Weatherhead Scholars Program – Postdoctoral Fellowship in International Security
Listed on 2026-08-26
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Research/Development
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Weatherhead Scholars Program – Postdoctoral Fellowship in International Security
Title
- Weatherhead Scholars Program – Postdoctoral Fellowship in International Security
School
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Department/Area
- Weatherhead Center for International Affairs
Position Description
- The Program on International Relations and International Security (IRIS) at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs invites applications for its 2027–2028 Postdoctoral Fellowship in International Security, a one-year, residential opportunity for early-career scholars working on international relations, international security, and related issues in the social sciences. The Postdoctoral Fellow will be part of the newly established Program on International Relations and International Security, led by Joshua
D. Kertzer, John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and of Government in the Department of Government at Harvard University. The position will also be affiliated with the Weatherhead Scholars Program and actively participate in its intellectual community and activities.
About the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs
The Weatherhead Center is Harvard's largest international research center, supporting rigorous scholarship on global, comparative, transnational, and international issues. Founded in 1958, the Center brings together faculty, fellows, and students from across the University to address pressing global challenges, including conflict and governance, inequality, environmental change, migration, and international development. It serves as an interdisciplinary hub for research, exchange, and public dialogue.
About the Program on International Relations and International Security
The Program on International Relations and International Security (IRIS) supports rigorous research on national security, international conflict, and foreign policy decision making. As a newly established initiative at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, the program encourages innovative scholarship on topics such as diplomacy, interstate conflict, nuclear security, international institutions, political violence, emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, and other pressing challenges in international security, while advancing theoretical, historical, and empirical approaches to the study of world politics.
Building on the Weatherhead Center's tradition of interdisciplinary scholarship, the program fosters research and intellectual exchange on fundamental questions of conflict, cooperation, and global order.
About the Weatherhead Scholars Program
The Weatherhead Scholars Program is a flagship initiative of the Center that brings together an intellectually diverse, international cohort of postdoctoral researchers, visiting faculty, and practitioner fellows for a year-long residency. Fellows pursue independent research while participating in a weekly seminar, professional development sessions, and collaborative programming across the Center. The program cultivates a vibrant intellectual community that bridges academia and practice, drawing scholars from a wide range of disciplines and professional backgrounds—including government, journalism, diplomacy, civil society, and academia.
The Postdoctoral Fellow may be invited to teach a Harvard class during the course of their appointment.
Benefits
The Postdoctoral Fellow in International Security will receive a stipend of $75,000, payable over twelve months and a $5,000 research stipend.
Basic Qualifications
- Applicants must have received a PhD within the past three calendar years in a relevant social science field—such as political science, sociology, anthropology, history, economics, public policy, international relations or security studies. Research must focus on topics related to international relations and international security. The PhD must be conferred before the fellowship start date. Applicants with external funding are welcome to apply but must undergo the same review process.
Additional Qualifications
Special Instructions
- Final date to receive applications IS October 8, 2026. PLEASE SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR A LIST OF FREQUENTLY ASKED…
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