Fieldwork Graduate Trainee Programme

About The Role

Oxford Archaeology is one of the largest independent archaeological practices in Europe. We have offices in Cambridge, Lancaster and Oxford and are a registered heritage charity. We are at the forefront of training the next generation of archaeologists, offering a full‑time paid training programme for enthusiastic graduate archaeologists to gain commercial fieldwork experience. Our Cambridge office has a busy and exciting programme of fieldwork across southern England and the East Midlands, including large Iron Age and Roman settlements in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire, large evaluations in Cambridgeshire and Essex, and excavations of prehistoric to medieval remains in Suffolk.

You will be trained in all aspects of a field archaeologist role, from excavation techniques to recording features and finds, all under the supervision of an experienced mentor. You will predominantly work on open‑area excavations, recording archaeological remains from all periods. The programme could take you anywhere in the country; we are currently running sites across a wide geographical area, including a project on the east coast.

For sites further away from home, 7‑day accommodation can be made available.

Our programme is ideal for graduates with a degree in archaeology or a related discipline, and presupposes little in the way of archaeological fieldwork skills. It also helps if you have a full clean driving licence and are based near or can relocate within a daily commutable distance of one of our offices.

The Fieldwork Graduate Trainee Pathway lasts 6 months and is split into two 12‑week modules. You will be offered an initial 12‑week contract starting on an annual salary of £26,450. Your progress will be regularly reviewed with scored milestones every six weeks. After 12 weeks, if you earn the required scores to pass onto the second half of the programme, you will be rewarded with a pay rise to £27,101.

• Health and safety, including manual handling
• Recognition and understanding of context
• Safe use of hand excavation tools
• OA recording systems (including our Digital Recording System and Webmap)
• Producing accurate drawings
• Basic survey methods
• Artefact recognition
• Environmental sampling
• Site photography

Trainees who successfully complete the programme will be offered a full‑time permanent contract as a Fieldwork Archaeologist, although this is subject to the availability of work. You will also have attained the necessary experience to obtain PCIfA accreditation with CIfA.

• Competitive, constantly benchmarked salary of £26,450, rising to £27,101.
• A company pension scheme with 6% employer contributions. Employees with 10 years of employment or in project management roles gain access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), one of the few remaining defined benefit schemes in the UK.
• 21 days annual holiday allowance (half of this for the 6‑month training programme), with additional leave for bank holidays that coincide with your period on the scheme and three extra days if your time on the scheme runs through Christmas.
• Subsistence payment of £23.50 per night (tax free) and free, single‑room accommodation (usually B&B or self‑catering) for away‑based projects.
• 37.5‑hour (basic) week with optional paid overtime at time and a half for hours in excess of 37.5 hours Monday‑Friday and on Saturdays, and double time on Sundays and bank holidays.
• Paid travel time for journeys to site that take longer than one hour from the office and free transport from regional offices to sites.
• Free high‑quality personal protective equipment (inc. full breathable waterproofs, fleece etc).
• Comprehensive care for employee welfare through a number of policies, including the AXA Health Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Premier, generous paid sick leave, a network of mental health first aiders, and personal accident insurance.
• We pay 100% of CIfA…