Now Open: $200k Rowland Fellowship 2026 at Harvard University for Researchers Globally

The Rowland Institute at Harvard seeks outstanding early-career experimentalists in all fields of science and engineering. The Rowland Fellowship provides an opportunity to establish an independent program in the rich intellectual environment of Cambridge, Massachusetts. To qualify, applicants should currently be in the process of either completing their PhDs and/or have received their PhD after May 1, 2024. Fellows must have completed their doctoral degree prior to starting their Fellowship term.

Eligibility Criteria for Now Open: $200k Rowland Fellowship 2026 at Harvard University for Researchers Globally

The eligibility criteria include:

1. To qualify for the 2026 cycle, applicants should currently be in the process of either completing their PhDs and/or have received their PhD after May 1, 2024. Fellows must have completed their doctoral degree prior to starting their Fellowship term.
2. Your proposed research must be experimentally focused in any field of science or engineering, including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, neuroscience, etc.
3. The program accepts applications from such a broad range of fields that the research conducted by current and past Fellows can be used as a guide, but should not be considered restrictive! We choose Fellows based on the best proposed science at the time of submission. That said, we cannot support human subjects research or clinical research of any type, as our fellowship is designed to enable Fellows from multiple disciplines to share overlapping laboratory spaces.
4. We encourage applicants from the broader scientific community; candidates can apply from any accredited academic institution, whether in the United States or internationally.
5. US Citizens and non-citizens are eligible for appointment as Rowland Fellows. The staff at the Rowland Institute and Harvard University can assist you in the visa process if needed.
6. Please email rf@g.harvard.edu if you have questions regarding eligibility or the application.

Required Documents:

Applicants should upload the following materials:

1. a 250-word “elevator pitch” to describe your research goals to a general audience,
2. a Statement of Research (three-page limit including references), describing your research proposal and, if relevant, a summary of any recent work that supports the planned experiments
3. a curriculum vitae (CV),
4. a Vision Statement (one page limit) to describe how your personal values and experiences in academia inform your plan for a productive and supportive culture within your group,
5. and contact information for three or four references (automated emails will be sent requesting letters of recommendation directly to your references, which includes their submission deadline).

Benefits of Now Open: $200k Rowland Fellowship 2026 at Harvard University for Researchers Globally

The benefits of a Rowland Fellowship include:

1. Fellows will have full principal investigator rights and will establish their labs in an interdisciplinary and interactive environment, in the rich intellectual environment of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
2. Fellows will be provided with dedicated laboratory space, and ancillary spaces as needed (e.g. cell culture, magnet rooms etc); generous start-up funding for capital equipment, depending on the Fellow’s research program; a yearly budget starting at $225,000 for general operations (lab supplies, travel, etc.) and the hiring of personnel (postdoctoral fellows, postbacs, undergraduates); and, a salary that begins at $89,999 per year with full Harvard benefits.
3. Fellows will have the opportunity to teach undergraduates for at least one semester during their Fellowship, to enable contact with students (ideally in an active research setting, rather than in a classroom), both to help Fellows recruit talented students to their labs and to provide teaching experience that will help them in any career they choose.
4. Staff scientists and engineers are available to work directly with Rowland Fellows to design and fabricate new experimental set-ups. Shared research equipment is available at facilities within the Institute and also throughout Harvard University (e.g. the Center for Nanoscale Systems, and the Bauer Life Science Core Facility).
5. Fellows will receive mentoring to develop a productive lab culture, support for scientific writing and budgeting, alongside ongoing support for career development throughout the Fellowship period, including leadership training and access to Harvard’s Core for Mentorship Excellence.

How to Apply

Only applications submitted through the Harvard website will be considered for the position. To apply the candidates must use the link below to submit their application

Application Deadline

Friday, August 15, 2025

Application Link(s)

• Apply for Now Open: $200k Rowland Fellowship 2026 at Harvard University for Researchers Globally