Assistant Professor (Continuing Track), Department of Physics and Astronomy

Assistant Professor • Newark, NJ

12d

About The Position

The Department of Physics and Astronomy (web.physics.udel.edu) in the College of Arts and Sciences seeks applications for a Continuing Track (CT) faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor starting August 16, 2026. CT faculty positions are continuing, long-term positions, with responsibilities focused on teaching. CT faculty are eligible for promotion in academic rank, participation in shared governance, and sabbatical leaves (see https://sites.udel.edu/ctcaucus/why-do-you-want-to-be-a-ct-faculty-at-ud/ for details). The Department of Physics and Astronomy at UD is a research-active department with vigorous undergraduate and graduate physics programs that also values high-quality instruction. The successful candidate will join a group of faculty (both tenure and continuing track) with interest in teaching introductory physics using pedagogical methods informed by PER (Physics Education Research). Professional development of instructional faculty is strongly encouraged and supported by the department. We are seeking an exceptional candidate to teaching introductory undergraduate physics. The Department of Physics and Astronomy (DPA) at the University of Delaware ( https://web.physics.udel.edu/ ) is within the College of Arts and Sciences. The DPA is home to more than 35 full time faculty with research interests spanning sub-atomic phenomena to astrophysics, with external research grant funding in excess of $9M per year. The DPA currently has about 90 graduate students and100 undergraduate majors. The DPA introductory physics curriculum serves over 2500 undergraduate students per year. The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is the largest college at the University of Delaware, comprising 22 academic departments, 2 academic centers, and 35 interdisciplinary centers, programs, and institutes across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. CAS serves every student at the University through foundational coursework, while also supporting over 7,300 undergraduate and 1,100 graduate students majoring in our disciplines. In 2024-2025, CAS conferred more than 1,400 BA and AA degrees and 460 graduate degrees. Our community includes more than 600 full-time tenure-track and non-tenure contract faculty who are leaders in their fields, innovators in teaching, and advisors to nonprofit and governmental agencies at the local, regional, national, and international levels. Faculty emphasize the enduring value of an arts and sciences education and share a deep commitment to excellence in scholarship and all forms of creative and intellectual expression. With annual sponsored research expenditures totaling more than $40 million, including significant funding from the NIH and NSF, CAS houses several large, interdisciplinary grants and maintains outstanding research and teaching facilities that encourage innovation and collaboration. Guided by a commitment to shared governance, CAS faculty serve as leaders in the University and College Faculty Senates. More than 380 staff members and 45 postdoctoral fellows and researchers further enrich the CAS community by providing essential support to students and academic units. CAS maintains annual operating expenditures of over $152 million and is a hub for interdisciplinary engagement, connecting students and faculty with local, national, and global communities through research, creative activity, and public service. The University of Delaware is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or status as a protected veteran, as well as any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. For the University’s complete non-discrimination statement, please visit www.udel.edu/aboutus/legalnotices.html

Requirements

• a completed Ph.D. or Ed.D. in Physics, Astronomy, Physics Education, or a related field
• experience in teaching introductory physics classes to STEM majors at the college level

Nice To Haves

• expertise and demonstrated excellence in teaching introductory physics classes to STEM majors, including those associated with Health Sciences and/or Engineering
• expertise and/or interest in PER-informed pedagogical techniques, and curriculum development and assessment
• experience managing courses with multiple sections, teaching assistants, and/or laboratory sections

Responsibilities

• teaching mainly introductory-level Physics courses during the fall and spring semesters
• coordinating the associated discussion sections (taught by Teaching Assistants)
• course preparation
• curriculum development
• scholarship (pedagogy, outreach, and/or education/physics research)
• teaching upper-level physics/astronomy or introductory astronomy courses
• participate in Department, College, and University service

Benefits

• Compensation packages are highly competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• The UD benefits package is one of the best in the nation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees