Deadline: January 11, 2026
Applications are open for the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University Postdoctoral Fellowship 2026. The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University invites early career scientists to apply for a unique opportunity to start a research career as independent postdoctoral fellow while gaining training and connections within the framework of a top-tier academic environment.
The Katharine H. Putnam Fellowship in Plant Science supports scientists focused on utilizing the Arnold Arboretum’s living collections of woody plants to study any area of plant science. The Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship supports researchers that tackle any area of global change science utilizing the myriad resources of the Arnold Arboretum.
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University and its urban landscape in Boston are particularly well-suited for global change and plant science research. It is both an outdoor museum of the world’s temperate trees and other woody plants grown in a public open space, all within sight of the Arboretum’s state-of-the art research facilities.
Benefits
- An Arboretum Postdoctoral Fellowship includes a salary of $83,000 per year, health insurance eligibility, and annual support of up to $10,000 for professional expenses including research, travel, relocation to Boston (and up to $2,500 of total budget).
- Fellows are expected to be in full-time residence at the Arboretum during their 2-year tenure and are provided office and research space. Fellows can start between July 1 and the beginning of September.
Eligibility
- Applications are sought from early-career individuals with a PhD in life sciences, plant biology, evolution, plant genetics, plant ecology, horticulture, or related discipline.
- Applicants must have their PhD when they initiate their term at the Arboretum.
- They strongly encourage applications from groups under-represented in the sciences.
- Foreign nationals are eligible to apply, but applicants are expected to be fluent in English.
Selection Criteria
The selection of Fellows will be based on:
- The range and depth of the applicant’s education and professional experience and their potential future contribution to scholarship.
- The track record of the candidate as an independent researcher. The proposed project should represent an independent line of inquiry, extending beyond the PhD research of the applicant.
- The overall quality of the applicant’s research proposal and the relevance of the proposed research with respect to how the resources of the Arnold Arboretum would be utilized to address the research question and the potential impact of the proposed research.
- The nature and scope of the work, the approach and methods to be employed, the feasibility of the proposed effort with respect to the term of the fellowship, how it would advance global change science or plant science, and how the project fits with ongoing Arboretum projects.
Application
There is one application for both fellowships. Applicants can apply for both fellowships at the same time or specifically for the fellowship that is the most appropriate for the proposed work. The research statement should be tailored for the specific fellowship that the applicant is applying for with either a global change focus or utilization of the Arboretum’s living collection of plants. Fellowships are awarded through a competitive review process. To be considered for a fellowship, the online applications should include the following:
- Cover letter. The cover letter should clearly state (i) the applicant’s interest in the program; (ii) the potential start-date; and (iii) the applicant’s contact information
- Abstract. Brief description of proposed research (limit of 175 words)
- Research Statement. The statement should be no longer than 4 pages, single-spaced, and should describe the research project the applicant proposes to conduct as either a Global Change Fellow or a Putnam Fellow. The statement should describe (i) the nature and scope of the proposed research project; (ii) the approach and methods to be employed; (iii) how the living collections (Putnam Fellowship) or the resources of the Arnold Arboretum (Global Change Fellowship) will be utilized; and (iv) how the proposed work will advance knowledge of the plant kingdom (Putnam Fellowship) or advance global change science (Global Change Fellowship). References should be included but do not count as part of the 4-page limit.
- Research Budget. A modest level of funding is available for research and travel costs. Applicants should submit a simple, 1-page budget that includes a paragraph detailing all laboratory and equipment requirements and an itemized budget by year for research, travel, and professional costs associated with the proposed project. Travel expenses for professional conferences as well as up to $2,500 for relocation to Boston should be included in the budget. The budget should accurately reflect and justify what is required for the proposed project.
- Curriculum vitae.
- Three letters of recommendation. As part of the online submission, you must send a request to the referee to submit a letter of recommendation (via the request section). The referee will be automatically sent an email with a link to an online submission form where they will upload a letter of recommendation. It is highly recommended that you contact your referee prior to sending the request. Please inform the referee to expect an email from [email protected] with instructions for submitting a recommendation letter. Each referee must upload his/her letter of recommendation via the link by January 18 at 5:00 p.m.
For more information, visit Arnold Arboretum Postdoctoral Fellowship.
