Andrew W. Mellon Advanced Training Fellowship in Photograph Conservation

With an endowment from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the National Gallery of Art is offering a fellowship in the photograph conservation department. Working under the guidance of the Gallery’s conservators and scientists, the fellow will focus on two aspects: treatment of the photograph collections and a self-selected research project that culminates in a publishable paper. The photograph collections include both fine art photographs in the department of photographs and research collections in the Library.

The fellow will have the opportunity to collaborate with conservators, scientists, and curators, and will also have access to the Gallery’s collections, library resources and to advanced analytical instrumentation available in the scientific research department. Lectures, symposia, and informal discussions at the National Gallery of Art contribute to the fellowship program.    

The three-year fellowship will commence in September 2023 and include a yearly stipend of $47,000, health benefits and $3,000 each year for travel and research. For non-US citizens an additional $7,000 would be included in the yearly stipend (for a total of $54,000 per year). This additional funding would be disbursed with each stipend payment throughout each year of the fellowship, rather than a lump sum payment. The purpose would be to offset the cost of paying out of pocket for health insurance as well as medical evacuation and repatriation of remains coverage. All fellows, regardless of nationality, will have an opportunity to apply for transit benefits for their commuting costs to and from the Gallery.

Eligibility

Candidates should be graduates from a recognized program in conservation with a concentration or major in photographs or have equivalent apprenticeship training. They should have no more than five years of work experience after graduation and a proven record of research and writing ability. Candidates must possess English-language skills. Applicants who are non-US citizens will be required to provide proof of health insurance coverage, that when applying for a J-1 visa through the Gallery’s liaison with the Smithsonian Institution, includes medical evacuation and repatriation of remains.

Application Procedure

Interested candidates must submit the following materials in English:

• Transcripts of courses of academic study (unofficial copies are acceptable)
• A curriculum vitae including basic biographical information and current and permanent addresses, telephone number, and a description of previous conservation experience and internships
• A statement of interest and intent (no more than two single-spaced pages) in applying for the fellowship
• Offprints/reprints in PDF format of publications and lectures
• Two letters of recommendation from professionals familiar with the candidate’s work (emailed directly to the address below)
• One letter of personal reference (emailed directly to the address below). The personal reference, sometimes known as the character reference, is a brief assessment of you as an individual provided by someone who knows you outside of work.

File naming convention for submissions:

Last Name_First Name_Document type (e.g., Transcripts)_Date (Year-Month-Day)

Formal applications and supporting materials must be submitted in PDF format by email to [email protected] and arrive at the National Gallery no later than January 6, 2023. Applicants will be notified of the decision by the end of February 2023.

The fellowship may begin on or after September 24, 2023 and will end September 19, 2026.

For inquiries, please contact:

Michelle LeBleu, Associate Administrator
[email protected]