Postdoctoral Fellowship
Call For Applications
The Moynihan Center at The City College of New York invites applications for its Postdoctoral Fellowship program. Fellows join a vibrant intellectual community that includes Moynihan Public Scholars and Moynihan Undergraduate Fellows. The fellowship offers a one-year (renewable) appointment with an annual salary of $70,000 plus benefits. The 2025–2026 Fellowship term will commence in August 2025.
We invite applications from doctoral candidates and recent PhDs in a variety of fields within the social sciences and humanities, particularly: political science, philosophy, sociology, history, communication, urban studies, and public policy.
Applications are due by February 10, 2025.
Overview
At a time of deep polarization and eroding trust in liberal institutions, the Moynihan Center works to revitalize civic life through the traditions of free inquiry, open debate, and public service. The Moynihan Postdoctoral Fellowship program selects exceptional early-career academics who will play a vital role in this mission through rigorous research, innovative teaching, engagement in substantive dialogue across difference, and a commitment to communicating scholarly insights to broad audiences.
Postdoctoral Fellows become integral members of a dynamic society of fellows that creates unique opportunities for intellectual exchange across career stages and disciplines. Through regular interaction with other postdoctoral researchers, Public Scholars, City College faculty, and promising Undergraduate Fellows, Postdoctoral Fellows participate in an intellectual community that bridges generational and professional divides while fostering meaningful dialogue on pressing public issues.
Fellows are expected to pursue their own research agenda while contributing actively to the Center's intellectual life and its mission to promote civic dialogue and reduce political polarization. This includes participating in the weekly Moynihan Public Scholars Seminar, teaching undergraduate courses, and mentoring Moynihan Undergraduate Fellows.
Fellows commit to the following core activities during each academic year:
Research
Fellows conduct rigorous academic research that illuminates a pressing challenge in public affairs and deepens our understanding of democratic institutions and civic values.
Teaching
Fellows leverage their expertise to help students understand and engage meaningfully in civic life. Through their teaching, fellows demonstrate the essential role of diverse perspectives in democratic discourse and model how scholarly inquiry can bridge ideological divides. In close consultation with Center leadership, fellows spend the fall semester developing one novel undergraduate course that they teach in the spring semester.
Weekly Seminar
Through the weekly Moynihan Public Scholars Seminar, fellows contribute to a diverse intellectual community that spans disciplines, perspectives, and career stages, and demonstrate how scholarly exchange can strengthen democratic discourse and institutions.
Research Presentations
Fellows present their work three times per academic year: once per semester to the Moynihan Public Scholars Seminar and once to Moynihan Undergraduate Fellows.
Mentorship
Fellows participate in structured group mentorship events with Moynihan Undergraduate Fellows.
Fellows receive the following:
- Annual salary of $70,000
- Comprehensive benefits package through the
Research Foundation of the City University of New York - One-year appointment (renewable once)
- Office space on CCNY's historic campus
- Research support of $2,500 per year
Fields
We welcome applications from doctoral candidates and recent PhDs in the social sciences and humanities whose research engages with public policy, civic life, or political thought. Fields may include, but are not limited to: political science, sociology, history, communication, economics, urban studies, and philosophy.
Education
Applicants may be either doctoral candidates or recent graduates. Candidates must complete all requirements for their PhD by August 2025, while recent graduates must have received their PhD no earlier than September 2020.
Location
Fellows must be able to be in residence at CCNY's Harlem campus during the academic year.
Preferred Qualifications
We recognize that opportunities for public engagement can be limited during graduate training. We are particularly interested in candidates who aspire to develop as public scholars and who can demonstrate previous efforts to engage broader audiences, however preliminary, or plans to do so, such as:
- Organizing departmental events or workshops to bring academic discussions to the general public
- Contributing to campus or community forums on political and social issues
- Communicating to the public through blog posts, op-eds, podcasts, public radio programs, media interviews, or other kinds of engagement with popular media outlets
- Taking part in public discourse on academic topics on social media platforms
- Finding other creative ways to bridge academic and public spheres
To be considered for the Moynihan Public Scholars Fellowship, please submit your application through the application portal at moynihancenter.ccny.cuny.edu by February 10, 2025.
A complete application must include the following:
Curriculum Vitae
Personal Statement
Please submit a personal statement of up to 750 words that addresses the following:
- Your research agenda and how your scholarship can illuminate a pressing challenge in public affairs
- Your approach to developing courses that engage students in understanding civic life and democratic institutions
- Your efforts, past and future, to connect academia and the general public and promote civic and political engagement
- Your vision for contributing to our intellectual community and promoting the mission of the Moynihan Center
Course Abstracts
Please submit abstracts for two proposed undergraduate courses that leverage your expertise to deepen students' understanding of civic life (maximum of 250 words each).
Writing Sample
Applicants may upload up to two (2) writing samples, including published articles or dissertation chapters.
References
Applicants should share the contact information for three (3) professional references.
Please review the Moynihan Postdoctoral Fellowship FAQ page on the Moynihan Center website for more details. Please address any inquiries to moynihancenter@ccny.cuny.edu with "MPF 2025" in the subject line.