The Yale Peabody Museum (YPM) stewards more than 14 million items that inform our understanding of Earth, its life, history, and cultures. The collections, many of historical and global significance, include specimens from the fields of paleontology, zoology, botany and mineralogy, as well as ethnographic and archaeological objects and historical scientific instruments.
The YPM Office of Student Programs was established to support teaching and research at Yale University, and to coordinate and foster the engagement of Yale students in the activities of YPM across all its departments and divisions. The YPM Student Programs Postdoctoral Associate (SPPA) will be involved in the broad range of responsibilities and activities of the Student Programs Office. As an academic museum, we have the unique opportunity to provide object-based learning experiences for over 75 Yale courses per year through engagement with YPM collections, exhibitions, and our curators and staff. In addition, the Student Programs Office provides exceptional field-based learning experiences on Yale’s nearby natural properties, especially Horse Island. We also coordinate 10+ research internships every summer for Yale undergraduates, and many more undergraduate and graduate students are involved with research in the YPM collections during the academic year.
With a specific focus on teaching and research at Yale, the SPPA will likely split most of their effort between the provision of object-based learning and the support of collections-based student research. In certain cases, the SPPA may have the opportunity to advise on or co-develop course-related projects or curricula with faculty and/or staff. The SPPA will also work closely with YPM staff in Communications and Public Programs to help develop and promote student-generated exhibits, videos, podcasts, animations, images, visualizations, and other means of communicating science to a broad audience. The SPPA will have the opportunity to work with a wide range of YPM staff to develop and/or administer new or existing initiatives involving Yale students. The SPPA will work with the Director and Assistant Director of Student Programs to determine the scope of work that is the best combination of their skills and abilities and their desired areas of growth and training.
The SPPA will have the opportunity to gain experience and training in the following areas: Yale teaching and course support; object-based and exhibit-based teaching pedagogy; field-based teaching pedagogy; supporting Yale student research; supporting summer internship programs; mentoring students in various forms of science communication; extracurricular student engagement; collaborative program development with YPM staff; engagement and collaboration with other University museums and departments; collections handling, storage, and data management practices.
This position is for doctoral graduates seeking to explore careers that support undergraduate and graduate student education and research in academic museums. The SPPA appointment will be for one year with the expectation to renew for a second year.
Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, names and contact information for three references, and a cover letter expressing their interest and qualifications to david.heiser@yale.edu. We are committed to increasing diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion in the museum field. Qualified candidates from underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply.
We will begin reviewing applications March 1, 2023
Expected start date: July 1, 2023
Annual compensation is $62,000 plus a competitive benefits package, including health insurance. For more details, see https://postdocs.yale.edu/postdocs/benefits.
At the Yale Peabody Museum we are working on Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion institutional priorities so that we can learn to better serve our communities, amplify marginalized voices and perspectives, and create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. The ideal candidate will be ready to share their experience with and interest in contributing to this work. Please address in your cover letter how Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion relate to your professional experience and goals.
Yale University considers applicants for employment without regard to and does not discriminate on the basis of an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, status as a veteran, or national or ethnic origin; nor does Yale discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
Categories: Job Postings