We’re Hiring!

Postdoctoral Position at Northwestern University with the Digital Apothecary * Apply Here by December 1, 2023

The Digital Apothecary seeks applications for a postdoctoral scholar position in the areas of critical disability studies, Black disability studies, and/or Black studies. This position begins in June 2024 and continues until August 2025. The ideal candidate is an interdisciplinary scholar who uses critical theoretical approaches to think through issues of Black studies, queer studies, and/or disability studies. Candidates will have strong skills in collaborative work, written communication, and project management. Experience with research-creation, design practice, media production, and related methods is preferred but not required. Interdisciplinary candidates completing PhDs (and/or PhD specializations) in fields such as Disability Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Queer Studies, Black Feminist Health Science Studies, Science and Technology Studies, Digital Humanities, Design Studies, Black Studies, Ethnic Studies, and related fields are encouraged to apply. Candidates identifying with disability and disability communities are encouraged to apply.

This postdoctoral position is part of a collaborative project, Labs for Liberation, funded by the Mellon Foundation. Labs for Liberation brings together the Digital Apothecary with Vanderbilt University’s Critical Design Lab, directed by Dr. Aimi Hamarie. Labs for Liberation explores the laboratory form and structure as a space for integrating value-explicit research and research-creation, drawing from methods from disability culture and community organizing. Postdoctoral fellows will work collaboratively with members of both labs, including undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and community fellows (including artists and community organizers). 

Responsibilities include:

  1. Carrying out a full-time active research program focusing primarily on critical disability studies, Black studies and related practices, including working on book and article manuscripts, solo publications, and/or collaborative publications with members of the Digital Apothecary. 

  2. Attending regular meetings of the Digital Apothecary and Labs for Liberation project teams. 

  3. Working collaboratively with Community Fellows to mentor graduate and undergraduate research on Labs for Liberation projects, including curriculum, podcasts, zines, and social media content.

  4. Helping to coordinate two summer institutes on disability and design (July 2024 and July 2025)

  5. Guest lecturing in courses related to disability studies and Black Studies

The Digital Apothecary is a hybrid digital and physical lab dedicated to combining ancient and new technologies in an effort to produce processes and projects that aid those most marginalized in society. It is a place for applied research that goes beyond theory. Projects include a system for ethical distribution of payment and investigations into the ethical internet. We are housed at Northwestern University, led by Dr. Moya Bailey, and powered by a collection of graduate and undergraduate students.

The postdoctoral fellow will be supervised by Dr. Moya Bailey (Associate Professor of Communication Studies). They will also work with Dr. Aimi Hamrie and the Labs for Liberation team at Vanderbilt University, which will also include a postdoctoral scholar and two community fellows. 

The one-year postdoctoral fellowship will begin on 6/1/2024 with an end date of 8/31/2025. The position carries a salary of $66,764, office/lab space, health insurance, and eligibility for other benefits (https://hr.northwestern.edu/benefits/postdoc-benefits.html). This is a full-time position that requires a physical presence in Chicago for the term of the fellowship. The postdoctoral fellow will also have access to an additional project budget, which reimburses allowable research expenses. 

To apply:

Applicants should provide a cover letter, a CV, and three references using this form [bit.ly/L4LDAP]. Cover letters should include information about candidate qualifications and research interests, interest in working with the Digital Apothecary and Labs for Liberation project, future research plans, and experiences with disability culture (if any). For full consideration, applications are due December 1, 2023. 

Link to Application

Northwestern University is committed to recruiting and retaining an academically and culturally diverse community of exceptional scholars. Women, minorities, and members of other underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Northwestern University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. 

Mellon Community Fellowships in the Digital Apothecary * Apply Here by December 1, 2023

The Digital Apothecary at Northwestern University directed by Dr. Moya Bailey is seeking two Community Fellows to work on a collaborative project, Labs for Liberation. Qualified candidates are activists, artists, designers, cultural workers, access workers, and community scholars who do not necessarily have a formal academic affiliation. We are specifically looking for candidates whose work addresses disability justice, design justice, Black liberation and racial justice, gender and sexuality liberation, or related areas, or who aspire to add these frameworks to their existing work. Fellows will have established skills in a relevant area, such as creative practice, community organizing, or app design. They may or may not have an art or design practice, but should be interested in working in a collaborative setting with others towards the goal of completing a specific project. Fellows with disabilities and experience with disability justice frameworks are encouraged to apply. This is a remote position. 

Community Fellows will be members of the Digital Apothecary, a hybrid digital and physical lab dedicated to combining ancient and new technologies in an effort to produce processes and projects that aid those most marginalized in society. They will work with the Labs for Liberation team of researchers, postdoctoral fellows, community fellows, and students. Labs for Liberation is a collaborative project with Northwestern University’s Digital Apothecary (digitalapothecary.org), directed by Dr. Moya Bailey. This project explores the “laboratory” form and structure as a space for integrating justice-centered frameworks into research and design. It is informed by methods from disability culture and community organizing. 

Compensation is $50,000 for a period between June 2024-August 2025. There is an additional project budget. The position is funded by the Mellon Foundation. 

Applications are due December 1, 2023. Interested candidates should note that there are also two positions in the Critical Design Lab. Please make sure that you are applying to the lab that you feel would be the best fit for you. 

Responsibilities 

Each community fellow will work on a collaborative project (“Labs for Liberation”) with the Digital Apothecary and Critical Design Labs. Over the school year, they will also:

  • Complete an independent project of their own design related to Labs for Liberation, with a personal project budget. They will receive mentorship from Hamraie, Bailey, and other team members.

  • Help organize and teach at two summer schools (June 2024 and June 2025). Summer school responsibilities include providing reading recommendations, helping to plan the syllabus, teaching daily sessions for the duration of the workshop, giving students feedback in small groups, and evaluating completed student work. 

  • Attend regular (remote) meetings with a collaborative cohort of postdoctoral fellows, student researchers, and other community fellows. 

  • Produce website content, such as blog posts, zines, and social media, to document their project. 

  • Present their project at an end-of-year event

How to apply 

Applications will be open on October 2, 2023 and will be considered until December 1, 2023. Interested candidates should submit application materials via this form [bit.ly/L4LDACF].

● A current CV or resume outlining your relevant background and experience

● A cover letter addressed to Dr. Moya Bailey, which describes: 

  • Why you want to work with the Digital Apothecary, including showing familiarity with the Lab’s work and stating why you think you would be a good fit; 

  • How this position fits into your professional, activist, or community goals; 

  • The values that inform your work or that you hope to learn to integrate through this fellowship;

  • A brief statement of the project you hope to complete during the fellowship year

● A work/art/project sample showing documentation of something you have completed in the past and are proud of. This could be a mini-portfolio, a short narrative, a gallery of images or videos, or something else. 

  • A project proposal (3-5 pages), which outlines the specific project goals, methods, timeline, and expected outcomes. 

  • A proposed budget for this project (see template). Imagine that you have $20-30,000 to carry out your project. How would you spend this money? 

● A list of three references that will be contacted should candidates progress through the application process. Please include names, email addresses, and a description of your relationship (such as “former collaborator,” “employer,” etc.)

Link to Application