Physics and Astronomy FT Faculty CFS Professional

Brigham Young University • Provo, UT

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Brigham Young University invites applications for a professional faculty position in Computational Research Support. This position focuses on enhancing student-centered instruction and research in computational physics and data-driven science. Responsibilities include teaching and developing computational laboratory courses, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, supporting faculty research through computational expertise, and strengthening departmental research infrastructure. The successful candidate will hold a MS or PhD degree in physics, astronomy, computational science, or a closely related field. Candidates should have demonstrated expertise in most areas of scientific computing, such as computational modeling, data science and emerging AI-assisted approaches, high-performance computing environments, parallelization techniques, cloud-based computational resources, data management, and security protocols. An ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, students, and technical staff across disciplines is essential.

Requirements

• Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in physics, astronomy, computational science, or a closely related field
• Demonstrated expertise in scientific computing, including numerical methods, data analysis, and computational modeling in a research or academic setting
• Proficiency in modern programming languages commonly used in scientific computing (e.g., Python, C/C++, Julia, or similar) and familiarity with relevant scientific libraries and tools
• Experience with software development best practices, including version control, code organization, testing, and documentation
• Demonstrated ability to mentor students or collaborators in computational methods and scientific programming
• Familiarity with high-performance computing environments, parallelization techniques, and/or cloud-based computational resources
• Understanding of reproducible research practices, including data management, documentation, and transparent workflows
• Ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, students, and technical staff across disciplines
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to teach and explain technical concepts clearly
• Commitment to student-centered teaching and mentoring in both classroom and research settings
• Commitment to ethical, secure, and responsible computing practices
• Commitment to the mission of Brigham Young University and willingness to abide by University standards, including supporting an environment that integrates faith and learning
• Must reside in the State of Utah to be eligible for employment consideration.
• This position requires the successful candidate to relocate and/or reside in Utah for the duration of their employment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience teaching or supporting undergraduate or graduate instruction in computational physics or related areas
• Experience integrating computational methods into physics or STEM curricula
• Familiarity with data science, machine learning, or physics-informed AI methods applied to physical and astronomical systems
• Experience supporting or managing shared computational infrastructure (e.g., HPC clusters, research computing environments)
• Experience working with cybersecurity, data governance, or compliance requirements for federally funded research
• Experience collaborating on interdisciplinary research projects involving computation, simulation, or large datasets
• Experience developing training materials, workshops, or documentation for computational tools and workflows
• Familiarity with research funding environments and expectations (e.g., NSF, DOE, NASA)
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and student-focused academic culture

Responsibilities

• Support the redevelopment of computational lab courses to incorporate contemporary computational methods and practices, including the use of AI in computational code development, validation, and testing in collaboration with other faculty.
• Teaching computational lab classes and training and directing graduate student instructors and teaching assistants for computational physics lab courses.
• Support the integration of computational methods and exercises into other departmental courses.
• Train students in best practices for scientific software development, including code organization, documentation, version control, collaborative workflows, and long-term maintainability.
• Instruct students in responsible computational research practices, including digital documentation, data management, reproducibility, transparency, and research integrity from project initiation through publication and archival storage.
• Consult with faculty and student researchers about numerical and statistical analysis, scientific algorithms, computational efficiency, parallelization, code validation, and testing.
• Provide individualized mentoring to student researchers to help them develop both technical competence and professional confidence.
• Foster students’ habits of precision, persistence, and professionalism that prepare them for graduate study, employment in industry, and lifelong learning.
• Mentor student researchers in responsible and ethical computing practices, reinforcing principles of honesty, rigor, and accountability consistent with the values of the University.
• Facilitate research in the areas of computational physics and the Applied Physics: Data Science program, which are rapidly growing in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Assisting these research areas requires understanding of research practices and applications computational modelling in physics. Research activity will be through support, consultation, and collaboration, rather than through independently directed research.
• Develop and maintain departmental computational research facilities in support of student-centered research. Implement solutions that enhance accessibility, reliability, and scalability of departmental systems.
• Serve as a liaison between departmental faculty, Research Computing and University IT in the design of solutions that advance computational physics research productivity that meet university cybersecurity requirements.
• Support externally funded research by ensuring compliance with government agency standards for computing protocols, cybersecurity, data management, and reproducibility.
• Establish and oversee secure data storage practices that ensure long-term integrity, confidentiality (when required), and ethical stewardship of research data.
• Facilitate internal and external collaborations involving shared databases, including the development of appropriate data-sharing policies and technical mechanisms consistent with professional and ethical standards.
• Contribute to departmental governance and administrative councils at the direction of the Department Chair.
• Help cultivate a departmental culture of belonging, collaboration, mutual respect, and peacemaking consistent with BYU’s commitment to being a Christ-centered academic community.
• Participate in University committees and initiatives, as requested.
• Model professional integrity, service, and collegiality in interactions with students, staff, and faculty.

Benefits

• Preference is given to qualified candidates who are members in good standing of the affiliated church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Successful candidates are expected to support and contribute to the academic and religious missions of the university within the context of the principles and doctrine of the affiliated church.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level