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.

Humanities Policy Fellow

The Humanities Policy Fellowship provides an opportunity for recent PhDs with training in the humanities or humanistic social sciences to learn about a career in public policy and administration. While in residence, the Humanities Policy Fellow serves as a full-time member of the staff, contributing to ongoing Academy projects in the Humanities, Arts, and Culture program area. Current work in the area includes the Humanities Indicators, development of a history of the American Academy, as well as development of new programs.

The Humanities Policy Fellowship program has three objectives:

1. To increase the number of humanities PhDs engaged in substantive discussions about policy who can also demonstrate the applied value of advanced training in the field.

2. To expand the scale of Academy projects and studies focused on challenges facing the humanities and American society

3. To support and guide an early-career PhD who want to develop expertise on policy issues related to humanities and the humanistic social sciences.

Terms: The appointment is for a two-year term, starting September of 2022 and continuing through August of 2024.

Application: Applications for the 2022–2024 Fellowship due by January 31, 2022 and must include a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) and resume or CV.

Remote

Humanities Policy Fellow for American Institutions, Society and the Public Good

The Humanities Policy Fellowship provides an opportunity for an early-career professional with training in the humanities or humanistic social sciences to learn about a career in public policy and administration. While in residence, the Humanities Policy Fellow will contribute to new and ongoing projects of the American Institutions, Society, and the Public Good program area. The Humanities Policy fellow serves as a full-time member of the program area staff in support of the work of the Academy and its members. The Fellow will work on one or more of the following projects, based on the current projects and needs: Our Common Purpose Project, Commission on Reimagining Our Economy, and Making Justice Accessible Project.

The Humanities Policy Fellowship program has three objectives:

1. To support and guide an early-career professional who wants to develop expertise on policy issues related to humanities and the humanistic social sciences;

2. To increase the number of humanities professionals who are engaged in substantive discussion of questions about policy related to the humanities, with a broad understanding of their social implications; and

3. To expand the scale of Academy projects and studies focused on challenges facing the humanities and American society.

Terms: The appointment is for a two-year term, starting September of 2022 and continuing through August of 2024.

Application: Applications for the 2022–2024 Fellowship due by January 31, 2022 and must include a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) and resume or CV.

Remote

Program Officer for Science, Engineering, and Technology

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences seeks a Program Officer to play a central role in the Academy’s projects within the “Science, Engineering, and Technology” (SET)  program area . With oversight from the John E. Bryson Director of Science, Engineering, and Technology Programs, the Program Officer for SET is responsible for carrying out research studies, project management, meeting organization, and administrative functions in the Science, Engineering, and Technology area. The Program Officer collaborates with Academy members, project advisory group, and staff to advance the work of a multi-year commission and project.

One of the key projects the Program Officer will work on is the Academy’s new Commission on Accelerating Climate Actions.   The Commission is dedicated to identifying salient obstacles to action and proposing policy recommendations to address these challenges. Project work will engage actors across and within sectors to identify the key shifts for meaningful action on climate change. In addition to this project, the Program Officer will actively participate in program area’s activities and ongoing projects, including Building Resilient and Ethical Supply Chains for a Post-COVID World and other new or emerging projects.

The Academy is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion and looks to all its staff members to foster and promote its values.

Cambridge, MA

Program Officer for Civil Justice

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences seeks a Program Officer to oversee the Academy’s efforts to advance the recommendations in Civil Justice for All, the final report of the Making Justice Accessible project. The Program Officer will work with project chairs to ensure the project recommendations are shared with a broad range of audiences, will regularly convene and support a project advisory committee, and will actively foster collaboration and information sharing between practitioners and other experts to advance innovations in the field of civil justice.

The Academy is committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion and looks to all its staff members to foster and promote these values.

The position will report to the Program Director for American Institutions, Society and the Public Good. This will be a two-year contract with preferred proximity to the House of the Academy in Cambridge, MA or to the Academy's offices in Washington, DC office .

Cambridge, MA or Washington, DC preferred

Raymond Frankel Nuclear Security Policy Fellow

As part of the Academy’s Global Security and International Affairs (GSIA) program area, the Raymond Frankel Nuclear Security Policy 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.

The Fellow will assume primary responsibility for managing the Promoting Dialogue on Arms Control project, in close coordination with Project Chair Steven Miller and the GSIA program staff. The role therefore includes: organizing the series of Track-2 dialogues between nuclear experts and former officials from the United States, China, and Russia to identify critical goals in arms control; arranging the educational briefing series for Members and staffs of Congress to deepen knowledge on key issues and challenges facing the United States in arms control and international security; and coordinating the publication series focused on critical debates within nuclear arms control.

Start date between July 1 and September 1, 2022.  The appointment is for a one-year term, which can be renewed for a second year by mutual agreement.  This is a remote position, with occasional travel required to the Academy offices in Cambridge, MA, and as necessary to meet project needs.

Interested applicants are encouraged to submit a brief cover letter and CV online no later than January 31, 2022.  Priority consideration will be given to candidates who apply by January 10, 2022.

American Academy of Arts & Sciences