Working at Shuttleworth

Preserving our heritage and contributing to our future is at the heart of everything we do.

From world class engineering to weddings, events, catering and everything in between, we offer a diverse range of exciting career opportunities and the chance to work in a beautiful and buzzing environment where history comes to life.

Please note: we are now fully booked for work experience placements in 2025/26.

Current Permanent Vacancies

Retail and E-Commerce Manager

We are seeking a new Retail and E-Commerce Manager to contribute to the long term strategy that will ultimately achieve the accountable objectives set below whilst managing Shuttleworth’s in store retail and online e-eommerce operations, working to secure new suppliers to produce a new range of modern and popular branded products that will set Shuttleworth’s retail market apart from other attractions. Management of the day-to-day retail and admission operations including serving customers, keeping EPOS systems up to date, monthly stock takes and ensuring stock is ordered in line with agreed budgets.

Please review the full job description via the recruitment pack

To apply, please please send your CV and cover letter to jobs@shuttleworth.org

IT Support Technician

You will play a key role in maintaining and optimising the Trust’s computer systems, networks, and software. Reporting directly to the Head of Finance, you will act as the first point of contact for all IT issues, ensuring prompt and effective resolution of problems. You will be responsible for providing technical support to internal users, troubleshooting hardware and software issues, and maintaining high system performance. This role requires a proactive and efficient approach to issue resolution, and your input will be vital to enhancing overall user satisfaction and system reliability.

Please review the full job description via the Recruitment Pack

Please apply with your CV and cover letter to jobs@shuttleworth.org

Venue Logistics Assistant

Based at Shuttleworth House & Garden Suite, the Venue Logistics Assistant is responsible for ensuring the venue is set up and maintained to the highest standard, creating a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment for guests. The role involves setting up for events, moving furniture, cleaning various areas, and assisting with bar service

Please review the full job description via the Recruitment Pack

Please apply with your CV and cover letter to jobs@shuttleworth.org

Housekeeping Assistant

Based at Shuttleworth House & Garden Suite, we are seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Housekeeper to join our team. The ideal candidate will play a crucial role in maintaining cleanliness and organisation in our facilities, ensuring that all areas are welcoming and hygienic for guests and staff alike. This position requires a strong work ethic, attention to detail, and a commitment to providing excellent service.

Please review the full job description via the Recruitment Pack

Please apply with your CV and cover letter to jobs@shuttleworth.org

 

Current Casual Vacancies

Bar Staff: Shuttleworth House & Garden Suite

Based at Shuttleworth House & Garden Suite, as Shuttleworth prepares for another busy year of Weddings & Events, we require your help on a casual basis to help deliver a seamless and unforgettable experience for our clients.

Catering Staff: Runway Cafe

Based at Shuttleworth’s Runway Cafe, As a member of the front of house catering team you will need to work well under pressure in addition to being able to self-motivate and rise to the challenge of a busy environment, working autonomously when the occasion requires. You will be responsible for delivering excellent customer service, demonstrating a flexible, positive, and enthusiastic approach, and maintaining strong communication skills within the restaurant and external catering units. This role requires weekend working.

Kitchen Staff: Runway Cafe

Based at Shuttleworth’s Runway Cafe, as a member of the back of house catering team you will need to work well under pressure in addition to being able to self-motivate and rise to the challenge of a busy environment. You will work in a clean, safe and organised manner to assist the kitchen team in delivering food to a fantastic standard for our visitors.

Please review the full job descriptions for the roles above via the Recruitment Pack

Please apply with your CV and cover letter to jobs@shuttleworth.org

Volunteering at Shuttleworth

Volunteers are an integral part of life at the Shuttleworth Collection, House and Swiss Garden. Many aspects of the day-to-day and event activities that take place would not be possible without our extensive and experienced volunteering team.

Volunteering can open up a world of opportunities and provide a number of personal benefits, including:

• Making a contribution to the local community whilst also meeting visitors from around the world
• Utilising personal skills, whilst having the opportunity to learn new ones
• Developing experience and gaining confidence
• Preserving our heritage for future generations
• Meeting likeminded people and enjoying the fellowship and fun volunteering can bring
• Maintaining an active lifestyle

If you are interested in the history and heritage of mechanical transportation and aviation, would like to learn more about one of the country’s leading families of the industrial revolution, or you would simply like to explore volunteering in the heritage sector, then please see below for details of our opportunities, complete our application form and send it to volunteering@shuttleworth.org

Current Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteer Visitor Attraction Assistant

We are currently seeking a number of volunteer Visitor Attraction Assistants.

