Post-Doctoral Fellow HBW

Indiana University Bloomington; Bloomington (IN); On-site; USD 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc. is seeking a Post-Doctoral Fellow HBW focused on innovative scholarship in American literature and digital humanities. This two-year fellowship involves working to enhance the Black Literature Network’s archival portal, collaborating within the IU Bloomington English Department.

Candidates should hold a relevant Ph.D. by the start date, possess excellent communication skills, and have organizational capabilities. The position offers a salary of $60,000.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. must be conferred by the start date.
• Experience working with libraries or archives is preferred.
• Demonstrated interest in African American literary or cultural history.

Responsibilities

• Join an interdisciplinary team to highlight Black archival collections.
• Redesign and expand the Black Literature Network website’s archives portal.
• Engage in innovative scholarship in American literature.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Strong organizational and project management skills

Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders

Education

Ph.D. in a relevant field

Tools

Familiarity with archival description standards

Familiarity with metadata standards

Digital humanities tools

Job description

Posting Details

Position Details

Title
Post-Doctoral Fellow HBW

Appointment Status
Non-Tenure Track

Department
IU Bloomington English

Location
Bloomington

Position Summary

The History of Black Writing (HBW) is an active research center focused on fostering innovative scholarship in American literature, book history, and digital humanities. Situated in the College of Arts and Sciences in the English Department of Indiana University – Bloomington (IU), HBW endeavors to build a collaborative intellectual community to engage in dialogue about the recovery and preservation of literary texts, public humanities, and the future of archives. With funding from the Mellon Foundation, HBW will redesign and expand the Black Literature Network website’s archives portal (https://www.blacklitnetwork.org/archives). HBW seeks candidates for a Postdoctoral Fellow position. Working with Susan D. Gubar Chair, Associate Professor of English, and HBW Director Ayesha Hardison, the two-year fellowship invites a postdoctoral scholar to join an interdisciplinary team to highlight Black archival collections across the country.

Basic Qualifications

• Ph.D. in African American studies, American literature, public humanities, archival studies, library and information science, museum studies, public history, or a related field (degree must be conferred by start date)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Familiarity with archival description standards, finding aids, and/or digital collection platforms

Department Contact for Questions

Please contact the IU English staff at email [e-mail] with any questions regarding the application process.

Additional Qualifications

• Experience working with or in libraries, archives, special collections, or cultural heritage organizations
• Demonstrated interest in African American literary or cultural history
• Experience with community-engaged research or public-facing scholarship
• Familiarity with metadata standards, digital humanities tools, and/or archival databases

Salary and Rank
$60,000 Post-Doctoral Fellow

Special Instructions

1. Cover letter describing the applicant’s interest in the History of Black Writing and experience with collaborative archival and public humanities work
2. Curriculum vitae
3. 2–3 page statement outlining the applicant’s research interests and professional development goals
4. One writing sample (15-25 pages)
5. The names of 2–3 referees

For Best Consideration Date
05/12/2026

Expected Start Date
08/01/2026

Posting Number
IU-101552-2026