“First Research Article” Fellowship Program at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin

01 September 2026 – 28 February 2027

The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science is offering up to three fellowships for outstanding graduate students enrolled in doctoral programs based at Asian, African or Latin American institutions.

Applicants should demonstrate their commitment to a research topic related to the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine, or Science and Technology Studies and a need to work with an international community at the MPIWG in order to prepare and publish their first single-authored research paper in the English language.

First Research Article Fellows will be hosted in either the Department Knowledge Systems and Collective Life (KSCL; Director: Dr. Etienne Benson) or the Department Artefacts, Action, Knowledge (AAK; Director: Prof. Dr. Dagmar Schäfer). Regular meetings will be held to support both the writing process and academic development. Fellows are welcome and encouraged to take part in all non-coursework enrichment activities of the International Max Planck Research School (theme: Knowledge and Its Resources) that take place on our Dahlem campus.

Candidates are expected to have already completed the archival research for their thesis and be in a position to devote six months to writing and preparing an article in English for journal publication. Fellows must remain enrolled in their home institution's doctoral program through the end of the advertised fellowship period.

Fellowships are endowed with a monthly stipend according to the guidelines of the Max Planck Society.

Applicants should submit the following materials in English through our online application portal:

1. Cover letter in which the fit of the applicant’s proposed research to either Department KSCL’s or Department AAK’s research themes is made clear
2. Official proof of enrollment and proof that the applicant will remain enrolled in an accredited graduate program (PhD) through the end of the fellowship
3. 500-word description of dissertation
4. Curriculum vitae (preferably without a photograph) and list of publications
5. Title, abstract and outline of article to be completed during the fellowship (maximum 750 words)
6. English-language writing sample (maximum 8000 words including notes and bibliography)
7. A letter of recommendation from one supervisor

The Max Planck Society (MPG) is an equal opportunity employer that strives to foster an inclusive workplace. As an institute of the MPG, we support a non-discriminatory working community for all. We therefore explicitly encourage applications from qualified individuals of historically underrepresented color, disability status, ethnicity, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background. Visit these webpages to learn more about the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) and its policies toward gender equality and hiring practices for persons with disabilities:

Gender equality: https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/gender-equality

Disabilities: https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/page/disability

Please note that only electronic submissions will be accepted. Applications must be uploaded to the following link on or before 15 January 2026 (23:59 CET):

Finalists may expect a decision by 1 April 2026.

Descriptions of the research projects of Department Artifacts, Action, Knowledge can be found here:

https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/research/department/artifacts-action-knowledge

Descriptions of the research projects of Department Knowledge Systems and Collective Life can be found here:

https://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/research/department/knowledge-systems-collective-life