Please see Special Instructions for more details.
School: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Department/Area: All Departments
Position Description
The Harvard Chan School Yerby Fellowship Program draws on the rich research environment and intellectual resources of one of the world’s premier public health training institutions. Named for Dr. Alonzo Smythe Yerby, an African-American pioneer in public health, he was the first Black department chair at the Harvard School of Public Health in the Department of Health Services Administration (now known as the Department of Health Policy and Management). This program aims to expand opportunities for those entering the academic public health field and carry forward the kind of work he modeled throughout his career—investing in people, creating pathways, building community, and helping the next generation of public health scholars see themselves moving into academic and leadership roles.
The Yerby Fellowship Program creates a bridge between academic training in public health-related fields and entry-level faculty positions at institutions throughout the United States by advancing the intellectual and professional development of each Yerby Fellow as they develop research agendas, receive grant support, and actively pursue publication in peer-reviewed journals. Fellows work under the guidance of senior Harvard Chan School faculty members with compatible interests and can have opportunities to gain teaching experience and participate in a variety of activities including career and professional development, mentoring, peer support, and connect with other scholars across Harvard University.
Fellowship training is available across the broad range of the School’s activities: laboratory sciences, population sciences, and social and policy sciences. Fellows may be recruited into any of the following ranks, as commensurate with experience: postdoctoral fellow, research associate, or visiting lecturer. Each fellow will be based within one of the School’s nine academic departments:
- Biostatistics
- Environmental Health
- Epidemiology
- Global Health and Population
- Health Policy and Management
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases
- Molecular Metabolism
- Nutrition
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
Yerby Fellows receive a competitive salary with benefits for one year, renewable for a second year upon completion of a successful review of the first year.
Basic Qualifications
- Applicants for postdoctoral fellowships must have earned a doctorate in a public health-related discipline, preferably at the time of application, but in some exceptional circumstances before the fellowship begins. Candidates for research associate should have at least two years of postdoctoral training completed, visiting lecturers should have five years postdoctoral experience. For more information regarding Harvard Chan School appointment titles, descriptions of titles can be found here.
- Applicants must be U.S. Citizens, permanent residents, or have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the time of application submission. This position is unable to provide visa sponsorship.
- Applicants must submit a completed application through the online application portal that includes the following: curriculum vitae, publication sample(s), official graduate school transcript, 2 letters of recommendation, and responses to all supplement questions.
- Making preliminary connections with Harvard Chan School faculty whose work is of particular interest and who may be suitable intellectual mentors for the applicant is encouraged. Please mention any such outreach or correspondence in relevant application sections.
Additional Qualifications
The Fellowship seeks candidates whose research, teaching, and service will contribute to a stronger public health community. Ideal applicants will show a demonstrated interest in and experience with independent research, advanced scientific publication, and grant writing, even if in the context of team science or scholarly collaborations.
Special Instructions
The deadline to apply has been extended to November 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET. All applications must be submitted through this online application portal.
Recommendation letters are due by November 10, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The link to submit recommendation letters will be sent to your references only AFTER you submit your completed application.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
- Yerby Fellowship Program
- Harvard Chan School Postdoctoral Research Fellows
- Harvard Chan School Faculty Profiles
Contact Information
Mollie-Anne Maxfield
Faculty Affairs Program Manager
mmaxfiel@hsph.harvard.edu
Jennifer Ivers
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
ivers@hsph.harvard.edu
Salary Range
$75,000 – $80,000
Minimum Number of References Required
2
Maximum Number of References Allowed
2
Supplemental Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
- Goals: Briefly describe the specific research goals to be completed during the fellowship, preferably including identified department(s) and/or mentor(s) at the School (750 words). (Open Ended Question)
- Background: A personal statement discussing the origin of current and past research accomplishments, interests, and/or goals (250 words). (Open Ended Question)
- Explain how your research would contribute to the School, the profession, and health equity (150 words). (Open Ended Question)
- Current Harvard-affiliated fellows ONLY: How would the Yerby Fellowship expand your growth and development opportunities that are otherwise unavailable in your current fellowship? (Open Ended Question)
Applicant Documents
Required Documents
- Curriculum Vitae
- Transcript
- Publication
Optional Documents
- Publication 2
- Publication 3