Mountain West HERC

Bryn Mawr College invites applications for a one-year Postdoctoral Fellow or scholar with expertise in contemporary American religion, based in Boston, Massachusetts. We seek an enthusiastic and team-oriented PhD with demonstrated experience in ethnographic research. The Fellow will partner with President Wendy Cadge and research collaborators nationally on a large project about the changing spiritual infrastructure of the United States. The Fellow will lead data collection and collaborate with a second Fellow based in Oklahoma City, on cross-site analysis and the production of both academic and public-facing publications. We are looking for someone who is ready to help us tell new stories about American religion. 

About the Institution: Since its founding in 1885, Bryn Mawr College has been the preeminent college for women interested in the pursuit of wisdom necessary to challenge the world's expectations. With its pioneering American Collegiate Gothic architecture and picturesque landscape, our campus is recognized as one of the most beautiful in the country. Located less than 15 miles from Philadelphia, and within 2-3 hours of New York City, Baltimore, and Washington, DC, Bryn Mawr’s location offers easy access to public transportation and endless recreation, dining, retail, and cultural activities.

Schedule, Benefits & Compensation: Bryn Mawr is committed to building and sustaining a campus community where faculty and staff can thrive. The College offers competitive salaries and excellent benefits. This is a full-time appointment for 1-year, beginning June 2026, with a standard schedule of 35 hours per week. This position is eligible for 22 days of vacation, three days personal leave, generous holiday time (including an extended winter break between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day), sick leave, life insurance, medical, dental, and vision, retirement, and more. Waiting periods may apply. The salary range for this 1-year appointment is $60,000 - $70,000 with the final salary established based on the strength of the successful candidate’s qualifications as aligned with the essential functions of the role.

Characteristic Responsibilities:

• Collaborate on design, data collection and analysis of data about the changes in the American religious landscape, including closing congregations and the formation of new spiritually innovative groups.  
• Conduct literature reviews and report writing. 
• Contribute to academic papers and public facing writing (op-eds, blogs, ebooks, etc.) based on the data gathered.   
• Occasional travel to on-campus meetings or other locations may be required.

Qualifications: 

• PhD in the social sciences in hand by June 1, 2026. Preference given to PhDs in Sociology or other social sciences with a focus on American religion, with dissertations based on primary field data.  
• Demonstrated research and writing skills evident in scholarly publications using a variety of qualitative research methods. 
• Experience designing, conducting and analyzing in-depth interviews.  
• In-depth knowledge of the American religious landscape and willingness to continue learning about all aspects of the religious ecosystem including congregations, theological education, chaplaincy, spiritual innovation, etc.  
• Experience with ethnographic field work. 
• Knowledge of Atlas.ti.  
• Strong organizational skills, self-driven work ethic, and interest in collaborating with a fully remote multidisciplinary team.   
• Ability to travel by plane and other forms of transportation.
• Successful completion of satisfactory background checks.

To Apply:

Interested candidates should upload application materials as a single PDF. A complete application includes: 1) a cover letter indicating your interest and experience for the position. Include details of your qualitative research experience, your organizational skills, and your work on project teams. If your PhD is not in hand, please specify how many chapters are drafted and include the name and contact information for your advisor who can verify a defense date before June 1, 2026; 2) an academic CV; 3) two writing samples – ideally one for an academic audience and one for a broader public audience. If the academic writing sample is extracted from a larger work, please excerpt a sample of approximately 20 pages; 4) names and contact information of two professional references. Application review begins on April 6, 2026 and this position will remain open until filled. Questions about the position may be directed to Dr. Amy Lawton alawton@brynmawr.edu. Questions about Bryn Mawr’s Career Portal may be directed to hr@brynmawr.edu.

About Bryn Mawr College

The mission of Bryn Mawr College is to provide a rigorous education and to encourage the pursuit of knowledge as preparation for life and work. Bryn Mawr teaches and values critical, creative and independent habits of thought and expression in an undergraduate liberal arts curriculum for women and in coeducational graduate programs in arts and sciences and social work and social research. Bryn Mawr seeks to sustain a community diverse in nature and democratic in practice, for we believe that only through considering many perspectives do we gain a deeper understanding of each other and the world.

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