Postdoctoral Fellowships

Call for Applications: Stone Program Postdoctoral Fellows

The Stone Program at the Harvard Kennedy School invites applications for postdoctoral fellowships to support scholars conducting research related to wealth distribution, inequality, and social policy. This postdoctoral fellowship offers early-career scholars the opportunity to advance their research and writing in a multidisciplinary environment. The duration of the fellowship is typically two years, although selected fellows may elect to take a one-year fellowship if they so desire. The fellowship begins in Fall 2025. Fellows receive a competitive salary, workspace, a computer, and access to libraries and other university resources.

Eligibility
Scholars who have obtained their PhDs in the last two years, or who will have defended their dissertations by the start of their postdoctoral appointment, are eligible to apply. Postdoctoral applicants must possess a PhD at the time of the start of the fellowship. Applications are invited from fields across the social sciences (especially, but not limited to, economics, sociology, and political science).

How to Apply
Interested applicants should submit the following materials combined into a single PDF to inequality@hks.harvard.edu.

• An updated curriculum vitae
• Recommendation waiver forms
• A 2-page, single-spaced description of their proposed research agenda. This description should include an explanation of (1) the significance of the research, (2) the anticipated work product, and (3) the timeline for the research and how the fellowship corresponds to the timeline.
• A writing sample (not co-authored with the applicant’s advisor or senior faculty)
• In addition to the files listed above, which must be compiled into a single PDF, applicants also must submit three letters of recommendation. Faculty members or their assistants must submit their letters directly via email to inequality@hks.harvard.edu.

Proposal Evaluation
Applications will be evaluated on their merits and with respect to how the proposed research connects to the Stone Program’s research focus on wealth distribution, inequality, and social policy. Applications will be evaluated by a review committee of faculty members affiliated with the Stone Program.

Deadlines
The deadline for the 2027-2029 fellowship cohort will be announced in 2026. Check back here for the deadline or sign up for our mailing list to receive the call for applications.

Terms
Recipients will be recognized as Stone Program Postdoctoral Fellows in honor of the support provided by James M. and Cathleen D. Stone. Fellows must be based in the local area for the duration of the fellowship and to contribute to the collective intellectual life of the Stone Program. Examples of this collaboration include attending the weekly Stone Inequality & Social Policy Seminar, meeting with outside speakers, and presenting research. Fellows also may be invited to mentor Stone PhD Scholars, who are graduate students studying inequality from across Harvard University. Fellows are responsible for finding their own housing, but are eligible to apply for Harvard University Housing.