Curatorial Postdoctoral Fellowship in Photography

Curatorial Postdoctoral Fellowship in Photography at the University of Notre Dame

Application deadline: 17 August 2026
Location: Notre Dame, Indiana, United States
Working arrangement: On-site
Position type: Full-time postdoctoral fellowship
Duration: Two years, with the possibility of a one-year extension
Fellowship period: 28 September 2026–September 2028
Salary: $63,480–$71,748 per year, depending on experience
Travel stipend: $4,000 per year
Field: Photography and curatorial research

The Fellowship

The Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame invites applications for a Lilly Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowship in Photography.

Funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., the fellowship is one of four postdoctoral research positions across the Museum’s principal curatorial areas: European and American Art before 1900, Indigenous Americas and Africa, International Modern and Contemporary Art, and Photography.

The Photography Fellow will be appointed for two years, with the possibility of a one-year extension. They are expected to reside at the University of Notre Dame for the duration of the appointment and contribute to its wider scholarly community.

Working under the direction of the Museum’s photography curator, the Fellow will catalogue, research and interpret the institution’s permanent photography collection.

About the Photography Collection

The Museum’s photography collection comprises approximately 10,000 objects, making it the largest area of its collection.

The holdings span the full history of photography and represent a broad range of periods, methods and styles. Significant acquisitions over the past decade have strengthened the collection, and its works are among those most frequently requested by University faculty for classroom study.

The Fellow will work with the curator to review the entire photography collection, updating and confirming information relating to attribution, subject matter and dating.

They will also research and record provenance, exhibition histories, bibliographies and previous scholarly interpretations. This information will be incorporated into the Museum’s collections management system, the University database, exhibition labels and future publications, including a new collection catalogue.

Responsibilities

The Fellow will participate in the daily activities of an active curatorial department and contribute to the care, interpretation and development of the photography collection.

Responsibilities will include:

• Examining works and describing their media and subject matter
• Confirming or updating attributions and dates
• Measuring and documenting objects
• Compiling bibliographies, exhibition histories, provenance records and previous scholarly interpretations
• Updating records in the Museum’s collections management database
• Conducting in-depth research on selected works
• Contributing to the Museum’s forthcoming selected works catalogue
• Researching and processing new acquisitions
• Supporting the continued development and purposeful expansion of the photography collection
• Contributing to the Museum’s Marble database and collection digitisation project
• Meeting with faculty and students to connect them with relevant works
• Participating in lectures, presentations, gallery talks, tours, panel discussions and other public programmes
• Supporting the preparation and organisation of the collection for the Museum’s planned Works on Paper Study Room

The Fellow may also assist classes developed through the Museum’s partnerships with institutes and academic departments across the University.

Research and Professional Development

A major initiative within the Museum’s strategic plan is the publication of a new selected works catalogue. In consultation with the curator, the Fellow will help select objects for inclusion, undertake research and write catalogue entries.

The Fellow will also be encouraged to identify works and themes that correspond with their own research interests. Opportunities may include publishing in scholarly journals and presenting research at academic conferences.

An annual travel stipend of $4,000 will support the Fellow’s independent research or professional development related to museum practice.

Works on Paper Study Room

A planned extension to the Raclin Murphy Museum will include a dedicated Works on Paper Study Room.

The facility will serve as a centre for research and interdisciplinary study of the Museum’s collection of prints, drawings and photographs dating from the 15th to the 21st century.

The Fellow will work with curators and other Museum staff to research, document and prepare the collections for their use within the new facility.

About the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art

The Raclin Murphy Museum of Art opened its new building in December 2023.

Its collection encompasses more than 32,000 objects and serves approximately 10,000 students and 1,500 faculty members at the University of Notre Dame, alongside communities across northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan.

The Museum’s holdings are increasingly recognised nationally and internationally for their breadth and quality.

Qualifications

Applicants must have:

• A PhD in art history from an accredited institution in the United States or Europe, received within the past five years
• Reading knowledge of at least two European languages
• A strong command of the art historical canon
• Familiarity with archival research
• An interest in connoisseurship
• The ability to communicate clearly and precisely with multidisciplinary academic and general audiences
• The ability to work independently while coordinating with colleagues across different Museum departments
• An interest in and enthusiasm for museum work

Previous experience working with museum collections is desirable but not essential. Familiarity with collections management databases is also considered an advantage.

Preference will be given to applicants intending to pursue a curatorial career.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through Interfolio by 17 August 2026.

Applicants should provide:

• A cover letter explaining their interest in pursuing a curatorial career and how the Raclin Murphy Museum’s collection could support the development of their research
• A current CV
• A writing sample of no more than 5,000 words, such as a published text, conference paper, dissertation excerpt or exhibition script
• Two confidential letters of recommendation

Applicants will be asked to provide their referees’ contact information when completing the application. All recommendation letters must be submitted through Interfolio by the application deadline.

 

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