Harvard University is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law. Additionally, as underscored by our school’s Community Values Statement, the GSD is committed to diversity and inclusion within our community, which is representative of individuals from varied abilities, backgrounds, beliefs, cultures, lived experiences, and perspectives.

We welcome applications from members of historically underrepresented groups and candidates with experience teaching and working with diverse communities and students.

Open Non-Faculty Academic Positions

Postdoctoral Fellow: Control and Optimization of Energy Efficient Buildings 

The Harvard Center for Green Buildings and Cities in Cambridge, MA is seeking a researcher to conduct advanced research on the control and optimization of energy efficient buildings. The research topics include, but are not limited to, the design of control algorithms, optimization, and implementation of control strategies using the HouseZero lab building. The candidate may also participate in working proposals to secure funding for future projects. The potential candidate will collaborate with CGBC researchers on related research topics.

Requirements:

  • Highly motivated with a strong control/automation/optimization background.
  • Willing to explore applications such as optimizing heating, cooling, and ventilation systems in buildings.
  • Interest in smart building applications. Knowledge about HVAC or familiarity with sensors as well as BACnet or KNX protocol is a plus.
  • Good coding skills and a strong control background are preferred.
  • Postdoctoral candidates should have either received their doctoral degree or have submitted their dissertation for final awarding of the degree.

The review process is competitive and is based on academic record, as well as professional and extra-curricular experience. Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and any other materials detailing personal experience and research interests to [email protected]. Applications will be reviewed starting May 15, 2023.

Pollman Fellowship in Real Estate and Urban Development 

Established in 2002 through the generous gift of Harold A. Pollman, the Pollman Fellowship in Real Estate and Urban Development is given to outstanding postdoctoral graduates in real estate, urban planning, and development to spend one year in residence as a visiting scholar at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Applicants in the fields of economic development, political economy, urban economics, and other areas in urban planning related to real estate and urban development are also encouraged to apply.

Postdoctoral candidates for the Pollman Fellowship should either have received their doctorate or have submitted their dissertation for final awarding of the degree. The fellowship award is $30,000, plus medical benefits, and is to be used towards living and research expenses. While at Harvard, the fellow may audit courses and may seek to supplement the fellowship with teaching and research assignments. The fellow is expected to produce at least one publishable paper in a refereed journal, to participate in research workshops, and to contribute to the life of the School.

Applications are accepted annually. Please refer to the Pollman Fellowship webpage for instructions on how and when to apply.

Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Associate: Grinham Research Group

The Harvard Graduate School of Design is seeking a full-time Postdoctoral Fellow or Research Associate to join a team working on projects related to thermal performance and material life cycle design in buildings. The candidate will work under the supervision of Principal Investigator Dr. Jonathan Grinham and have the opportunity to work collaboratively across Harvard University.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The preferred candidate will have specialized knowledge of building thermodynamics, material lifecycle assessment, prototyping, and experimental testing. The individual will work in close collaboration with the PI and other researchers. More specifically, they will:

  • Assist research duties of the PI and support activities of the project
  • Locate, organize, and analyze research materials
  • Work closely with the PI on the various reports, grant applications, and publications
  • Contribute to the coordination, fabrication, and testing of laboratory and field studies
  • Computational modeling of energy and material systems
  • Other duties as required

Qualifications:

  • Graduate degree in architecture, engineering, or related field
  • Proven experience researching building thermodynamics and/or material life cycle is a requirement

Additional Qualifications:

  • Strong analytical abilities, excellent writing skills, and grasp of experimental research methods
  • Demonstrated experience working in multidisciplinary team settings
  • Building energy modeling, computational fluid dynamics, life cycle assessment modeling, computational design/fabrication, and electronics skills are an advantage
  • Graphic representation skills
  • Desire to see innovation translated into the AEC industries

Additional Information: This is a full-time, sponsored research-funded position, with a contract initially for 12 months. Salary commensurate with experience.

Position Title: Full-time Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Associate

Start Date: September 1, 2023

Duration of Employment: Until August 31, 2024

Salary Grade: Depending on experience

Application Instructions: Please submit a letter of intent, curriculum vita, and portfolio/copies of publications to Jonathan Grinham: [email protected]

Applications will be reviewed starting August 1, 2023, and will continue until the position is filled.

Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Associate: Joint Civil/Military Adaptation to Sea Level Rise

The Harvard Graduate School of Design is currently seeking a full-time Postdoctoral Fellow or Research Associate for the research project “Sea-Level Rise in the Indo-Pacific Region: Building a Framework for Interdependent Resilience.” The project focuses on co-producing adaptation decision-making frameworks for joint civilian/military sites in Hawaii and Guam, while attending to environmental politics that complicate these decision-making processes. The goal is to develop transferable decision-making frameworks for contentious adaptation projects. The candidate will work under the supervision of Principal Investigator, Dr. Hannah Teicher.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The preferred candidate will have specialized knowledge of urban adaptation issues, environmental history and environmental politics. The candidate will work in close collaboration with the PI and other members of the multi-university research team. More specifically, they will:

  • Assist research duties of the PI and support activities of the project
  • Work closely with the PI on literature reviews and publications
  • Identify, organize, and analyze policy and planning documents
  • Assist with preparation for and conduct stakeholder interviews in Hawaii and Guam
  • Assist with managing graduate research assistants
  • Other duties as required

Qualifications:

  • A PhD in urban and regional planning or a closely related field
  • Strong qualitative data analysis skills
  • Excellent writing skills
  • Demonstrated project management skills

Additional Qualifications:

  • Demonstrated experience working in multidisciplinary team settings
  • Professional experience working on adaptation
  • GIS skills

Additional Information: This is a full-time, sponsored research-funded position, with a contract initially for 12 months. Salary commensurate with experience.

Position Title: Full-time Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Associate

Start Date: October 15, 2024

Salary Grade: Depending on experience

Application Instructions: Please submit a letter of intent, CV, and copies of publications to Hannah Teicher: [email protected]

Applications will be reviewed starting July 1, 2024, and will continue until the position is filled.

Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Associate: Critical Landscapes Design Lab

Position Title: Full-time Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Associate

Start Date: July 1, 2024

Duration of Employment: Until May 31, 2025

Salary Grade: Depending on experience

The Harvard Graduate School of Design is currently seeking a full-time Postdoctoral Fellow or Research Associate to join a project titled “Holy Places & Shaded Spaces: Imagining a Role for Religious Spaces in Climate Change Adaptation across Four African Cities.” The candidate will work under the supervision of Principal Investigator, Dr. Gareth Doherty.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The preferred candidate will have specialized knowledge of ecological and landscape planning issues, preferably with experience in Africa. The individual will work in close collaboration with the PI and other researchers. More specifically, they will:

  • Assist research duties of the PI and support activities of the project
  • Locate, organize, and analyze research materials
  • Work closely with the PI on the various reports and publications of the program
  • Contribute to the coordination of remote field research activities
  • Organize regular staff meetings and reports to collaborators
  • Other duties as required

Qualifications:

  • Graduate degree in landscape architecture or related field
  • Graphic representation skills are a requirement

Additional Qualifications:

  • Strong analytical abilities, excellent writing skills, grasp of qualitative and quantitative research methods
  • Demonstrated experience working in a team setting
  • Ability to work to deadlines

Additional Information: This is a full-time, sponsored research funded position, with a contract initially for eight months. Salary commensurate with experience.

Application Instructions: Please submit a letter of intent, curriculum vita, and portfolio/copies of publications to Gareth Doherty: [email protected]

Applications will be reviewed starting May 28, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled.