Jobs & Fellowships

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The American Academy is committed to the diversity of its staff and membership. As a scholarly organization and research center, the Academy recognizes that diversity of thought, class, experience, sex, gender, race, physical or mental ability, age, religion, national origin, and sexual orientation is a value to uphold and is central to the mission and work of the organization. A more pluralistic staff embracing diversity of thought, approach and life experience fosters a more nuanced understanding of contemporary issues facing the nation and the world. Working together in a climate of respect and openness models the civil discourse that is fundamental to the work of the Academy.

For a full job description and the link to apply, please click the job title.

Program Officer for American Institutions, Society, and the Public Good

The Program Officer is responsible for research and writing, project management, policy development and analysis, meeting organization, and administrative functions related to the Academy’s work in the program area of American Institutions, Society and the Public Good, with a focus on the current Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship and the development of future projects.

Embracing and advancing a cross-disciplinary approach, the Program Officer will collaborate with Academy members, policy experts, and staff to advance the findings and recommendations of this multi-year commission on how Americans obtain the skills, knowledge, and values necessary for engaged citizenship in a twenty-first century democracy and will lead the exploration and development of future areas of focus for the program area.

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Program Associate for American Institutions, Society, and the Public Good

Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is a learned society and independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems.  

This position will be working within the program area of American Institutions, Society, and the Public Good and will be focusing on the Academy’s Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship. The Commission is designed to deepen the national dialogue around democratic practice by exploring civic engagement and political participation in the United States and setting out a plan of action for promoting the values and behaviors that define effective citizenship in a diverse 21st century democracy.  

Working with Academy staff, Academy members, and project committees, the Program Associate provides logistical, research, and programmatic support for the projects within the Program area.

Cambridge, MA

Program Director for Humanities, Arts, and Culture

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences seeks a Program Director for Humanities, Arts, and Culture. The Program Director works with Academy members and senior staff to oversee and develop multidisciplinary projects in these areas.  The projects are carried out by commissions and committees composed of members, other leaders in these fields, consultants, and Academy staff. The Program Director will manage, coordinate, and contribute intellectually to these initiatives.   

Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, the Program Director works with Academy Members and staff to carryout policy initiatives and to identify and develop new projects; has direct responsibility for a select portfolio of projects; and supervises Academy staff who manage a subset of programs or initiatives within the area of the Humanities, Arts, and Culture.

Cambridge, MA

Membership Information and Elections Coordinator

Membership Information and Elections Coordinator  

The American Academy of Arts & Sciences, one of the nation’s prominent learned societies and independent policy research centers headquartered in Cambridge, MA, seeks a Membership Information and Elections Coordinator to provide support for all aspects of the annual nomination and election process as well as member data information. 

The nomination and election process is run by the Membership Information and Elections (MIE) department, which processes over 1,000 nominations each year and conducts 30-50 membership election conference calls culminating in the election of the new honorees.  

The MIE department also serves as the primary information source regarding Academy members. The Academy membership encompasses over 4,900 Fellows and 600 Foreign Honorary Members and reflects the full range of disciplines and professions: the physical and biological sciences, the social and behavioral sciences, the arts and humanities and leadership, policy and communications.  

Cambridge, MA

Security Studies Fellow

As part of the Academy’s Global Security and International Affairs program area, the Security Studies Fellowship provides an opportunity for an early-career professional with training in security studies or nuclear policy to learn about a career in public policy and administration. While in residence, the Fellow works with senior scholars and policy experts on critical issues related to nuclear weapons, arms control, international relations, and conflict. 

Cambridge, MA

Chief Program Officer

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences seeks a chief program officer (CPO) as the organization enters its next era under new leadership. The Academy convenes individuals from every field and profession and fosters collaboration between the academic, business, civic, and government sectors to develop pragmatic policy solutions to the critical challenges facing our global society. The principal opportunity for the CPO lies in the ability to cultivate, guide, and contribute to work that will have broad and positive impact on society, facilitating the participation of these distinguished leaders and organizations.

This search is being led by Isaacson, Miller. Please direct any applications and nominations to Jack Gorman and Kennedy Kearney at Isaacson, Miller

American Academy of Arts and Sciences