Postbaccalaureate Fellow in Biological Anthropology

The Department of Anthropology at Dartmouth College invites applications for a Postbaccalaureate Fellow (PBF), at the rank of postgraduate research associate. This position will focus on research related to the evolution of childbirth, working with Professors Jeremy DeSilva and Zaneta Thayer.

Some scholars have proposed that long, difficult labor and increased risk of infant and maternal mortality are recent phenomena in human evolution, having evolved because of dietary changes that reduce female pelvic growth while simultaneously producing large, macrosomatic babies.This "mismatch" hypothesis has been difficult to test due to the lack of Middle Pleistocene fossils, which is significant because this is when our species first evolved.

The PBF in this position will help advance our understanding of this topic by contributing to a study of Pleistocene hominin pelves using 3D reconstruction tools. As part of the project, the PBF will also learn about non-anatomical contributors to obstructed labor to consider how these insights can add nuance to our reconstructions of hominin birth evolution. The PBF will be encouraged to present their findings at the annual meeting of the American Association for Biological Anthropologists and to be the lead author on a peer-reviewed paper. They will also serve as a TA for the Introduction to Biological Anthropology course in the Fall and Spring quarters, exposing them to the research of the entire biological anthropology faculty.

This position is full-time, non-remote, in-residence at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH, with a start date as early as July 1, 2026. Appointments are typically for a 1-year period, with a salary of $55,000, plus health benefits. PBFs working in residence in Hanover, NH are eligible for Graduate Special Student status and the ability to take certain Dartmouth courses with the tuition paid by Dartmouth as a working condition fringe benefit. The benefit covers a maximum of 1 course per academic year that the PBF is employed and in residence at Dartmouth.

Dartmouth is committed to academic excellence and encourages the open exchange of ideas within a culture of mutual respect. Dartmouth welcomes people with different backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives and believes that diversity in all its forms enhances academic excellence. Applicants should address in their application letter how their research, teaching, service, and/or life experiences prepare them to serve Dartmouth's commitment to academic excellence in an environment that is welcoming to all.

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in anthropology, biology, or a closely related discipline, completed by the start of the appointment
• Successful completion of an introduction to biological anthropology course (or equivalent)
• Experience working with fossils or fossil replicates and/or a comparative skeletal collection
• Some international travel experience and/or interest in traveling for research
• Strong analytical and problemsolving capabilities

This position is eligible for J-1 visa sponsorship for eligible candidates. Employment is contingent on authorization to work in the United States.

Please submit the following electronically via Interfolio:

1. Application letter that addresses:




• relevant research-related experience,
• any teaching or mentoring experience,
• preparation to advance Dartmouth's commitment to academic excellence in an environment that is welcoming to all,
• educational and career goals and how the position would advance them.
  
  




2. CV/Resume




• Name
• Email and phone/text contact
• Current position, or academic affiliation
• Date of (expected) undergraduate degree
• Academic concentration(s)
• List all academic classes (and final grades) you have completed that focus primarily on biological anthropology and related fields
  
  




3. Most recent academic transcript

Review begins on March 1, 2026 and continues until the position is filled. Recommendation letters will be requested only for finalists. For questions about the position, please contact Jeremy DeSilva (jeremy.m.desilva@dartmouth.edu).