Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Sustainable Buildings and Urban Development

Harvard’s Center for Green Buildings and Cities seeks postdoctoral researchers for a climate and built-environment initiative. The three-year positions are paid and funded by the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability.

Program Snapshot

• Host Organization: Center for Green Buildings and Cities, Harvard Graduate School of Design
• Funder: Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability
• Funding: Salary of $65,000 to $75,000
• Duration: Three years
• Location: Harvard University, USA
• Deadline: None stated; rolling review

Focus Areas

• Advanced thermal storage and sensing materials
• Building-scale sensing and control systems
• Cooperative, urban-scale energy management
• Digital twins and human-building interaction
• AI and data-driven energy control

About the Fellowship

Harvard is launching the Sustainable Buildings and Urban Future Cluster. This interdisciplinary initiative tackles the climate crisis through innovation in the built environment. It scales Harvard’s HouseZero concept, an ultra-efficient, naturally ventilated smart building, into connected communities.

Researchers come from chemistry, materials science, computer science, architecture, and engineering. Each postdoctoral researcher works with one or more principal investigators. They also collaborate with industry experts. Harvard will make final hiring decisions only if funding is available.

What Fellows Receive

• A salary of $65,000 to $75,000
• A three-year postdoctoral appointment
• Collaboration with leading Harvard faculty
• Work in an interdisciplinary research team
• Engagement with industry stakeholders

Who Can Apply

The positions suit candidates with a PhD or doctorate in a related area. Ideal candidates have expertise in at least one of these fields:

• Sustainable building systems or materials science
• Power system modeling, control systems, or HVAC alternatives
• Sensor networks in the built environment
• AI or data-driven modeling for building and urban systems
• Human-centered design for smart systems

If an applicant needs visa sponsorship, Harvard decides which visa status applies. Harvard also decides whether it will submit a sponsorship application.

Required Materials

• A CV
• A cover letter naming at least two co-principal investigators you want to work with
• A research statement
• Two example research papers
• Names of three references

How to Apply

Prepare all five items. Then submit them through Harvard’s academic positions portal. Harvard reviews applications on a rolling basis. Email #339966;">#339966;" href="mailto:rmarino@gsd.harvard.edu">rmarino@gsd.harvard.edu with questions.

#339966;">#339966;" href="https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/14901" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click Here to Apply

Conclusion

This postdoctoral role offers strong collaboration on climate-focused building research. Interested candidates should confirm the posting is still open before applying.

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