Union College invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, beginning September 1, 2025. Review of applications will begin on December 2, 2024 and continue until the position is filled. Applications received by December 1 will receive priority consideration.

Position description:

• A Ph.D. in physics or astronomy or a closely related field is required and postdoctoral experience is preferred.

• A research specialization in the area of condensed matter physics (including but not limited to: solid-state physics, materials science, semiconductor physics, device physics, soft matter physics, granular materials, active matter, polymer physics, magnetic materials, superconductors and superfluids, nanoscience, quantum materials and quantum information processing), preferably with an experimental component.

• We expect applicants to have strong research credentials, evidence of teaching or mentoring a diverse student body, and a strong commitment to undergraduate education including research with undergraduate students.

• We strongly encourage applicants from traditionally underrepresented groups.

• All our faculty are expected to teach introductory physics classes and labs to engineering students as well as upper-level classes for the major as listed on our curriculum. The normal teaching load is six lecture courses per year, with laboratory sections generally counted as half of a lecture course.

• All our faculty as expected to maintain an active research program with opportunities for involving undergraduate students

  About the Departmentof Physics and Astronomy:

• We have eleven full-time faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy (www.physics.union.edu) working in a variety of research fields including astrophysics, atomic physics, computational biophysics, environmental physics, geophysics, and nuclear and particle physics.

• The Department is housed primarily in the Integrated Science and Engineering Center (ISEC), a state-of-the-art facility with classrooms, offices, and research facilities including purpose-built teaching labs and seminar rooms, a dedicated optics lab and our 1.1MeV particle accelerator.

• We have access to a wide range of shared instrumentation in ISEC and the connected Peter Irving Wold Center and F. W. Olin Center; the latter houses the Interdisciplinary Research Instrumentation Suite, which includes a Zeiss EVO Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy and Chemiluminescence, an Asylum MFP-3D-SA atomic force microscope, a Powder X-Ray Diffractometer, a Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometer, Bruker RAMAN Spectrometer, and a Nikon Ti-E microscope.

• The department also has several high temperature tube furnaces for sample synthesis, as well as low speed saws and polishing equipment for sample preparation.

• The department maintains a machine shop with CNC machines and 3-D printers for use by faculty and students, staffed by a full-time technician. We also have access to additional fabrication resources through the college’s MakerSpace and engineering machine shop.

• Union College recognizes the rich possibilities of interdisciplinary studies by offering many opportunities for both faculty and students to engage with multiple disciplines - and each other - in collaborative classroom settings and research initiatives.

• We strive to maintain an inviting department with a strong sense of community: We offer generous office hours, student lounges near our offices for group or independent study, regular public outreach programs such as our monthly observatory open houses, and both weekly lunch-time colloquium and regular astronomy discussion group series to help keep students and faculty in touch with exciting developments elsewhere.

Application instructions:

Please submit all application materials as a single pdf file. Only the materials listed below will be considered.

• A cover letter introducing yourself and the qualities that make you a strong candidate for the job, and how your teaching, scholarship, mentorship and/or community service might support Union’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

• A detailed curriculum vitae

• A statement on teaching with an emphasis on educating and mentoring undergraduates. This should include your strategies for making the classroom an inclusive environment.

• A statement of research interests including an outline of the resources that would be required to get started.

Note that reference letters will be requested only for candidates shortlisted for first-round interviews. Please send questions and other inquiries to Chad Orzel at physics-search@union.edu.

Compensation

The annual salary range for this position is $81,500 to $83,500. Except for roles with a set rate of pay, the wage/salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The stated hiring rate/range represents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the rate/range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

We offer exceptional benefits including:

• Generous Vacation, Sick, and Personal Time

• Winter Recess Break in Addition to Paid Holidays

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision Insurance (Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Accounts)

• Free On-Campus Fitness Facility Access and Discounts for On-Campus Wellness Programs

• Employee Scholarships toward Certifications, Seminars, Training and Professional Development

• Pre and Post Tax participation in a 403(b) Retirement Plan

• Salary Continuation Program in the event of Disability

• Tuition Assistance Program for Employee, Spouse and/or Dependents

Background Checks: In accordance with our background check policy (http://www.union.edu/human-resources/background-check-policy?_ga=2.164769983.1635496244.1717465945-1000516401.1717465945) , finalists for hire will undergo a background check that includes education, employment, and criminal convictions.

E-Verify Participation: Union College participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify (https://www.e-verify.gov/) and your Right to Work (Derecho a Trabajar) (https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/IER_RightToWorkPoster%20Eng_Es.pdf) .

Union College

Officially chartered in 1795, Union College is the fifth-oldest liberal arts college in the country. Located in the Capital District of New York State, Union is a highly selective residential and undergraduate college, home to 2,200 students and 220 faculty, and offering 44 majors. Union was the first liberal arts college to rethink the traditional liberal arts education and adopt an engineering curriculum. That pioneering approach continues today with an education that encourages students to work beyond the limits of disciplinary boundaries, allowing them to think globally and lead innovatively in a world where problem-solving requires breadth across humanities, arts, social sciences, science, and engineering.

Accommodations

If you require an accommodation throughout the interview process, please don't hesitate to contact our Human Resources department at hr@union.edu or 518-388-6108. We are committed to ensuring that all candidates have equal access to opportunities and can participate in a fair and inclusive hiring process.

Diversity at Union College

Union College is an equal-opportunity employer and is strongly committed to student and workforce diversity. Increasing diversity on campus is a critical priority for Union, one that is integral to our mission of preparing students for a globally interconnected world. Union provides a blend of intellectual, social, and cultural opportunities to facilitate the integrated academic, social, and personal development of a diverse community. We value and are committed to a host of diverse populations and cultures including, but not limited to, those based on race, religion, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, and veteran status. Union College is committed to providing access and will provide reasonable accommodation in its application process to individuals with disabilities who request such accommodations.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Union College will not discriminate in the recruitment or selection of faculty and employees, or in any other area of employment, on the basis of age, sex, race, national origin, religion, religious belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and veteran status. In this regard, opportunities for advancement will be made available without bias. The College is also subject to state and federal laws and supports efforts to attract and retain fully qualified women and other minority group members for faculty and other positions. Union College will comply with the letter and intent of all State and Federal laws and applicable orders pursuant to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action.