The Role / Main Duties

• This front of house role requires the staffing of the reception area including:
• Welcoming visitors and collecting admission charges
• Ensuring the Visitor Centre is kept tidy and presentable throughout the day
• Restocking flyers and trail sheets and notifying teams when they need to be re-ordered
• Providing front-line support for the Shuttleworth enquiries phone line (referring callers to the Enquiries E-Mail facility where queries cannot be answered immediately)
• Keeping up to date with Shuttleworth’s daily activities in order to advise customers of ‘What’s On’ on arrival
• Retail support:
• Managing sales of Shuttleworth branded goods and re-stocking shelves as required
• Identifying items that are close to selling out and require re-order

Skills

• You should possess strong customer service skills in order to interact with Shuttleworth’s customers. The requirements include:
• An ability to handle cash/card payments (training will be given)
• Being happy to work with a computer based till system (training will be given)

Time Commitment
1-2 days per week

Operating Times
Winter 09:30-15:30
Summer 09:30-16:30

Shuttleworth House Volunteer Stewards

The Shuttleworth House plays host to many inspiring and exciting events, but when it isn’t being used for events, it is opened to the public for periods throughout the year to be enjoyed as part of the visitor attraction.

As a Volunteer Steward, your role is to help tell the history of the Old Warden estate and the Shuttleworth story. You are required to help bring the House and its contents to life by ensuring our visitors gain an enjoyable insight into the history of the Ongley and Shuttleworth families, from the Victorian era through to World War II.

The Role / Main Duties

• Meet and Greet visitors
• Encourage visitors to explore what the House has to offer
• Engage visitors by outlining objects / areas of interest / facts about the room

We are keen to involve people who:

• Are excellent communicators and enjoy meeting new people
• Are keen to learn about history and heritage and wish to share this knowledge with others
• Are creative and full of enthusiasm

Volunteer Airfield Stewards

A number of Airfield Stewards are required to supplement the existing team with airfield gate guardianship.

The Role / Main Duties

• Good interpersonal skills
• A minimum commitment of 6 air shows between May to October
• Physical ability to stand for long periods and man-handle gates
• Managing staff, volunteer and visiting pilot access to and from the airfield on air show and event days

Volunteering with our Grounds Team

Why not volunteer with a team who look after the Shuttleworth grounds and public areas?

The role covers the whole of the Shuttleworth estate and we are seeking volunteers with a variety of skills from pot-hole repairs to fine gardening, including:

• Runway maintenance
• Hedge-cutting
• Pruning shrubbery
• Grass Cutting (push mowing)
• Fencing
• Pot hole repairs
• Gravel path repairs
• Soft landscaping
• Spray licence would be advantageous
• Painting

This is a varied and hands-on, physical role.

Volunteering with our Maintenance Team

We are currently seeking Volunteers who are willing to work as part of the Shuttleworth Maintenance Team. In this role you will ideally possess trade skills in the areas shown below and assist with a variety of tasks around the site. If you can help with any of the following you would be welcome to apply:

• Woodworking
• DIY
• Painting

Time Commitment
1-2 days per week

Operating Times
Winter 09:00-15:30
Summer 09:00-16:00

Volunteering with our Vehicle Group

Our Vehicle Group covers a number of team members who help restore and maintain our collection of Edwardian Cars, Edwardian Buses and Industrial Heritage and Steam Agricultural Vehicles. In addition, we have one dedicated group who maintain and demonstrate a WW2 Bofors Anti-Aircraft Gun. Volunteers tend to work with one group with likeminded enthusiastic members.

Edwardian Bus Team

Interested in supporting the running of the Edwardian buses. We operate our three Edwardian buses year-round, for school parties and on Event days, providing pleasure rides for visitors and families. You will be trained and expected to be both Driver and Conductor. Our Bus crew meet regularly on a Thursday, but you will be required to commit to weekday, some weekends and our air shows when we provide a full service. Full driving licence is required.

Vehicle Engineering Workshops

Our Vehicle Workshop and the team of volunteers undertake both the maintenance and full restoration of Classic, Vintage and Veteran Cars. Having a large collection, all are maintained to a high standard. Our Volunteers will want to ‘get their hands dirty’ and will have an aptitude for working on rare cars and early motorcycles. Experience is useful, but not essential as you will be mentored by our experienced team members. You will naturally be encouraged to lean to drive and ride our vehicles and you will be required to attend the majority of our air shows and to enable our projects to progress, up to two days a week in our workshop.

Vehicle Engineers

We have a dedicated Engineering workshop for those volunteers who possess Mechanical / Electrical Engineering skills or Tool Making experience.

Vehicle Support Group (Seasonal)

This team maintain the high standard of presentation of the vehicles exhibited in the hangars and ensure they are ready to be paraded during the airshow season. Knowledge of working with veteran / vintage vehicles is desirable. You will be encouraged to ride and drive our Edwardian Cars and Motorcycles as part of our air show display and parade team.

