Research Fellow (Fall 2026/Spring 2027)

The Climate Museum, a non-profit organization that mobilizes arts and cultural programming to spark civic activism for a climate-safe and just future, seeks rising college juniors, seniors, and graduate students to fill a Research Fellowship opportunity. The Research Fellow will typically work 15 hours per week onsite at the Museum’s office in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC. Compensation is $22-25 per hour, commensurate with experience. Although the position is an at-will employment position, the intent is for the Fellowship to run for the full academic year, from September 2026 through May 2027. 

About the Climate Museum

Contending with the climate crisis at scale requires a transformation of our public culture. The Climate Museum, the first museum in the U.S. dedicated to climate change, mobilizes the power of arts and cultural programming to accelerate this crucial shift toward climate dialogue and action, empowering visitors with the understanding that they can take meaningful action for climate justice, creating community for collective action, and popularizing solutions that emphasize justice and equity. The Museum sees cultural work on climate both as a humanistic end in itself and as a means to inspiring action for climate justice and clean energy policies.

Since 2018, the Museum has presented 20 exhibitions and major art installations, several of them with partners including the Parsons School of Design, Rockefeller Center, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden; held 360+ events—including panels, workshops, performances, and more; and welcomed 190,000+ visitors. The Museum is currently scaling up to a permanent home for its exhibitions, programs, and events. Its free, accessible exhibitions, art installations, advocacy tools, events, and youth programs have received wide recognition in the cultural sector and beyond, and empowered hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and visitors to exercise their agency in the global climate movement.

The Fellowship

The Research Fellow will work closely with and be mentored and supervised by a small, highly dedicated team.

The Research Fellow will largely focus on the following areas, with additional opportunities that will vary:

• Research and write to support the curatorial team develop a multidisciplinary exhibition about the power of the sun and the wind.
• Work with the curatorial team to produce public programs in collaboration with other organizations and cultural institutions.
• Support the execution of development and fundraising tasks, such as assistance with grant writing.

Eligibility:

• Only college juniors, seniors, and graduate students during the 2026-2027 academic year are eligible.
• Ability to work 15 hours per week on weekdays onsite in the Museum’s Hell’s Kitchen office during the hours of 10am–6pm Eastern time. Additional availability may be requested for evening and weekend events.
• Must be eligible to work in the U.S. for the duration of the Fellowship. The Museum will not sponsor applicants for work visas at this time.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated passion for climate issues, social justice, and/or museums. Exceptional research and writing skills and strong academic qualifications.
• Enterprising and ambitious, balanced with adaptability and collaborative skills.
• A growth mindset.
• Kindness and humor under pressure.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and the ability to learn new software.
• Ability to maintain a flexible and positive attitude in a fast-paced environment.

To apply: 

Submit your resume and a cover letter detailing why you are a strong candidate and why this position would be a good fit for you as well as us through the Climate Museum’s Submittable portal, linked here: theclimatemuseum.submittable.com/submit/360489/research-fellow-fall-2026-spring-2027

Applications will be accepted until 11:59pm Eastern time on Monday, July 27, 2026. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the Fellowship will begin in September 2026. Start and end dates are flexible depending on the applicant’s schedule. 

The Climate Museum is an equal opportunity employer, will not discriminate against employees or applicants on the basis of any legally protected characteristic, and is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals where required, in employment and in its services, programs, and activities.