Not An Alternative (NAA) is seeking a Fellow to assist with research and writing projects associated with our ongoing project The Natural History Museum–a mobile and pop-up museum that highlights the socio-political forces that shape nature, yet are excluded from traditional museums.

The museum’s primary subject of study is the fossil fuel ecosystem–characterized by a complex set of interrelated feedback loops encompassing energy, politics, society, economics, and culture. We turn an anthropological gaze on traditional natural history museums as ideological habitats within this ecosystem.

The Research & Writing Fellow will help to compile a sort of “people’s history of natural history” for the museum, inscribed in descriptions of artifacts within our collection, exhibit labels, exhibition abstracts, catalogs, online blog posts, promotional materials, alternative tours of mainstream museums (part of our “docents gone wild” program), and other written outputs.

The ideal candidate has strong writing chops and a background in anthropology, Institutional Critique art practices, media/culture, history, political theory, or journalism (or some combination thereof). The ability to comprehend critical theory and translate it for a broad public / lay audience is important. Comfort in writing with metaphors (of science, ecology, anthropology, museology) as rhetorics or poetics a plus.

While this is a temporary fellowship (4-12 months), we are always eager to identify long-term collaborators. If there is mutual enthusiasm and time, additional projects could include authoring op-eds to be published in mainstream media, articles for art and/or museum studies or anthropology journals, curating and editing texts written by well-known scholars to be published on The Natural History Museum’s website, and collaborating on a forthcoming book.

How to apply: please email jobs@thenaturalhistorymuseum.org with the following: a cover letter, resume, and 3 writing samples demonstrating a range of writing styles for different audiences.

Deadline for applications: March 15th, 2016, but candidates are strongly encouraged to apply early. We aim to fill the position as soon as possible.

Location: NY, NY (could be remote)

Hours and Duration: ~20 hours per week. Duration flexible: 4-12 months.

Stipend: $800 USD per month. Academic credit may be possible depending on your institution.