Assistant Professor of Physics

Department of Physics
College of Natural Science and Mathematics
Assistant Professor
August 2025

The Department of Physics at California State University, Fullerton, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Theoretical/Computational Quantum Information Science, with appointment to begin August 2025. The successful candidate will receive startup funds, teaching release time and research student support.

California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) is a minority-serving institution, affirmative action, and equal opportunity employer. CSUF is firmly committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community and the curriculum and fostering an inclusive environment within which students, staff, administrators, and faculty thrive. Candidates who can contribute to this goal through their teaching, research, advising, and other activities are encouraged to identify their strengths and experiences. Individuals advancing the University’s strategic diversity goals and those from groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and longstanding are particularly encouraged to apply.

CSUF is committed to retaining all faculty and has established affinity groups you can join to support your success.

Position
Quantum Information Science (QIS) is central to several traditional research disciplines including but not limited to condensed matter physics, atomic, molecular, and optical physics, photonics, and nanotechnologies. QIS strives to harness the defining quantum mechanical properties of superposition and entanglement to provide breakthrough advances for computing, sensing, secure communications, and novel device functionalities.

CSUF faculty are teacher/scholars who bring research and creative discovery to life for students in classrooms, labs, studios, and individually mentored projects. They teach broadly in their departments, advise students, and serve on departmental and university-wide committees. The primary responsibilities of this position will include establishing a productive research program in QIS, which involves undergraduate and master’s students, while teaching a variety of courses within the CSUF physics curriculum. All academic activity in the Physics Department ( https://physics.fullerton.edu/ ) is centered on furthering the success of our students. The department recognizes a variety of academic activity that contributes to its three core areas: teaching, research, and service. Positive tenure and promotion decisions require demonstration of commitment and contributions in all three areas.

Required Qualifications
To be considered minimally qualified for this position, candidates must hold a PhD in Physics, or a related discipline, and a research specialization in Quantum Information Science. The applicant’s materials must address each of the following criteria in the department’s core areas.

• Teaching: Demonstrate enthusiasm and potential for successful teaching in a variety of physics courses in a standard physics curriculum, including lower and upper division as well as graduate courses.
• Research: Exhibit ability, supported by evidence of continuous research productivity, to establish a self-supporting, active, theoretical or computational research program that will produce peer-reviewed publications and will substantially involve undergraduate and masters students.
• Service: Articulate a commitment to mentor undergraduate and master’s students from a large, diverse, student body and support the work of the department, college and university via committee appointments.

Preferred Qualifications
In addition to the above minimum requirements, candidates should highlight evidence of their potential to excel in the department’s three key areas of teaching, research and service/outreach. Possible examples of potential include:

Evidence of potential in teaching may include (but is not limited to):

• Prior teaching experience at the undergraduate or graduate level
• Familiarity with current, research-based physics pedagogies
• Experience implementing innovative teaching practices.

Evidence of potential in research may include (but is not limited to):

• Postdoctoral experience, or other professional research experience, in a physics-related discipline with evidence of positive outcomes
• Experience working with undergraduate students in a research environment
• Strong record of research accomplishments resulting in peer-reviewed research outputs
• Receipt of sponsored fellowships or other external funds.

Evidence of potential in service may include (but is not limited to):

• Record of academic mentorship or other peer mentoring
• Professional outreach activities
• Leadership in professional societies.

Application
A complete online application must be received by electronic submission to be considered. To apply, please visit http://hr.fullerton.edu/careers/Faculty.php , choose full-time faculty, search for the position 542171, and provide the following required materials:

• A cover letter
• A complete curriculum vitae, which must include all evidence of academic activity the candidate wishes to receive consideration
• A 1500-word description that addresses the following: your teaching philosophies, how you will structure your courses, specific teaching interests, and knowledge of student-centered learning approaches
• A 1500-word description including all of the following: research plans and general goals; plans to obtain independent support for research activities; plans for the involvement of undergraduate and masters students; and estimated start-up needs
• A 1500-word statement on commitment to inclusive excellence
  • This statement provides the candidate’s unique perspective on their past and present contributions to and future aspirations for promoting diversity, inclusion, and social justice in their professional careers. This statement aims to help the department identify candidates with professional experience, intellectual commitments, and/or willingness to engage in activities that could help CSUF contribute to its mission in these areas. The statement shall address one or more of the following criteria:
  • The candidate has acquired knowledge of barriers for underrepresented students and faculty in higher education.
  • The candidate has experience in and is committed to engaging in service with underrepresented populations in higher education.
  • The candidate has experience in and is committed to teaching and/or mentoring underrepresented students in a higher education environment.
  • The candidate has experience integrating underrepresented populations and communities into scholarly and creative activities.

• a list of three references with relevant contact information
  • Semi-finalists must submit three letters of recommendation. Please have these ready for the referents to submit. On the References page of the online application, enter information and email addresses for three referents who will provide a confidential letter of reference for your application. At the appropriate time in the search process, they will receive a request via email along with information on uploading the letter. You can verify that CSUF has received each letter by logging back into your applicant portal.

Please direct all questions about the position to: Dr. Leigh Hargreaves at physicssearch@fullerton.edu .

Application Deadline
To be assured full consideration, all application materials must be received by November 1 st , 2024. The anticipated appointment date is August 2025.

The College and Department
The College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM; http://www.fullerton.edu/nsm/ ) is dedicated to the principle that teaching and research are intricately mixed and that undergraduate and M.S. graduate research, when properly approached, are an integral part of teaching. This fine balance between teaching and research is NSM's greatest strength.

Faculty in the Physics Department have a history of successful externally funded research programs centered around undergraduate research. The department is home to gravitational wave astronomy, several soft-matter physicists, atomic and molecular physics and physics education researchers (one specializing in QIS education).

Compensation
The Assistant Professor (Academic Year) classification salary range is $6,221 to $13,224 monthly (12 monthly payments per academic year). The anticipated hiring range is $7,280 to $7,423 per month.

Salary offered is commensurate with experience and qualifications. In addition, the California Equal Pay Act prohibits employers from paying its employees less than those of the opposite sex and/or another race or ethnicity for substantially similar work ( https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/california_equal_pay_act.htm ).

Summer research grants, moving expenses, start-up funds, and a reduced teaching load may be available.

CSUF Benefits
An excellent comprehensive benefits package includes health/vision/dental plans; spouse, domestic partner, and dependent fee-waiver; access to campus child-care; and a defined-benefit retirement through the state system and optional tax sheltering opportunities. For a detailed description of benefits, please visit https://hr.fullerton.edu/total-wellness/ .

Additional Information
Multiple positions may be hired from this recruitment based on the strength of the applicant pool.

CSU Policies
The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and must comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083, revised July 21, 2017, as a condition of employment.

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

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self-disclose.

Notice of Non-Discrimination based on Gender or Sex and Contact Information for Title IX Coordinator (http://www.fullerton.edu/titleix/about/notice.php) .

In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy, the CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California. It requires hiring employees to perform CSU-related work within the State of California.

Advertised: Aug 23 2024 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close:

Closing Date/Time:

• 

• Cal State University (CSU) Fullerton

• 657-278-2200

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