Jessica is a historian and archaeologist, specialising in ancient Roman entertainment. She is currently an Early Career Research Associate at the Institute of Classical Studies (School of Advanced Studies, University of London), the Shortland-Jones Rome Scholar at the British School at Rome, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

She has taught Roman history at UCL in the History Department and Widening Participation Department and has worked on the European Research Council Project, Fragments of the Roman Republican Antiquarians, as well as on exhibitions in the Greece and Rome Department of the British Museum and as a Field Archaeologist for the Museum of London Archaeology.