Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Religion, Culture, and Mental Health

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Religion, Culture, and Mental Health

Ethnos-MH, funded by the John Templeton Foundation (Grant #63556), seeks to recruit one Postdoctoral Research Fellow for a novel, global R/S competency program based on ethnographic methods for mental health professionals, which will be piloted in the United States, United Kingdom, and India. This project is led by Bhrigupati Singh (SOAS, CAMHRA) and Swayam Bagaria (Harvard Divinity School).

The postdoctoral fellows at Harvard will work directly under the supervision of Bagaria and help oversee the U.S. segment of the program. The role involves directing the design and execution of the Ethnos-MH training program, mentoring program participants, producing individual research on R/S competency and mental health, supervising field‑research projects of institutional cohort members, developing research objectives and future funding proposals in collaboration with the Ethnos-MH directors, and participating in the organizational and intellectual life at HDS, including workshops, events, and conferences.

The fellowship is for one year, with an expected start date of January 1, 2027.

• PhD in Anthropology, Religious Studies, or Cultural Psychiatry.
• Strong familiarity with the institutional landscape of mental health delivery in the United States and demonstrated expertise in the empirical study of mental health, broadly defined.
• Strong research and writing skills with a commitment to scholarly publication.
• Strong project‑management skills with experience supervising research theses at the undergraduate or graduate level.
• Ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment.

• Background in writing for public audiences (blogs, opinion writing, etc.).
• Ability to bridge academic discussions with public engagement and community outreach.
• Experience with editorial work or collaborative scholarly projects.

$70,000

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non‑discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard’s academic purposes. Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university’s non‑discrimination policy.

Harvard’s equal employment opportunity policy and non‑discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.