Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Religious Studies

The Department of Religious Studies at Wellesley College invites applications for a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Religion in the Americas for a two-year term, to begin in Fall 2026. Possible areas of concentration include indigenous religious cultures, Christianities in the Americas (including but not limited to the United States), Black and Diasporic religions, and/or religious pluralism in the Americas. The position carries the expectation of competence in the relevant textual materials and languages.

We welcome a variety of disciplinary and methodological engagements, but familiarity with forms of analysis in one or more of the following areas is preferred: gender and sexuality; ecology; literature, performance, and visual culture; philosophy and ethics; historical and social scientific approaches; or comparative approaches. The successful candidate will offer two courses in each year of the fellowship and deliver a public lecture related to their research in the second year.

Postdoctoral Fellows are not expected to engage in first-year, major or minor advising, professional development, or service responsibilities.

Candidates who have earned PhDs within five years of the beginning of the appointment (i.e. July 2026) are eligible to apply.

• Teaching Load: 2 courses per year (one course per semester)
• Term of Appointment: 2026-28, without possibility of renewal
• Target
  
  Start Date:
  
  July 1, 2026
• Minimum Salary: $68,173

March 9 2026

To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, graduate transcripts, brief descriptions (two-three sentences each) of four courses that you might offer over the two years of the fellowship, and the names and email addresses of three referees, who may be asked to submit confidential letters of recommendation. Application materials should be submitted via  Additional materials, including writing samples, teaching and research statements, and draft syllabuses may be requested at a later date.

This position is in a collective bargaining unit represented by Wellesley Organized Academic Workers – UAW (WOAW-UAW). To learn more please visit: WOAW-UAW website and current Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Wellesley's mission is to provide an excellent liberal arts education to women who will make a difference in the world. We advance our mission by working together as a community—faculty, students, staff, and alumnae. For those roles that are half-time or greater, we offer a comprehensive array of benefits including health, dental, vision, life insurance, and a retirement savings plan. Benefits are governed by plan documents and eligibility provisions.