Postdoctoral Fellow / Visiting Scholar (unpaid), Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, Harvard University

School: Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Department/Area: Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, History of Art and Architecture

Position Description

The Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA) invites applications for unpaid Postdoctoral Fellow / Visiting Scholar appointments to conduct advanced historical research in Islamic art, architecture, material culture, and archaeology at Harvard University. We welcome applications from recent PhD graduates (as Postdoctoral Fellow) and mid-career scholars/senior scholars (as Visiting Scholar). Scholars who have secured their own funding for 2026-27 are welcome to apply. This is a full-time, immersion research appointment. Appointees are invited to deliver a lecture to the AKPIA community and submit to the annual journal of the Aga Khan Program, Muqarnas (published by Brill). Appointees will also be invited to meet periodically with the Director of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture to discuss their research and potential submission topics for publication.

Appointees will have an affiliation with Harvard University's Department of History of Art and Architecture (HAA), and are given access to all Harvard University libraries, museums, and facilities in furtherance of a well-defined, specific research project. Appointees may participate in departmental symposia and they are also welcome to audit Harvard seminars and lecture courses, if they so choose (with instructor permission).

Due to the importance of in-person mentoring and having the opportunity to interact with colleagues and researchers within our program, it is expected that appointees will pursue their research on campus and should plan to be on campus for a minimum of 3 weekdays each week. Appointees are encouraged to attend lectures hosted by AKPIA and HAA (the Department of History of Art and Architecture), and meet with faculty, students and other visiting scholars.

Please note: AKPIA does not support professional design, conservation, or urban development projects; applicants who plan to spend a significant amount of time conducting travel research are not encouraged to apply; appointees are responsible for arranging their own health insurance, which is required of all Massachusetts residents; appointees are responsible for finding their own housing.

Basic Qualifications

• PhD in Islamic Art History, Architectural History, Archaeology or related field
• Published in Islamic Art History, Architectural History, Archaeology or related field
• Demonstrated experience in Islamic Art History through teaching, museum curation, or other demonstrable close study and engagement
• Excellent research skills
• Excellent command of the English language (both the AKPIA lecture and the submission to Muqarnas will be in English)
• Confirmed funding in the form of a fellowship, grant, or paid sabbatical leave

Additional Qualifications

• Experience in a research library, archive, special collection, museum, or comparable environment.
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to participate in the academic life of the AKPIA program at Harvard University; available to attend lectures and other events

Special Instructions

Applicants should submit their Cover letter, Curriculum vitae, a Statement of Research, two writing samples, and two references' names/contact information. The Research Statement should indicate desired start and finish dates for the appointment in the 2026-2027 academic year, and should detail source of funding. The duration of AKPIA Fellowships are usually a minimum of 3 months (occurring between September and May) and a maximum of 12 months.
Applicants are encouraged to review Harvard University's calendar (see our 10 year academic calendar, looking at 2026-2027 dates: ). Applicants may consider an early September start date, or a late January start date, for shorter appointments.
Review of applications will begin on March 31, 2026 and will continue until position(s) are filled. Applicants should notify their reference letter writers right away, as completion of application will trigger a letter request email.

Contact Information

For more information, please visit the AKPIA website or contact Cecily Pollard, Program Administrator, at [email protected]

Contact Email: [email protected]

Salary Range

$0.00. This research position is unpaid.

Minimum Number of References Required: 2

Maximum Number of References Allowed: 3

Keywords

Islamic art, Islamic architecture, Islamic art history Islamic archaeology, Islamic material culture