Assistant Professor of Physics

Montana State University, United States

Updated: 4 months ago
Location: Bozeman, MONTANA
Deadline: ;

Position Details
Position Information


Announcement Number FAC - VA - 24039
For questions regarding this position, please contact:
Professor Shannon Willoughby
Search Chair
406-994-1673
[email protected]
Classification Title
Working Title Assistant Professor of Physics
Brief Position Overview
Faculty Tenure Track Yes
Faculty Rank Assistant Professor
Position Number tbd
Department Physics
Division College of Letters & Science
Appointment Type Faculty
Contract Term Academic Year
Semester
If other, specify From date
If other, specify End date
Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining
FTE 1.0
Benefits Eligible Eligible
Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications
Contract Type MUS
If other, please specify
Recruitment Type Open

Position Details


General Statement
The Physics Department at Montana State University (MSU) invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor in Physics Education. The department offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Physics. The successful candidate is expected to pursue a vibrant research effort in physics education, educational laboratory development, educational materials related to physics, or other areas of physics education. The research effort is expected to include mentoring of undergraduate and graduate student projects, including those leading to the Ph.D. degree.
Montana State University values diverse perspectives and is committed to continually supporting, promoting and building an inclusive and culturally diverse campus environment. MSU recognizes the importance of work-life integration and strives to be responsive to the needs of dual career couples.
Duties and Responsibilities
The faculty position to be filled is a full-time tenure track appointment with primary responsibilities in research and teaching. The successful candidate will become an integral part of the Physics program, with duties to include teaching physics at the undergraduate and graduate level; developing a nationally recognized research program in physics education research with potential for extramural funding, and participating in professional and university outreach and service activities.
Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
  • PhD in Physics upon start date.
  • Demonstrated ability, or potential, for excellence in advising graduate and undergraduate students in physics education research.
  • Demonstrated ability, or potential, to teach both undergraduate and graduate physics.
  • High-quality, original research, with the potential to build a nationally recognized, externally-funded research program in physics education research.
    		•
    Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
  • An established record in physics education research, or a demonstrated commitment to doing research in this area upon arrival at MSU.
  • A record of having taught courses related to physics pedagogy and best practices.
    		•
    The Successful Candidate Will
    • Be a dynamic scholar with clear potential to establish a funded research program in physics education research that fosters participation of undergraduate and graduate students.
    • Have the ability to establish a research program that is complimentary to departmental strengths.
    • Have excellent written and oral communication skills.
    • Have effective interpersonal skills including the ability to collaborate successfully with departmental students, staff, and faculty.
    • Have an appreciation of diverse constituencies and a commitment to help students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed.
    • Have experience working with, teaching, or mentoring diverse groups or students from diverse backgrounds.
    • Contribute to furthering diversity and equal opportunity within the University through participation in such activities as recruitment, retention, and mentoring of scholars and students.
    Position Special Requirements/Additional Information
    This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
    Physical Demands
    To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
    The Program
    The Department of Physics is in the College of Letters and Science. The Department is committed to education and research in physics, the study of the fundamental universal laws that govern the behavior of matter and energy, and the exploration of the consequences and applications of those laws. The Department of Physics is widely known for its excellent teaching and student mentoring and plays an important role in the university’s Core Curriculum. The Department of Physics has strong academic programs with several options for undergraduate physics majors, leading to the B.S. degree, as well as graduate curricula leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.
    The Department
    The principal concentrations of the department’s research groups are in Astrophysics, Condensed Matter Physics, Gravitational Physics, Lasers and Optics, Physics Education, Solar Physics, and the Space Sciences. Numerous outreach activities carry physics to K-12 teachers, classrooms, and the general public. Student involvement is central to the department’s educational, research, and outreach activities. The varied accomplishments of our department are a tribute to the extraordinary efforts of the 19 tenure-track faculty, 15 research and teaching faculty, 22 postdoctoral fellows and research scientists, 65 graduate students, and 90 undergraduate students, supported by an outstanding and highly-motivated staff.
    Additional information can be found on the departmental website:
    http:/www.physics.montana.edu .
    The College
    Montana State University values diverse perspectives and is committed to continually supporting, promoting and building an inclusive and culturally diverse campus environment. The College of Letters & Science (CLS) at Montana State University encourages individuals interested in advancing the University’s Strategic Plan diversity, equity, and inclusion goals to apply. Links to the University Strategic Plan ; Office of Diversity and Inclusion ; Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Plan ; CLS Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ; and CLS newsletter, Diversity Matters are all embedded here for reference. CLS is committed to developing a diverse faculty, staff, and student body and to modeling an inclusive campus community which values the expression of differences in ways that promote excellence in research, teaching, and service/outreach engagement, and institutional success. In keeping with this commitment, the College encourages applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds. We recruit, employ, train, and promote regardless of race, gender, sex, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, color, national origin, disability, age, veterans status, and other underrepresented groups. MSU also recognizes the importance of work-life integration and strives to be responsive to the needs of dual career couples .
    CLS, the largest center for learning, teaching and research at Montana State University, offers students an excellent liberal arts and sciences education in nearly 50 majors, 25 minors and over 25 graduate degrees within the four areas of the humanities, natural sciences, mathematics and social sciences.
    Building on the great strength of our traditional disciplines, the college provides exciting opportunities for faculty and students at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary inquiry. CLS is dedicated to supporting student success, discovering and disseminating new knowledge, and providing an atmosphere in which discovery and learning are integrated and valued. CLS is at the confluence of intellectual tradition, discovery, and innovation.

    Posting Detail Information


    Number of Vacancies 1
    Desired Start Date August 15, 2024
    Position End Date (if temporary)
    Open Date
    Close Date
    Applications will be:
    Screening of applications will begin on January 14, 2024; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.
    Special Instructions
    Required application materials:
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Statement of Teaching Philosophy
  • Five year research plan
  • Three professional references
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    Diversity Statement
     Montana State University values diverse perspectives and is committed to continually supporting, promoting and building an inclusive and culturally diverse campus environment. MSU recognizes the importance of work-life integration and strives to be responsive to the needs of dual career couples .
    Montana State University is committed to providing a working and learning environment free from discrimination. As such, the University does not discriminate in the admission, access to or conduct of its educational programs and activities nor in its employment policies and practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, gender, age, political beliefs, marital or family status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation or preference. In support of the University’s mission to be inclusive and diverse, applications from qualified minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities are highly encouraged.
    Montana State University makes accommodation for any known disability that may interfere with an applicant’s ability to compete in the hiring process or an employee’s ability to perform the duties of the job. To request an accommodation, contact the Human Resources Office, PO Box 172520, Montana State University, Bozeman MT 59717-2520; 406-994-3651; [email protected] .
    In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.
    MSU’s Non-Discrimination Policy and Discrimination Grievance Procedures can be located on the MSU Website: https://www.montana.edu/hr/recruitment-guidelines/affirmative_action_plan.html .

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