Cunningham Fellow in Academic and Public Programs at Harvard Art Museums

Job Title: Cunningham Fellow in Academic and Public Programs 

Location: Cambridge, MA

Salary: $60,000

Job Summary 
The Harvard Art Museums’ Fellowship program 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 education. Harvard Art Museums’ global collections encompass cultures across Asia, North Africa, Europe, and the Americas from ancient times to today. The Fellow is an integral member of the Museums staff whose work serves the Museums’ purpose, vision, and values. 

Position Description

  • The Cunningham Fellow 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.
  • Schedule class visits to the museums, monitor gallery closures and object availability, and communicate with academic and curatorial staff as directed.
  • Support 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.
  • Support the Graduate Student Teacher 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.
  • Assist in compiling and analyzing the museums’ data related to the Graduate Student Teacher Program.
  • Assist with other educational programs and initiatives, including collaborations with the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
  • Assist with other DAPP programs and initiatives as needed.
  • May work on projects of personal interest.
  • Foregrounding the museum’s teaching and research mission, the Fellow also helps provide content expertise and support for teaching in the galleries and the Museums’ Art Study Center, including staffing Art Study Center sessions approximately three hours a week, participating in a series of art handling workshops, and contributing to a rich offering of public and academic interpretive programs across various platforms.
  • The Fellow will be an active member of the Fellows’ cohort and will participate in regular cohort meetings, trainings, activities, and in the annual Fellows symposium at the end of the spring semester.
  • The Fellow may supervise students and temporary employees. 

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 and Skills

  • 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
  • Demonstrated ability to establish effective working relationships with others and maintain a positive, helpful attitude
  • Experience working with quantitative and qualitative data and/or program assessment preferred
  • Curatorial, Museum, or related experience helpful; 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 

How To Apply:

Apply via AAM

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. We’re committed to considering a wide range of applicants. Please use your cover letter to share your passion for art museums and how you envision contributing to this role. We’d love to hear from you!