BOFORs Anti-Aircraft Gun Crew

Our Volunteers are required to work and engage with our public during the Airshow season and for Schools Visits. When no events are taking place there is plenty to do, including maintenance, developing our exhibits and in training, in bringing the gun into display operation, whilst engaging with our visitors with a key focus on safety. Full training will be provided.

Learning Team – Volunteer Education Guides

Guides are required to support the growing number of educational visits.  It is desirable that applicants are teacher trained or have some experience working with young people (eg Scout / Group leaders) and must be able to follow session plans and be confident delivering to learners.

The majority of learners are aged 5-7 years, but confident guides are also required to deliver more specialist knowledge to learners up to Masters / PhD level.  Mostly working from the Discovery Workshop on site, there will be some outreach work and project-based home working.

A requirement of the role is to be willing to undertake safeguarding training and undergo DBS checks.  Full training will be given.

Volunteer Swiss Garden Steward

We are looking for a number of Volunteer Swiss Garden Stewards to cover weekend duties as follows:

The Role
Reporting to our Head Gardener, Garden Stewards will be part of a team involved in:

• The preparation of the site for opening (including opening up)
• Overseeing the smooth running during the open period
• Closing down at the end of the day (including locking up)

Main Duties
Mainly weekends and on Bank Holidays.

• Ensure the smooth running of the site, carry out light gardening duties and watering (on the same basis as weekday staff), safety and security
• Ensure the proper use of the site by visitors (safely and without nuisance to others)
• Maximise visitors’ enjoyment – delivery of interpretation, initiate, and be open to, discussion as appropriate
• Maintain and clean the artefacts and structures in the garden (training will be provided)
• Stewards may also be asked to assist with events or weddings
• Opportunities also exist for Stewards to train and become Garden Tour Guides

Whilst on duty, Stewards will be required to liaise with the following:

• Duty Manager
• Collection Stewards
• Visitor Attraction Admissions

Skills
You must possess good interpersonal skills and a flexible approach to volunteering is essential. Possession of RHS2 is beneficial but not essential – training will be provided.

Working Hours
Shuttleworth weekend and Bank Holiday opening hours:
Summer 09:00 – 17:00
Winter 10:00 – 16:00

The number of shifts is down to the volunteer, but it is essential a full day commitment is recognised.

Volunteer Swiss Garden Conservator

The Swiss Garden are interested in talking to Conservators who may be interested in supporting this Regency period garden and can support the team in working towards a 5-year survey in the following areas:

• Stoneware remedial work
• Repairs to cobbles / brickwork around site
• Ongoing woodwork repairs
• Ongoing decorating around site
• Pest management

This role would ideally suit tradespeople from the following disciplines:

• Carpentry
• Bricklaying
• Painting & Decorating

Volunteer Recruitment Co-ordinator

We are seeking a Volunteer Recruitment Co-ordinator to work alongside our current team to assist with the recruitment of volunteers.

The Role/Main Duties

• This role requires working as a main point of contact throughout the recruitment process, along with:
• Co-ordinating, scheduling and conducting interviews
• Liaising with Line Managers regarding suitable applicants
• Encouraging membership of the Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society
• Supporting the Team Leader/Line Manager in planning any recruitment drives

Skills

• Strong administration skills – bring organised and process driven
• The ability to take a proactive, confident approach and able to apply initiative to tasks
• Possession of a positive attitude and a keenness to learn about the world of Shuttleworth and the areas you are designated to cover
• The ability to identify with candidates and have excellent listening skills to aid placement

Time Commitment
1-2 Days per week

Airfield Management

Volunteer Airfield Marshals

Experienced Aircraft Marshallers are required to support flying activity on air show and event days.

SVAS Membership Trailer & Sales

SVAS  Volunteer Membership Team

Applications are invited for this role where activities include encouraging visitors to join the Friends Societies and selling SVAS memorabilia.   A key skill is to be able to engage with visitors, and knowledge of the Shuttleworth Collection is desirable but not essential.

Operations include weekends, Air shows and Other Events through the air show season plus school holidays.

Front of House Team

Volunteer Hangar Stewards

Volunteer Hangar Stewards play a key role in the day-to-day operations at Shuttleworth.  Responsibilities include visitor engagement, so good interpersonal skills are critical, along with having a good knowledge of the Collection’s exhibits and history or possess a willingness to learn.

Weekend and Weekday opportunities are available.

Aero Engineering

Volunteer Heritage Hangar Cleaners

Supporting the Aero Engineering team, you will ensure the hangars, display cabinets and aircraft are maintained to a high standard of presentation for our visitors.

Full training and guidance will be provided.

Our Principles

We treat each other with kindness and respect

We make everyone welcome

We learn from our mistakes and bounce back when things go wrong

We equip and support our teams with modern day business skills 

We embrace commercial success in a way that respects our past traditions

We educate by telling stories and providing experiences

We preserve our unique heritage and keep it in working order