Research Support Assistant

University of South Florida•Tampa, FL

18h

About The Position

The Department of Physics is committed to the generation and dissemination of new scientific knowledge involving physical principles and their applications to related interdisciplinary fields. The faculty and students in the Department of Physics are cooperatively contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge at the frontiers of human understanding in the sciences in general and physics in particular. This process essentially intertwines the initial development of scientific methodology in classroom and laboratory instruction activities within the Department, the search for new knowledge in research laboratories in the Department of Physics and affiliations outside, and dissemination through professional channels and in the classroom. In addition to scientific advancement, the ultimate objective is the preparation of future scientists with knowledge of historical perspectives of current physical principles, and their applications at the forefront of science and technology. This is a temporary position that is funded by non-recurring funds and renewal is conditional upon the continuation of those funds. The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, placing it as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

Requirements

High School diploma or equivalent and 1 year of experience.
Higher education may substitute for the experience.
Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed: Two years of direct experience for an associate degree; Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree; Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree; Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Responsibilities

Conduct research on two-dimensional (2D) devices for sensing and computing applications.
Design and conduct experiments.
Collect, analyze, and interpret experimental data.
Present research data and progress during weekly laboratory meetings.
Present research findings at local, national, and international conferences.
Draft and revise research manuscripts under the mentorship of the Principal Investigator (PI).
Work with and mentor junior researchers in the laboratory.
Assist the PI with the preparation and development of research grant proposals.