Smithsonian Postgraduate/Postdoctoral Fellowships in Conservation of
Office of Fellowships and Internships Smithsonian Institution
Award: $5,000–$55,000
Deadline: Oct 15, 2026
To create opportunity for recent graduates of masters programs in art and archaeological conservation (or the equivalent) and materials scientists (including those at the postdoctoral level). Qualifications: Applicants must propose to conduct research in the conservation of objects in museum collections in conservation laboratories at the Smithsonian Institution; past or current Smithsonian fellowship recipients are eligible to apply for future Smithsonian awards; no employee or contractor of the Smithsonian Institution may hold a Smithsonian fellowship during the time of his/her employment or contract, nor may an award be offered to any person who has been employed by or under contract to the Institution in the previous year. Selection criteria: Selection will be based on Smithsonian peer review committee made up of scholars in appropriate fields. Fellows are selected based on the following: proposal's merit; applicant's ability to carry out the proposed research and study likelihood that the research could be completed in the requested time; demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion; extent to which the Smithsonian, through its research staff members and resources, could contribute to the proposed research. How to apply: Applicants must submit online application; applicants whose native language is not English are expected to have the ability to write and converse fluently in English; all application materials must be presented in English (foreign transcripts may be translated, see below); abstract; research proposal: the full statement of applicant research, maximum three pages typescript; do not use type smaller than 11 point font; diversity statement: no more than one page, double spaced; budget and justification; bibliography; curriculum vitae; transcripts (unofficial are acceptable); references. Focus: Art conservation; Museum science; Preservation.