Assistant Professor of Physics
About The Position
The Department of Physics at the University of South Dakota (USD) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position starting Fall 2026. This position is part of the recently awarded NSF EPSCoR Ge-STAR Project (Germanium Science and Technology for Advanced Research - https://ge-star.org ) and offers an outstanding opportunity to join a nationally recognized research program in germanium-based science and technology. Position Description We seek candidates with expertise in Ge-based science and technology, with research interests in one or more of the following areas: High-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors for rare-event physics, including dark matter detection and neutrino property measurements. Medical imaging technologies utilizing germanium-based sensors. Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to materials science, detector development, medical imaging, and data analysis. Unique Resources at USD USD hosts the world's only public high-purity germanium crystal growth facility, supporting large-scale R&D for detector fabrication and advanced materials science. The department collaborates closely with international rare-event physics experiments, including the LEGEND neutrinoless double-beta decay project, SuperCDMS for dark matter, and COHERENT for neutrino properties. Additionally, USD has growing expertise in theoretical physics and infrastructure in AI/ML research, providing opportunities for interdisciplinary projects in materials informatics and detector optimization.
Requirements
- Ph.D. in Physics, Computational Physics, Medical Physics, Materials Science, or a closely related field by the time of appointment.
- Potential for high-quality research and effective teaching.
Nice To Haves
- Research experience with Ge detector technology, low-background experiments, medical imaging systems or a closely related area.
Responsibilities
- Develop a vigorous, externally funded research program aligned with the goals of the Ge-STAR project.
- Contribute to graduate and undergraduate education in Physics and data sciences.
- Teach classes in Physics and AI/ML in Data Sciences.
- Contribute to interdisciplinary collaborations within the Ge-STAR project and across USD.
- Have expertise in AI/ML applications for scientific and engineering challenges.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Industry
Educational Services
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
Number of Employees
51-100 employees
