Physics Teaching Postdoctoral Fellow

Department of Physics | Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics

The Department of Physics and Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics at Cornell University invite applications for a two-year postdoctoral fellowship (appointment title: Postdoctoral Associate). We will consider outstanding applicants in all areas of Physics. We are particularly interested in applicants committed to enriching the undergraduate teaching mission of the College of Arts & Sciences.

The first year of appointment will run August 1, 2026 - July 31, 2027; the second year will run August 1, 2027 - July 31, 2028. The Physics Fellow will join a cohort of teaching postdoctoral fellows from across the College of Arts & Sciences. In the fall semester of each year, Fellows will lead two discussion sections in a 7-weeklong "Disagreement" course with the second half of the fall semester free of teaching duties. In the spring semester of each year, Fellows will offer one first-year writing seminar and one upper-level undergraduate seminar to be determined in consultation with the department chair. Fellows will be expected to feature historic or contemporary disagreements, debates, or controversies in their teaching.

Fellows are expected to be in residence on Cornell's Ithaca campus for the term of the appointment and to take an active role in the intellectual life of the Department of Physics, LASSP, the College of Arts & Sciences, and Cornell University. The Physics Fellow will be mentored by Prof. Natasha Holmes. This mentor, together with the chair and other faculty, will offer feedback on scholarship and provide professional guidance. The Fellow will be provided with a workspace within the Cornell Physics Education Research Lab and will be integrated into this group and the broader discipline-based education research community, which includes faculty, postdocs, and students across physics, biology, engineering, and other STEM fields.

Fellows will be provided an annual salary of $75,000, full benefits, and a research account of $4,000 per year. Eligibility is limited to candidates whose PhD will be conferred by August 1, 2026.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in any area of physics by the start of the appointment period
• Passion for teaching and a desire to develop skills in teaching and course management
• Enthusiasm for productive debate and discussion about physics and science
• Ability and desire to work both independently and collaboratively, including to liaison with faculty
• Project leadership, time management, communication, and writing skills
• Familiarity with active learning strategies and awareness of physics education research literature is an asset

How to Apply:

The application should include:

• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Course proposal with sample syllabus for upper-level undergraduate course
• One article-length writing sample
• Three letters of recommendation (please ask referees to upload their letters directly through the link provided by Academic Jobs Online)

Pay Range:

$62,232.00 - $88,745.00