeks commencing August 18th and 25th.

Eligibility: Please note that you have to be currently enrolled on a PhD or postgraduate research program in History or a history-related discipline at a UK institution to apply.  

Available Roles

Committee Coordinator 

• Schedule and organise regular committee meetings.
• Take and circulate minutes; maintain accurate records in the History Lab Google Drive.
• Coordinate Doodle polls and Zoom links ahead of Committee meetings; send follow-up communications, including minutes.
• Support the Committee with occasional administrative tasks.

Treasurer

• Maintain an up-to-date record of History Lab’s termly expenditure. 
• Process expense claims from committee members and grant recipients. 
• Liaise with the IHR’s staff regarding financial matters.

Testimonial: “I’ve really enjoyed my role as treasurer – I’ve met some wonderful people and it’s been fantastic to engage with the community outside of the university I’m studying at.”

Seminar Co-Convenor

• Work within a team of two to organise History Lab’s fortnightly online seminar series during term time. 
• Create and publicise the seminar’s call for papers; review, accept, and schedule abstracts. 
• Chair and coordinate all aspects of the seminars, communicating with speakers throughout the seminar process.

Testimonial: “From the Crusades to Cricketing Writers, from Watergate to William Marshall, the History Lab Seminar remains a distinguished and immensely varied seminar series. Having the chance to independently arrange a seminar series is a unique opportunity for any PGR, allowing you to listen to cutting-edge research, connect with historians across the UK, build your academic profile, and gain vital experience in event organisation, promotion, and management.”

Social Media and Outreach Coordinator

• Manage History Lab’s presence on platforms such as Bluesky, Instagram, and other relevant social media channels.
• Diversify History Lab’s social media presence through the creation of a LinkedIn page.
• Work alongside the Committee to publicise seminars, events, and initiatives in a timely and engaging manner.
• Help to grow our membership and expand our national reach.

Conference Co-convenor

• Work within a team of two to lead the planning, coordination, and delivery of History Lab’s flagship annual conference at the Institute of Historical Research (normally held in July).
• Draft and circulate the Call for Papers, review submissions, and curate panels
• Oversee all aspects of event logistics and hosting, incl. catering.

Testimonial: “Working in partnership as a conference convenor to develop and organise the History Lab conference has been a pleasure. It’s been great developing a theme that reflects our interests in history and reaching out to fellow academics and students. I have gained valuable experience that I’m building on for my future career as a cultural heritage consultant and academic.”

Awards Officer 

• Oversee the promotion and administration of the Olivette Otele prize.
• Work alongside the Chair to propose new awards and prizes that support History Lab’s diverse community of postgraduate students. 

Testimonial: “The Awards Officer role offers the opportunity to highlight and celebrate the achievements of postgraduate researchers, particularly through coordinating the Olivette Otele Prize for Black History PhD students. The position involves managing the prize process, promoting it within the community, and has scope to develop additional initiatives to recognise excellence. It is a rewarding role that combines organisation, creativity, and engagement. It is a great way to gain experience, including running an abstract-writing workshop, learning how to assess abstracts, and supporting the recognition of outstanding research.”