IMC/AMC Postdoctoral Fellowship at the The Image Centre and Archive of Modern Conflict

Location: Toronto, Canada, with one month of research in London, UK
Contract: Full-time, fixed-term
Fellowship period: 1 July 2027–30 June 2028
Duration: 12 months, non-renewable
Hours: 36.25 hours per week
Salary: CAD 70,000 plus benefits
Research support: Additional stipend supporting one month of research in London
Application deadline: 18 October 2026

The Image Centre at Toronto Metropolitan University and the Archive of Modern Conflict are accepting applications for a one-year Postdoctoral Fellowship supporting original research into the history and material cultures of photography.

The Fellowship offers an opportunity to undertake research across two internationally significant photography collections in Toronto and London. It particularly supports critically engaged scholarship addressing press, documentary, vernacular and amateur photography from the 19th century to the present.

About the Fellowship

The IMC/AMC Postdoctoral Fellow will be based at The Image Centre in Toronto and conduct research using the collections and resources of both partner institutions.

The Fellow will receive office space at The Image Centre and participate actively in the academic life of Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Image Arts, including its graduate programme in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management.

An additional research stipend will support one month of research at the Archive of Modern Conflict in London.

Before completing the Fellowship, the Fellow will present their research and engagement with the collections through a public lecture at The Image Centre.

Research Areas

The Fellowship supports original research into photography and lens-based media, with particular emphasis on:

• Press photography;
• Documentary photography;
• Vernacular and amateur photography;
• Photographic archives and collections;
• The material cultures of photography;
• Photography from the 19th century to the present; and
• Research connecting the IMC and AMC collections.

Proposals should demonstrate how the applicant will engage substantially with the resources of both institutions.

Fellowship Activities

The successful applicant will:

• Undertake an original research project in the history of photography;
• Work extensively with the collections of The Image Centre and Archive of Modern Conflict;
• Spend one month conducting research in London;
• Participate in the academic and intellectual life of the School of Image Arts;
• Engage with the Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management graduate programme;
• Contribute to an interdisciplinary academic and museum environment; and
• Deliver a public lecture at The Image Centre before the end of the Fellowship.

Qualifications

Applicants must:

• Hold a PhD at the time of application;
• Have completed their PhD within five years of the Fellowship’s starting date;
• Hold a doctorate in Art History, Visual Culture, Media Studies, History, Museum Studies, Photography or a related discipline;
• Demonstrate a strong record of research and scholarship in photography or lens-based media;
• Maintain an active research agenda involving archives or collection materials;
• Demonstrate an interest in press, documentary, vernacular or amateur photography;
• Be able to contribute to an interdisciplinary academic and museum environment; and
• Possess excellent written, verbal and public-presentation skills.

Candidates who have not yet completed their PhD are not eligible.

Experience in undergraduate or postgraduate teaching, public speaking, curatorial practice or public-facing scholarly programming would be advantageous.

All qualified candidates may apply, although Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority.

Funding and Resources

The Fellow will receive:

• An annual salary of CAD 70,000;
• Employee benefits;
• A research stipend supporting one month in London;
• Office space at The Image Centre;
• Access to the IMC and AMC collections; and
• Opportunities to participate in Toronto Metropolitan University’s academic community.

Application Requirements

Applications must include the following materials combined into a single PDF:

• A two-page cover letter explaining the relationship between the applicant’s experience and proposed research;
• A three-page research proposal;
• A list of references;
• A curriculum vitae; and
• A published writing sample of no more than 25 pages.

The research proposal should outline:

• The project’s principal research questions;
• Its contribution to the field;
• Its use of both the IMC and AMC collections;
• The proposed methodology;
• Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations; and
• Planned research outcomes.

Two recommendation letters must also be submitted directly by the referees before the application deadline.

Following an initial review by the Fellowship jury, three candidates will be invited to a formal interview.

About The Image Centre

Located at Toronto Metropolitan University, The Image Centre is dedicated to the research, exhibition, preservation and circulation of photography and related media.

Through exhibitions, publications, academic initiatives and public programmes, it supports interdisciplinary scholarship and critical engagement with visual culture. Its holdings include the Black Star Collection, an extensive archive of 20th-century photojournalism and documentary photography.

About the Archive of Modern Conflict

The Archive of Modern Conflict is based in London and Toronto. Its expanding collection encompasses photographs, albums, objects and ephemera spanning the history of photography from the 19th century to the present.

The archive is particularly recognised for its holdings in vernacular, amateur, press and conflict-related photography. It supports experimental research and publishing that challenge conventional historical narratives and approaches to collecting.