Harvard Environmental Fellows Program 2027: $92,000 Annual Salary Postdoctoral Fellowship in the USA
The Harvard Environmental Fellows Program 2027 is inviting applications from outstanding early-career researchers interested in addressing complex environmental challenges through interdisciplinary research. Hosted by the Harvard University Center for the Environment (HUCE), a centre of the Salata Institute, the programme offers an exceptional opportunity to work with leading Harvard University faculty members for two years.
Successful fellows will receive an annual salary of $92,000, employee health insurance eligibility, relocation assistance of up to $2,500 and an annual allowance of $2,500 for travel and other professional expenses.
Approximately five fellowships are expected to be awarded for the 2027 cohort. The programme welcomes applicants from a wide range of academic disciplines, including environmental sciences, economics, law, public policy, public health, medicine, engineering and the humanities.
Application deadline: 1 December 2026.
1. About the Harvard Environmental Fellows Program
The Harvard Environmental Fellows Program was established by the Harvard University Center for the Environment to support talented researchers interested in tackling important environmental issues.
The programme enables recent doctoral graduates to benefit from Harvard’s extensive academic resources, research facilities and interdisciplinary expertise.
Selected fellows spend two years working with Harvard faculty members in any school or department. They also become part of a collaborative research community designed to strengthen connections between different academic disciplines and professional fields.
The programme encourages researchers to develop independent research projects that contribute new knowledge and practical approaches to environmental challenges.
2. Fellowship Benefits and Financial Support
The Harvard Environmental Fellows Program provides a competitive financial package to support fellows during their two-year research appointments.
The benefits include:
- Annual salary: $92,000 per year.
- Health insurance: Eligibility for Harvard employee health insurance.
- Relocation assistance: Up to $2,500 reimbursement for relocation expenses.
- Professional expenses: $2,500 annual allowance for travel and other professional activities.
- Research mentorship: Opportunity to work with leading Harvard faculty members.
- Academic networking: Participation in an interdisciplinary community of environmental researchers.
Fellows also participate in a co-curricular programme organised by HUCE. Activities include biweekly dinners with fellow researchers, Harvard faculty members and invited speakers.
3. Eligibility Requirements
The fellowship is open to applicants from different countries and academic backgrounds who hold a doctoral degree or comparable terminal degree.
To qualify for the 2027 programme, applicants must have received their doctorate between May 2023 and August 2027.
The programme welcomes researchers with academic qualifications in disciplines including:
- Environmental and Biological Sciences.
- Economics and Development Studies.
- Law and Governance.
- Public Policy and Government.
- Public Health and Medicine.
- Engineering and Technology.
- Design and Humanities.
Applicants should demonstrate strong academic or professional achievements and the potential to make significant contributions to environmental scholarship or practice.
Interdisciplinary research is encouraged, although applicants pursuing research within a single discipline are also welcome.
4. Research Areas and Project Expectations
The programme supports research addressing complex environmental issues from different academic and professional perspectives.
Applicants are expected to propose an independent research project that extends beyond their previous doctoral research and the ongoing work of their proposed Harvard host.
Research proposals are evaluated according to their originality, intellectual quality and relevance to environmental challenges.
The selection committee considers:
- Previous academic and professional achievements.
- Potential contributions to environmental scholarship and practice.
- Originality and quality of the proposed research.
- Relevance of the research to addressing environmental challenges.
- Potential for intellectual achievement.
- Suitability of the proposed Harvard faculty host.
- Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
The proposed host must demonstrate enthusiasm for the project and the ability to provide mentorship, office space and a productive research environment.
5. Finding a Harvard Faculty Host
An important requirement of the fellowship is identifying a suitable Harvard faculty member willing to host and mentor the applicant.
Candidates are encouraged to begin identifying potential hosts early and establish a professional relationship before submitting their applications.
The host faculty member must provide a letter of support of no more than two pages, explaining their commitment to the applicant and proposed research project.
Faculty members from different academic disciplines may serve as hosts, even if they have not previously worked directly on environmental research.
Harvard graduates and researchers currently undertaking postdoctoral work at Harvard may also apply, provided their proposed research and host arrangements take them in substantially new directions.
6. Selection Process
Applications are carefully evaluated by a committee of Harvard faculty members.
A select group of applicants may be invited to discuss their research proposals with the selection committee through a video interview.
Approximately five fellows are expected to be selected for the 2027 cohort. The programme aims to create a diverse group of researchers with different academic interests, professional backgrounds and research expertise.
The Harvard Environmental Fellows Program offers an excellent opportunity for early-career researchers to advance their academic careers while contributing to solutions for pressing environmental challenges. Researchers from different disciplines and countries are encouraged to explore this prestigious opportunity.
