Term Length

Postdoctoral Scholars are appointed for a term of two years, with the option to apply for a third year. They will be encouraged to seek external funding for a third year (workshops on grant and fellowship application writing are included in the Society’s professional development programming). The start date of the Postdoctoral Scholars program is September 1, 2025.

Compensation and Resources

Postdoctoral Scholars whose appointments begin in the 2025-26 academic year receive an annual (12-month) stipend of $75,000, plus benefits. Scholars also receive an annual allowance of $4,000 for research expenses. Relocation costs and a computer allowance will also be provided.

For the current application period, the Society invites applications from early-career scholars who have completed (or will complete) their doctoral degree requirements between July 1, 2022 and September 1, 2025. Candidates will be asked to provide proof of completion of their doctoral degree requirements prior to the start of the program.

This program is open to all fields of inquiry represented in CAS (broadly encompassing the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematical & computational sciences), but preference will be given to scholars whose research spans across traditional disciplinary divisions or modes of inquiry. A list of all CAS departments and programs can be found here. If you have questions about whether your field of study is eligible, please contact the Society at SoFCAS@bu.edu. 

Preference will be given to those candidates who have not yet held a postdoctoral position. Applicants who hold or have held a tenure-track/tenured faculty position are not eligible. Current BU postdoctoral associates, fellows, and candidates who received their Ph.D. from Boston University are not eligible. Applicants who received a bachelors or masters degree from BU are eligible, provided they have a terminal degree in their field from another institution. 

Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States by September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2027. The Society of Fellows does not provide visa sponsorship or work authorization.

*Please note, a two year extension of this eligibility time period will be considered for those applicants whose ability to apply for this program has been delayed due to caregiving or childcare responsibilities, or for medical reasons. Please contact us before submitting your application.

Affiliations and Mentoring

At least one CAS department, program, or center will serve as the host unit for the Postdoctoral Scholar. Applicants are welcome to suggest which CAS departments, programs, and centers may be most relevant as potential hosts. 

All Scholars will be assigned one or more suitable faculty mentors from their host unit(s). Scholars and their mentors will meet regularly throughout the program for research and career advising, and will meet at the end of each academic year to review the Scholar’s progress. Scholars will collaboratively develop a career plan with their mentor that describes their activities in the program and how they connect to their overall career goals. 

The Society’s Faculty Fellows will also provide guidance and mentorship as part of the Society’s programming.

Teaching and Service Responsibilities

Scholars and their mentors will work with the Scholars’ host unit to determine appropriate teaching responsibilities. Postdoctoral Scholars are expected to teach one undergraduate course per academic year and will work with their faculty mentors on developing course curricula that incorporate their research interests. If desired, Postdoctoral Scholars may discuss with their mentor and host unit additional teaching responsibilities that would complement their research or professional development aims. Scholars may not teach or hold employment at other institutions for the duration of their term as a Postdoctoral Scholar. Scholars  are expected to participate in monthly Society events but have no formal service requirement. They are welcome to participate in events  and activities on campus and with their host units at their discretion. 

Professional Development

The Society will provide Postdoctoral Scholars with professional development training and opportunities as part of the Society’s regular programming and in collaboration with the University’s Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs Office, which hosts the Postdoc Academy and a range of other career-related resources for postdoctoral associates and fellows at BU. Upon arrival, Scholars will also participate in new postdoc orientation to better understand the full range of offices and resources for postdoctoral scholars at BU.

• Application Form
• Cover Letter- maximum of 1 page. Address why you are specifically interested in Boston University (you are welcome to include a list of faculty you would be interested in working with) and why you are interested in being part of an interdisciplinary cohort. 
• Curriculum Vitae
• Statement of Research and Scholarly Goals – up to 2 pages (not including citations or references). Description of intended research plans for the program, previous research and scholarly work, and how the applicant’s work aligns with the research strengths of CAS. The statement should describe the applicant’s research in clear, concise language that can be understood by faculty reviewers across disciplines.
• Diversity & Inclusion Statement – up to 2 pages. Statement should describe applicant’s demonstrated commitment and contributions to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion through scholarship, teaching, service, and/or outreach activities. Applicants are encouraged to include their personal experiences with diversity and inclusion, including (but not limited to) their experience as a member of an underrepresented group, their engagement with diverse communities, and/or any professional training in diversity and inclusivity.
• Teaching Statement/Philosophy – up to 2 pages. Describe your teaching philosophy and interests, drawing on both formal and informal experiences in teaching, mentoring, and pedagogy.
• Contact information for up to 3 reference letter writers – one of these must be the applicant’s doctoral advisor. Please note – only the contact information is needed at this time. Reference requests will be made of successful applicants later in the process, who will be notified by the Society. 

All materials must be submitted through the InfoReady Portal. Materials should be spaced with 1.5 spacing and written in Times New Roman or Arial font (11 pt or larger) saved in the PDF format.

Graduate transcripts are not required in your application materials, but the Society will request an official transcript from your doctoral degree-granting institution if you are selected as a finalist. Applicants who advance in the review process may be asked to provide a dissertation abstract and writing samples at a later date. Some will also be asked to interview for the position.

An interdisciplinary selection committee will review applications in consultation with the potential host unit(s) of the candidate. Faculty reviewers will evaluate candidates based on:

• Alignment of applicant’s research goals and interests with the potential host unit(s)
• Interdisciplinary strengths of applicant’s work
• Innovative and focused research proposal, teaching statement, and DEI statement
• Ability of the applicant to contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in higher education through their research, teaching, service, and lived experiences
• Preparation and relevant experience for conducting the proposed research during the postdoctoral scholarship and for teaching BU undergraduates
• Ability to communicate scholarly work to multiple disciplines and audiences (as noted above, the selection committee is made up of faculty in a variety of disciplines).

Candidates will be notified of final decisions by mid-February. Alternates may be contacted if the initial awardees do not accept in the subsequent weeks.

Applications for the 2025-2027 Postdoctoral Cohort are now closed. Applicants can view their applications via the InfoReady portal.