School: Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Department/Area: Weatherhead Center for International Affairs

Position Description

The Program on International Relations and International Security (IRIS) at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs invites applications for its 2027-2028 Postdoctoral Fellowship in International Security, a one-year, residential opportunity for early-career scholars working on international relations, international security, and related issues in the social sciences.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will be part of the newly established Program on International Relations and International Security, led by Joshua D. Kertzer, John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and of Government in the Department of Government at Harvard University. The position will also be affiliated with the Weatherhead Scholars Program and actively participate in its intellectual community and activities.

About the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs
The Weatherhead Center is Harvard's largest international research center, supporting rigorous scholarship on global, comparative, transnational, and international issues. Founded in 1958, the Center brings together faculty, fellows, and students from across the University to address pressing global challenges, including conflict and governance, inequality, environmental change, migration, and international development. It serves as an interdisciplinary hub for research, exchange, and public dialogue.

About the Program on International Relations and International Security
The Program on International Relations and International Security (IRIS) supports rigorous research on national security, international conflict, and foreign policy decision making. As a newly established initiative at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, the program encourages innovative scholarship on topics such as diplomacy, interstate conflict, nuclear security, international institutions, political violence, emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, and other pressing challenges in international security, while advancing theoretical, historical, and empirical approaches to the study of world politics. Building on the Weatherhead Center's tradition of interdisciplinary scholarship, the program fosters research and intellectual exchange on fundamental questions of conflict, cooperation, and global order.

About the Weatherhead Scholars Program
The Weatherhead Scholars Program is a flagship initiative of the Center that brings together an intellectually diverse, international cohort of postdoctoral researchers, visiting faculty, and practitioner fellows for a year-long residency. Fellows pursue independent research while participating in a weekly seminar, professional development sessions, and collaborative programming across the Center. The program cultivates a vibrant intellectual community that bridges academia and practice, drawing scholars from a wide range of disciplines and professional backgrounds-including government, journalism, diplomacy, civil society, and academia. The Postdoctoral Fellow may be invited to teach a Harvard class during the course of their appointment.

Benefits

The Postdoctoral Fellow in International Security will receive a stipend of $75000, payable over twelve months and a $5,000 research stipend.

Basic Qualifications

Applicants must have received a PhD within the past three calendar years in a relevant social science field-such as political science, sociology, anthropology, history, economics, public policy, international relations or security studies. Research must focus on topics related to international relations and international security. The PhD must be conferred before the fellowship start date. Applicants with external funding are welcome to apply but must undergo the same review process.

Special Instructions

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS October 8, 2026. PLEASE SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR A LIST OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.

Letters of Recommendation
The application will ask for the names and contact information of your referees. Once your application is submitted, the system will automatically email them instructions for uploading their letters. The deadline for letters of recommendation is October 15, 2026. You may track the status of your letters through the application portal. We recommend submitting your application in advance of the deadline to ensure your referees have sufficient time.

Writing Sample
As the search progresses, selected candidates may be asked to submit a writing sample (e.g., a dissertation chapter, journal article, working paper, or other scholarly work). No new writing is required.

Contact Information

Walid Hammam Director, Weatherhead Scholars Program Weatherhead Center for International Affairs Harvard University

Please see the Weatherhead Scholars Program website and Frequently Asked Questions before contacting.

Contact Email: walid_hammam@wcfia.harvard.edu

Salary Range

$75,000

Minimum Number of References Required: 2

Maximum Number of References Allowed: 3

Keywords

International Relations, International Security, Security Studies, Strategic Studies, Foreign Policy, National Security, Defense Policy, Diplomacy, Statecraft, Grand Strategy, Geopolitics, International Organizations, International Institutions, Global Governance, International Law, Regional Security, Alliance Politics, Deterrence, Military Strategy, Military Affairs, Intelligence, Nuclear Security, Nuclear Strategy, Arms Control, Nonproliferation, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Terrorism, Counterterrorism, Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies and Security, Artificial Intelligence and Security, Political Violence, Civil Conflict, Interstate Conflict, War and Peace, Peacebuilding, Conflict Resolution, Democracy and Governance, Political Economy, Comparative Politics, Public Policy, Human Security.