Assistant Professor in Physics – Physical Sciences

Position Description:

The Physical Sciences Department of the School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) at the University of Washington Bothell (UWB) invites applications for a tenure track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor in Physics, with an anticipated start date of September 16, 2027. We seek applicants who demonstrate commitment to excellence in research, teaching, and service in a diverse and inclusive academic community. The successful candidate will join our faculty on a full-time basis for a nine-month academic appointment (3-year term, renewable) beginning September 16, 2027.

The base salary range for this position will be $11,444-$12,046 per month during the nine-month academic year ($102,996-$108,414 annually), commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination. 

The successful candidate will be expected to provide highly effective teaching employing active and engaged teaching methods and technologies to promote an inclusive and equitable learning environment. In addition, the successful candidate will be expected to teach across the undergraduate physics curriculum, develop new courses related to their area of expertise, and to effectively mentor undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds and a broad range of experiences.

The successful candidate will be expected to actively seek extramural funding to develop and sustain a productive research program that meaningfully engages undergraduate students. Candidates should be able to provide our students with research opportunities, which could involve a blend of both in-house efforts and external collaborations. Candidates will be considered across a broad range of research and teaching interests, with particular emphasis on experimental or applied physics. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Biophysics Atomic, Molecular, and Optical (AMO) Physics Applied Physics Quantum Technology Computational–Experimental Hybrid Approaches The Physics program is part of the Physical Sciences Department, which includes the Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics, and Earth Science degree programs. The Physics program includes five full-time faculty, three in the tenure track, and two in the teaching track. Current faculty maintain active research programs in astrophysics, astronomy, and physics education.

The School of STEM is the largest school at UW Bothell, and we are a school committed to attracting faculty and staff who create an exceptional student experience in support of our core values of Collaboration, Opportunities, Responsibility, and Engagement. Our faculty members are dynamic educators who engage in innovative, evidence-based pedagogies.  We offer seventeen degrees (fourteen undergraduate, three graduate), eleven minors, and two graduate certificates across four Departments (Biological Sciences, Computing and Software Systems, Engineering & Mathematics, Physical Sciences). The school is housed in several buildings on a vibrant campus collocated on a restored 100-acre wetland with an active salmon stream, including the 74,000 square-foot Discovery Hall teaching and laboratory facility, and our new 80,000 square-foot STEM building, Innovation Hall – the first shared academic building between a community college and university in the country. 

Located in the heart of the Puget Sound region, the University of Washington Bothell is one of the most dynamic public universities in the state of Washington. UW Bothell is a student-centered campus known for engaging students through classes, team projects, and research in which students connect what they learn or create in the classroom with the broader community. This is achieved through close relationships with faculty members as teachers and mentors, and staff dedicated to student success. The academic work of the campus focuses on cross-disciplinary research, connected learning, and community engagement, and prepares students for leadership in the state of Washington and beyond.

The campus offers more than 55 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in five schools. Current UW Bothell enrollment is over 6,000 students. More than 90% of undergraduates are from Washington State, and approximately 40% are first-generation college attendees. The priorities of the University’s current Strategic Plan – “Expanding Access, Achieving Excellence”, are to enhance community and campus engagement, and advance cross disciplinary teaching and scholarship. In addition to award winning faculty and staff, UW Bothell has been recognized for innovations in academic programming and support services designed to help students graduate on time and debt-free. It has also earned both recognition and awards for its work in the area of environmental sustainability and is just one of twelve institutions selected to join the launch cohort of the Postsecondary Data for Action Network (PDAN), a new national initiative co-led by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) and the Association for Institutional Research (AIR). This selection places UW Bothell among a small group of colleges and universities collectively committed to using data in smarter, more student-centered ways.

All University of Washington faculty are expected to engage in teaching, research, and service.

Qualifications

Applicants for this position must meet the following minimum qualifications:

PhD in physics or related field, or foreign equivalent, required by time of appointment. In exceptional circumstances, candidates in the final stages of their terminal degree (pending conferral) may be selected and appointed on an acting basis.  When the degree is conferred, the title changes to an assistant professorial appointment in the corresponding track. Doctoral degree must be completed within 2 years.

Application Instructions

To ensure full consideration of your application, please submit all materials no later than November 1, 2026. Priority will be given to those applications received by November 1, 2026. Applications will only be accepted via Interfolio: apply.interfolio.com/191207 . The position will remain open until filled.

If you have a question about the details of this search/position, or about Interfolio, please contact the search committee at uwbpsds@uw.edu.

Applications should include the following materials:
1. a cover letter of no more than 2 pages detailing your interest in the position, relevant qualifications, and experiences

2. a curriculum vitae

3. a statement of teaching philosophy and interests of no more than 3 pages. Indicate core physics courses you would be interested in teaching and new courses you would like to develop. Include any available evidence of teaching excellence. Please refer to the UW Core Elements of Effective Teaching: https://teaching.washington.edu/reflect-and-iterate/core-elements/ 

4. a research statement of no more than 3 pages. Include both a description of previous work and collaborations and a viable multi-year plan to establish a productive research program that will engage undergraduates.
 

Applicants should articulate how their past experiences and/or future plans in research, teaching, mentoring, and/or service promote a sense of belonging and foster a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Please also include contact information for at least three referees who are prepared to provide letters of recommendation upon request.

NOTICES AUTOMATICALLY ADDED: 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement 

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

Benefits Information 

The University is committed to providing excellent benefits to our faculty. For a summary of available benefits, please see UWHR benefits information.

Privacy Notice 

Your application materials may be used for employment consideration and shared in accordance with UW’s Privacy Policy.

Disability Services  

The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.