"Junior Tutorial Instructors in Psychology"

School:

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Department/Area:

Psychology

Position Description

The Department of Psychology at Harvard University is hiring instructors to teach junior tutorial (PSY 980) seminars during the 2026-27 academic year. These positions are open to PhD-level instructors with prior teaching experience, which may include experience as a graduate student instructor or teaching assistant. Openings are expected for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027; instructors typically teach one tutorial per year.

Junior tutorials are limited-enrollment undergraduate seminars focused on specialized themes or topics in psychology. The specific topic area is open; however, we are particularly interested in candidates who can teach empirically-based, advanced undergraduate seminars in social psychology, psychopathology/clinical science, or developmental psychology. Rather than offering a broad survey of an area, these seminars provide an in-depth exploration of a specific topic, with an emphasis on reading and discussing primary research literature. Junior tutorials are designed to support students' ongoing development of a scientific mindset, fostering skills such as critical analysis, thoughtful questioning, and engagement with research as an active, iterative process. The seminars are intended for advanced psychology students who have completed prior coursework in psychology and have a foundational understanding of research methods and design. A list of current and recent tutorials can be found here.

Junior tutorial instructors will join a community of scholars committed to excellence in undergraduate education and will receive intensive pedagogical and course-development mentorship through the Department and Harvard's Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. These positions provide opportunities to gain experience leading advanced undergraduate seminars, develop and refine teaching skills, and implement innovative course ideas.

Review of applications will begin February 2, 2026.

Basic Qualifications

Candidates are required to have a PhD or an equivalent terminal degree in Psychology or a closely related field (e.g. Cognitive Science, Statistics, EdD in Human Development) by the expected start date.

Additional Qualifications

We seek candidates with a strong background in research and teaching and a commitment to equitable and inclusive instruction.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit:

1. A current CV, including information about prior teaching experience.
2. A cover letter that briefly describes your teaching background, areas of expertise, and any efforts to foster diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the classroom.
3. Evidence of teaching experience and effectiveness, including quantitative and qualitative teaching evaluations.
4. A course proposal, including the following information. You may submit proposals for up to two tutorial seminars.
   a. Title of the proposed seminar
   b. Course description of the proposed seminar (250 words or less)
   c. Outline of the proposed seminar, including:
   • Tentative course schedule listing the specific topics that will be covered each week (one class per week, 13 weeks per semester; the Harvard academic calendar can be found here)
   • Selected readings for at least two weeks (typically 3-4 scientific articles)
   • Brief descriptions of proposed assignments and assessments aligned with course objectives
5. For postdoc candidates: A letter from your advisor indicating their support for taking on this teaching position is required.

Contact Information

Katherine Powers, PhD
Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Psychology
Harvard University
220 William James Hall
33 Kirkland Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

Contact Email: kpowers@fas.harvard.edu

Salary Range

The expected per-section salary for this course is $13,150 (exact rate to be determined using the guidelines set out in the HGSU-UAW contract, Article 20, Section 2).

Minimum Number of References Required: 0

Maximum Number of References Allowed: 3

Keywords

seminar, instructor, lecturer, teaching, psychology, neuroscience, undergraduate

Boston, Cambridge, Massachusetts, MA, Northeast, New England