Assistant Professor of Physics

Minimum Qualifications:

1.  An earned doctorate (Ph.D.) in Physics or a closely related discipline from an accredited institution (or equivalent) is required at the time of application.
2. Evidence of teaching experience in physics, astrophysics, or closely related field at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
3. Evidence of the ability to establish an active, self-supported experimental laboratory research program that will involve both undergraduate and Master’s level students.
4. Evidence of an established and current record of scholarly engagement (e.g., publications, grants, presentations, disciplinary engagement) in experimental physics.

Preferred Qualifications:

Preference will be given to candidates who have:

1. Postdoctoral experience.
2. Demonstrated success in teaching a variety of physics courses in a standard undergraduate physics curriculum, including lower- and upper-division courses, as well as graduate courses.
3. Experience mentoring students and supporting students’ research and/or educational activities.
4. Evidence of obtaining external funding for research activities (e.g., fellowships or grants).
5. While research experience in any area of experimental physics is acceptable, areas of special consideration include Nuclear and Particle Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, Biophysics, Astrophysics, Photonics, and Atomic, Molecular & Optical (AMO) Physics.

Duties:

The primary professional responsibilities of instructional faculty members are: teaching, research, scholarship and/or creative activity, and service to the University, profession and to the community.  These responsibilities generally include: advising students, participation in campus and system-wide committees, maintaining office hours, working collaboratively and productively with colleagues, and participation in traditional academic functions.

The successful candidate will teach physics courses at all levels of instruction (including GE and service courses) and will participate in the curriculum development process. The successful candidate will establish a funded research program in their field of expertise, actively involve undergraduate and graduate students in research, publish in peer-reviewed journals, and support and further develop the department’s public outreach and community engagement activities.

The successful candidate will be committed to the academic success of all of our students and to an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates diversity and differences. To this end, the successful candidate will work effectively, respectfully, and collaboratively in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings. In addition, the successful candidate will be ready to join faculty, staff, students, and administrators in our University’s shared commitment to the principles of engagement, service, and the public good.

Salary:

Initial salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The University:

California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) is one of 23 campuses within the California State University system.  The University is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the U.S. for the upward mobility of its students, and is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good.  We offer nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, ethnic studies, and the humanities. Our faculty have a strong commitment to scholarship, research, creative pursuits, community engagement, and service.

Our 240,000 alumni reflect the City and County’s dynamic mix of populations.  The University has one of the most diverse student populations of any college or university in the nation.  As a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution, and Asian-American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, Cal State LA recognizes the transformative power of education and embraces its duty to identify and serve the needs of all of its students. The University is committed to creating a community in which a diverse population can live, work and learn in an atmosphere of civility and respect for the rights and sensibilities of each individual.

The College:

The College of Natural and Social Sciences is committed to programs of academic excellence in the fields of natural and social sciences that provide access and opportunity for a uniquely diverse student body. The College of NSS reflects a diversity of disciplines through its inclusion of 12 departments and interdisciplinary programs that serve nearly 6,000 undergraduate majors and over 500 graduate students. Our outstanding faculty and staff are committed to creating educational experiences for students that utilize and generate knowledge that is culturally responsive and inclusive and to facilitating the development of the next generation of leaders in their varying fields.

The Department:

The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers both undergraduate and Master’s level degrees in physics. Areas of faculty research within the department include condensed matter physics, astrophysics, biophysics, and computational physics. Nearby institutions that offer opportunities for collaboration include Caltech, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), UCLA, USC, UC Irvine, plus many other Los Angeles area colleges.

Required Documentation:

Please submit the following to the Search Committee Chair at the email address below: 
1) A cover letter specifically addressing minimum and preferred qualifications.
2) A narrative statement describing your commitment to working effectively with faculty, staff, and students in a multicultural/multiethnic urban campus environment with a substantial population of students who are among the first-generation of their family to attend a college or university.
3) A curriculum vitae.
4) A list of three professional references.
5) A University Application for Employment Form
6) A teaching statement that describes experience and strategies for successful teaching in a variety of physics courses in a standard physics curriculum.
7) A research statement that also proposes a plan for establishing an active, self-supported experimental laboratory research program that will involve both undergraduate and graduate students.
8) Unofficial transcripts of graduate work.

Finalists will be required to submit:

Official transcripts.

Employment is contingent upon proof of eligibility to work in the United States.

Application:

Review of applications will begin December 1, 2021 and will continue until the position is filled.

Please email all application materials in a single PDF to: sterebe@calstatela.edu. Please type “Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tenure-Track Application” in the subject line.

Please address all questions to the search committee chair (Dr. Susan Terebey) at: sterebe@calstatela.edu or 323-343-2100.

Note: The person holding this position is considered a "mandated reporter" under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

CSU requires faculty, staff, and students who are accessing campus facilities to be immunized against COVID-19 or declare a medical or religious exemption from doing so.  Any candidates advanced in a currently open search process should be prepared to comply with this requirement. The systemwide policy can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/9779821/latest/ and questions may be sent to OfficeHRM@calstatela.edu.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

In addition to meeting fully its obligations under federal and state law, Cal State LA is committed to creating a community in which a diverse population can live, work and learn in an atmosphere of tolerance, civility and respect for the rights and sensibilities of each individual. To that end, all qualified individuals will receive equal consideration without regard to economic status, race, ethnicity, color, religion, marital status, pregnancy, national origin or cultural background, political views, sex, sexual orientation, gender identification, age, disability, disabled veteran or Vietnam era veteran status.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/TITLE IX EMPLOYER

Upon request, reasonable accommodation will be provided to individuals with protected disabilities to (a) complete the employment process and (b) perform essential job functions when this does not cause undue hardship.