Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy

Sam Houston State University • Huntsville, TX

62d

About The Position

Come and join the Bearkat community! Named after Texas' legendary hero, General Sam Houston, the university boasts a rich historical legacy that resonates with the spirit of Texas, which provides a balance between a peaceful, natural setting and proximity to urban amenities. With a student population of over 21,000, SHSU offers a vibrant and dynamic community. SHSU has a small town feel with large scale opportunities. Located in the Piney Woods region of East Texas and just an hour drive north of Houston, Huntsville provides area residents with a sense of community and belonging. SHSU offers compelling options for individuals seeking a fulfilling and impactful career including a superior benefit package, competitive salaries and a flexible work environment fostering work/life balance. SHSU offers programs that support a healthy work-life balance, contributing to employee well-being and job satisfaction, as well as, professional development opportunities with our educational assistance and dependent assistance programs. Position Information This position is security-sensitive and thereby subject to the provisions of the Texas Education Code §51.215, which authorizes the employer to obtain criminal history record information. This is a nine-month position on the tenure track. Core duties involve instructing astronomy courses, supervising students, and conducting research in astronomy/astrophysics.

Requirements

• PhD with emphasis in Astronomy, Astrophysics, or a closely related field. ABD considered, must be completed by start of employment.
• The candidate's research program must include a direct observational component of some kind.
• SHSU values excellence in teaching, research, and service.
• The selected candidate must be able to:

Nice To Haves

• Classroom instructional experience and Post-Doctoral research experience are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Instructing astronomy courses
• Supervising students
• Conducting research in astronomy/astrophysics
• Proficiently instruct introductory astronomy courses, while fostering an active learning environment and making good use of our new "engaging spaces" classroom.
• Promote development of the burgeoning Minor in Astronomy, and instruct more specialized courses at the upper division for these students.
• Lead student observing projects and support activities at the near-campus Dominey Observatory (this new facility houses a 27" CDK-700 telescope system from PlaneWave Instruments and is fully wheelchair accessible).
• Lead grant applications and future observing activities at the "Christmas Mountains" site near Big Bend (our system owns 10,000 acres of land in this dark-sky region, which is suitable for optical and also radio astronomy).
• Develop a strong research program with an observational component that is able to attract external funding and the allocation of time at major telescopes / observatories.

Benefits

• SHSU offers compelling options for individuals seeking a fulfilling and impactful career including a superior benefit package, competitive salaries and a flexible work environment fostering work/life balance.
• SHSU offers programs that support a healthy work-life balance, contributing to employee well-being and job satisfaction, as well as, professional development opportunities with our educational assistance and dependent assistance programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Administration of Human Resource Programs
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees