Job Title: Cunningham Fellow in Academic and Public Programs
Location:
Cambridge, MA United States
Position Type:
Full Time
Post Date:
12/23/2025
Expire Date:
02/23/2026
Job Categories:
Arts, Entertainment, and Media, Education, Collegiate Faculty, Staff, Administration
Job Description
Cunningham Fellow in Academic and Public Programs
At the intersection of public access and higher education, the Harvard Art Museums invite everyone to embrace inquiry, dialogue, and new perspectives on art and ideas. The museums’ global collections encompass a broad range of time periods and geographies.
The Fellowship Program at the Harvard Art Museums is designed to broaden the experience of those embarking on professional museum careers in art history and related fields, conservation and conservation science, and/or museum education. Fellows are integral members of the museums’ staff, take part in departmental and museum-wide meetings, and collaborate with colleagues across the museums. Fellows are active members of the program cohort, participating in regular Fellows meetings, workshops, specialized training, and organized activities throughout the year, including presenting their work at an annual Fellows Symposium.
This position works on site at both the museum in Cambridge, MA, and periodically at a second facility in Somerville, MA. The term of this fellowship is August 3, 2026 – August 2, 2028.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The Cunningham Fellow, working closely with the Associate Director of Academic Engagement and Campus Partnerships and Research Curator, will share fully in a range of teaching, learning, and research activities in the Division of Academic and Public Programs (DAPP). The Fellow will support teaching for all Harvard departments and schools at the Harvard Art Museums.
The Fellow will schedule class visits to the museums, monitor gallery closures and object availability, and communicate with academic and curatorial staff as directed.
The Fellow supports interdisciplinary teaching initiatives. Working closely with faculty and teaching fellows, the Fellow will help design learning experiences and develop materials for Harvard class visits. This includes researching works in the collection and drafting applicable teaching notes. The Fellow will teach for Harvard class visits to the museums in a range of disciplines.
The Fellow will support the Graduate Student Teacher (GST) Program, a partnership with the only public high school in Cambridge (Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, CRLS), in which graduate students teach gallery visits for a range of interdisciplinary high school classes. The Fellow will schedule all CRLS visits, attend the weekly GST Program meetings, and contribute to the program’s organization and content. The Fellow will serve as an advisor for the Graduate Student Teachers, especially in the design of their gallery lessons.
Foregrounding the museums’ teaching and research mission, the Fellow also participates in interdisciplinary teaching and contributes to a rich offering of public and academic interpretive programs across various platforms.
The Fellow may supervise students and temporary employees.
The above covers the most significant responsibilities of the position. It does not, however, exclude other duties, the inclusion of which would be in conformity with the position.
Qualifications & Requirements Basic Qualifications:
Candidates MUST meet the following basic qualifications in order to be considered for this role:
- MA in Education, Art History, or related field
Additional Qualifications:
- University-level teaching experience in museums and/or classrooms preferred
- Demonstrated experience with learning design in museums and/or classrooms
- Demonstrated research skills, preferably related to art or other museum objects
- Commitment to fostering museum literacy and a museum-going identity among students and other visitors
- Excellent time management skills; comfort working in a fast-paced environment; ability to manage multiple tasks and ongoing projects at once
- Demonstrated administrative skills, preferably through experience in a museum and/or higher education setting
- Museum or related experience preferred; interest in expanding canonical narratives strongly encouraged
- Commitment to fostering the appreciation of works of art in a museum context
- Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills; ability to work independently as well as collaboratively as part of a team
We believe in the potential of candidates from all backgrounds and experiences. If you meet the Basic Qualifications for this role and are excited about the opportunity, we encourage you to apply—even if you don't meet every single Additional Qualification. Whether you're starting your career, re-entering the workforce, transitioning fields, or seeking the next step, we welcome your unique perspective. Please use your cover letter to share your passion for art museums and how you envision contributing to this role.
Company Description:
The Harvard Art Museums promote exploratory thinking about art, working across disciplines and in collaboration with students, faculty, and the public. Through research, teaching, and professional training, we provide a foundation for understanding art’s relevance to the defining issues of our time. We advance knowledge by preserving, documenting, sharing, and interpreting our collections, which span a broad range of time periods and geographies.
