Position Summary

The Hesburgh Libraries at the University of Notre Dame invites applications for a postdoctoral research associate in Italian Studies who will also serve as visiting curatorial fellow in the Zahm Dante Collection for the 2025-2026 academic year, with potential to renew for a second year. This opportunity is open to early-career scholars with interdisciplinary expertise in Italian Studies and an interest in and aptitude for a career in library and curatorial work. While a research focus on medieval or early modern Italy is preferred, the successful candidate will curate, develop, and engage in outreach for the breadth of the Libraries’ Italian collections, from early imprints to modern film collections. 

Housed in the Rare Books and Special Collections department of Hesburgh Libraries, the curatorial fellow will work alongside the department’s curatorial faculty to develop skills in research instruction, collection development, and public outreach. The fellow will work closely with faculty across the university to integrate Italian collections into course offerings; support undergraduate and graduate research projects; and provide advanced reference support and instruction for Italian Studies courses and programs. 

The successful candidate will:

• Offer workshops and class sessions featuring Italian Studies collections
• Develop Hesburgh Libraries’ Italian Studies collections in alignment with areas of strength, organizational policies, and areas of growth
• Liaise with the Devers Program in Dante Studies, the Center for Italian Studies, and the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures to support and offer programming and services that further joint academic and library goals
• Collaborate with Notre Dame’s Medieval Institute to support and further the University’s historic relationship with the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan. 
• Pursue an individual research agenda and engage in relevant professional development 
• Support departmental operations and initiatives as needed

The successful candidate will receive an annual salary of $70,000 as well as a $2,000 professional development fund. Postdoctoral research associates in the Hesburgh Libraries have access to professional development opportunities in the Libraries and via Notre Dame’s Office of Postdoctoral Scholars.

Application Instructions

• A cover letter that speaks to your interests and experience relevant to the position. 
• Current CV
• A writing sample that demonstrates experience and/or expertise relevant to the position 
• Names and contact information for two referees whose letters will be solicited by the University of Notre Dame if you become a finalist 

Applications are accepted on the Interfolio website: https://apply.interfolio.com/166104

Review of applications will begin immediately and applications will be accepted until June 4, 2025.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Notre Dame seeks to attract, develop, and retain the highest quality faculty, staff and administration.  The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to building a culturally diverse workplace.  We strongly encourage applications from female and minority candidates and those candidates attracted to a university with a Catholic identity.  Moreover, Notre Dame prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and requires affirmative action by covered contractors to employ and advance veterans and qualified individuals with disabilities in compliance with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a).

Background Check 

This appointment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.  Applicants will be asked to identify all felony convictions and/or pending felony charges.  Felony convictions do not automatically bar an individual from employment.  Each case will be examined separately to determine the appropriateness of employment in the particular position.  Failure to be forthcoming or dishonesty with respect to felony disclosures can result in the disqualification of a candidate.  The full procedure can be viewed at https://facultyhandbook.nd.edu/?id=link-73597.

Qualifications

Eligibility: Open to candidates proficient in Italian who have successfully completed a doctoral degree between June 2021 and June 2025 in a field relevant to Italian Studies. 

Preferred qualifications include a research focus on medieval or early modern Italy. Library or museum experience is preferred but not required.

About University of Notre Dame

Mission Hesburgh Libraries cultivates curiosity and discovery as a hub for intellectual life. We advance the University’s research, teaching, and learning goals while fostering Notre Dame’s engagement with the global scholarly community. Vision Hesburgh Libraries will be a collaborative, diverse, and inclusive community that advances human flourishing. Collectively, we will shift the paradigm on how research libraries further the creation, understanding, and use of knowledge. Tradition of Academic Excellence Nearly 60 years ago, President Emeritus Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., dreamed of a new library building that would become the academic heart of the University. It would serve—along with the Main Building and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart—as one of a trilogy of iconic buildings that would define the Notre Dame campus. These three buildings still define the Notre Dame skyline today. The daily work of the Hesburgh Libraries faculty and staff is anchored in the original vision and the words of our institutional leaders, both past and present. Their words have been immortalized on our walls and are echoed in our daily commitment to service and partnership across the academy.

Connections working at University of Notre Dame