Laboratory Physicist
Job Summary
Provides technical lab support by independently performing basic lab and research-related tasks to ensure accurate research results that can expand on the knowledge of the field of study.
Job Description
The University of Mississippi’s Department of Physics and Astronomy seeks a Laboratory Physicist to join the team managing the department’s introductory physics labs. The Laboratory Physicist is responsible for training and supervising graduate teaching assistants (TAs), purchasing and maintaining laboratory equipment, and ensuring that all laboratory activities comply with safety regulations and best practices.
The Laboratory Physicist operates in collaboration with the physics faculty (especially the instructors of record for our 1000- and 2000-level courses and the corresponding course coordinators) and with an eye to advancing department priorities, which include improving learning outcomes in the labs and recruiting more students into the physics major. Much of the day-to-day work involves overseeing the TAs who run the dozens of lab sections that the department offers. The varied job responsibilities include convening weekly TA meetings, ensuring fairness and uniformity in grading, handling undergraduate student concerns, and troubleshooting technical problems as they arise. The Laboratory Physicist may be asked to participate in the redesign of existing experiments and the development of new ones.
All teaching labs are in the new, state-of-the-art Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation. This interdisciplinary facility hosts undergraduate labs from several science departments, as well as the Center for STEM learning, which studies and promotes modern evidence-based pedagogy.
The ideal candidate will have a strong background in physics and familiarity with laboratory equipment and instrumentation. We anticipate hiring a candidate with a degree in physics, but other credentials in adjacent fields may be acceptable if the candidate has the requisite domain knowledge and technical skills and can demonstrate an aptitude for the teaching, managerial, and supervisory aspects of the position. Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and proficiency with computers (at the level of Microsoft Office) are required. Basic graphic design skills and experience with computer programming and web development are desirable but not necessary.
The job involves some physical exertion, primarily moving and setting up scientific equipment and roving lab to lab within the building. Candidates should be able to lift 30 lbs. and be willing to be on their feet for two hours at a time. The Laboratory Physicist may be called on to make minor repairs to damaged equipment in the teaching labs. The expectation is that the candidate will have basic shop skills and the ability to use standard hand tools. Soldering skills would be helpful but are not necessary.
The Laboratory Physicist position is full-time and offers all the benefits that are available to university employees. The department is eager to recruit a candidate who is interested in ongoing employment, open to a long-term commitment to living and working in Oxford, and ready to lean into a linchpin role in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The successful Laboratory Physicist will thrive in a fast-paced environment where challenging problems must be solved in real time and be adept at juggling multiple tasks. The role requires a high level of attention to detail, the ability to work both independently and collaboratively, and a passion for the educational mission.
Applications should be submitted online via the Workday portal, which is accessible from https://olemiss.edu/hr/um-careers/ by clicking through to External Applicants > Staff Openings. Evaluation of applicants will begin on Friday, July 3 and continue until the position is filled. The expected date of employment is August 20, in advance of the Fall 2026 academic semester, but a Spring 2027 start is also possible. Questions should be directed to labsearch@phy.olemiss.edu.
Key Responsibilities
- Train, supervise, and coordinate graduate teaching assistants across multiple introductory lab sections
- Oversee day-to-day lab operations, including troubleshooting experimental equipment and addressing grading consistency and student issues
- Purchase, maintain, and repair laboratory equipment while ensuring safety compliance
- Collaborate with faculty to support courses and improve lab learning outcomes
- Help develop, update, and redesign laboratory experiments and activities
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