"McNeil Center Barra Postdoctoral Fellowship (24 months)"

The McNeil Center for Early American Studies will appoint a Barra Postdoctoral Fellow for a two-year term, beginning 1 July 2026. Applications are welcome from junior scholars whose work focuses on any aspect of the histories and cultures of North America in the Atlantic world before 1850. Applicants must have earned the PhD no earlier than 2022 and must have completed all requirements for the degree when the appointment commences. Candidates who have received McNeil Center funding for a related project at the pre-doctoral stage are not eligible. Proposals reliant on research in Philadelphia-area archives, libraries, and museums are especially welcome.

The Barra Postdoctoral Fellow will receive a starting stipend of at least $67,000, an additional $3,000 of funds for travel and research, and health insurance. The fellow will enjoy private office space in the Center's facility at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as full library privileges at the university. During the term of appointment, the fellow will teach two courses in an appropriate department at the University of Pennsylvania. The remainder of the fellow's time will be devoted to research, writing, and participating in the Center's academic programming.

The following items must be prepared for uploading as PDFs: a curriculum vitae; a proposal not to exceed 1,500 words, describing the general scope of the project and the specific work proposed during the fellowship term; and an unpublished writing sample related to the project, limited to 7,500 words exclusive of notes.

Two confidential letters of support should be uploaded separately by the applicant's letter writers. Please ask recommenders to address the specifics of this application.

Applications must be submitted by 1 November 2025.

Questions may be directed to the McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

To apply, visit this link