Mellon Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Fixed Term)

University of Cambridge - Faculty of History

Placed On: 10th February 2026
Closes: 1st March 2026
Job Ref: JJ48791

The Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge welcomes applications for the Mellon Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, a three-year postdoctoral fellowship open to those working in any field of American history from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. This is an exciting opportunity for a candidate who has or is close to obtaining a PhD in a relevant specialist subject area.

Candidates for this post will be expected to demonstrate that they have undertaken research that is original and innovative and that will, when published, make a substantial contribution to American history. They will also be expected to demonstrate an interest in contributing to the promotion of American history at Cambridge.

The Mellon Research Fellow will be expected to pursue their own research across the full period of the fellowship. The postholder will also be expected to convene the American History Workshop, a weekly seminar in which PhD students present dissertation chapters and advance their professional development. They will also expected to become a regular participant in and contributor to the Cambridge American History Seminar.

Position details

1. Position is full-time and fixed-term for three years, Successful candidates who have not been awarded their PhD by the appointment date will be appointed as a Research Assistant at Grade 5. Upon award of the PhD the individual will be promoted to Research Associate, Grade 7.
2. The University of Cambridge has a UK visa sponsor license and we will be able to offer advice and support you with your application if you need a visa to work in the UK.

Qualifications

1. Applicants must hold or be close to receiving a PhD. In addition to those with PhD in hand, we can consider applicants who plan to submit the PhD thesis by the start of the fellowship.
2. Applications are open to those working in any field of American history from the colonial period to the twenty-first century.

Application materials

1. Applications should include a cover letter, a two-page statement of proposed research, a curriculum vitae, a sample of written work of approximately 10,000 words, and details of two referees who have knowledge of the candidate's work.
2. Referees will only be contacted at the longlisting phase of the search.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click 'Apply' above.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to:

Professor Lucy Delap, Chair of the Faculty of History - chair@hist.cam.ac.uk

If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact hr@hist.cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference JJ48791 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.