How to Apply for a Job

Interested in joining the Harvard community? Use our convenient job application portal, Harvard Careers, to browse our job postings and apply. You can access Harvard Careers on your desktop, laptop, or mobile device. Harvard Careers is updated daily and lists all non-academic positions from every school and unit within Harvard University. We encourage all candidates to carefully review our Frequently Asked Questions page prior to applying for an open position at Harvard, or if you have any questions during or after doing so.

When you identify a position that interests you:

1. Carefully review the basic qualifications and other requirements. If your experience, skills, and background match, apply online. Please note that candidates who do not meet the basic qualifications for a position will not be considered.

2. We recommend that you submit a tailored cover letter with each application that you submit. You can store several versions of your resume and cover letter in your candidate portal, tailored to different types of jobs that interest you. 

IMPORTANT: Please be advised that you cannot update an application once it has been submitted. As such, we encourage all candidates to review their materials carefully prior to submission. Please note that you also cannot withdraw a previously submitted application in order to resubmit it to the same job after making edits or changes. Each candidate can only have one application record per requisition.

3. Once we receive your application, a Human Resources representative will review it. If you are qualified and have relevant experience for the role, you’ll be referred to the hiring manager or team.

4. New job opportunities are available regularly. To keep track of new opportunities that are posted, be sure to update your candidate profile in Harvard Careers and check in regularly for new job postings. You can also set up search agents, directly in the Harvard Careers system, that will notify you when positions that match your pre-set preferences are posted.

  • Academic Jobs: Looking for a faculty position, post-doctoral fellowship, or other academic appointment? The academic dean or department chair typically handles hiring for these positions. Please check ARIES for related job listings.
  • Temporary Jobs: Learn more about temporary employment, Harvard's preferred vendors, and the University's managed service provider, DZConneX, via our Temporary Employment page.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Harvard is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable Accommodations for Applicants

Harvard University is committed to ensuring that our online application process provides an equal employment opportunity to all job seekers, including individuals with disabilities. If you believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to submit an application, please contact us by calling 617-495-2772. This is a dedicated line designed exclusively to assist job seekers with a disability who need assistance in applying online. Only messages left for this purpose will be considered. A response to your request may take up to two business days.

Please note that messages left for other purposes, such as following up on an application or non-disability related technical issues, will not receive a response.

SSN Policy

Please note that Social Security numbers (SSNs) are personally identifiable information and are protected by Massachusetts law and Harvard policy. They are among the information elements designated as high-risk since they can be used for the purpose of identity theft. This information, if maliciously obtained and misused, carries a high risk of causing personal, financial, and reputational damage to its owner.

IMPORTANTDo not include your Social Security Number in your resume or in any other part of your application. Please click the following link for more information on Harvard's Social Security Number Policy.