Assistant Professor of Physics

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Closing Date:

Type of Position:

Faculty - Tenure/Tenure TrackNo

Job Type:

RegularYes

Institution Name:

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas is a land grant institution, classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the nation’s top 2 percent of universities with the highest level of research activity. The University of Arkansas works to advance the state and build a better world through education, research, and outreach by providing transformational opportunities and skills, fostering a welcoming climate, and nurturing creativity, discovery, and the spread of new ideas and innovations.

The University of Arkansas campus is located in Fayetteville, a welcoming community ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S. The growing region surrounding Fayetteville is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies and one of the nation’s strongest economies. Northwest Arkansas is also quickly gaining a national reputation for its focus on the arts and overall quality of life.

As an employer, the University of Arkansas offers a vibrant work environment and a workplace culture that promotes a healthy work-life balance. The benefits package includes university contributions to health, dental, life and disability insurance, tuition waivers for employees and their families, 12 official holidays, immediate leave accrual, and a choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary.

Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions, you should review before applying for the opening.

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Department:

Department of Physicshttp://physics.uark.edu

Summary of Job Duties:

Arkansas Materials Institute and the Materials Science and Engineering Cluster Hire

The University of Arkansas seeks a total of three tenure-track assistant professors in materials science and engineering, beginning Fall 2027, in a cluster hire coordinated by the Arkansas Materials Institute. One position, in Mechanical Engineering (College of Engineering), centers on transmission electron microscopy; two, in Physics (Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences), center on molecular beam epitaxy and scanning tunneling microscopy and on quantum materials and devices.

The cluster is part of a university investment in the Arkansas Materials Institute, whose mission is to translate materials discoveries into real-world solutions for Arkansas and the world, with growth concentrated in materials for artificial intelligence, quantum materials, energy, biosystems, and electronics and photonics.

New faculty will have access to the Institute’s shared facilities, including a cleanroom, electron microscopy, x-ray facility, and electrical and optical characterization, and to the MonArk NSF Quantum Foundry, supported by expert staff, along with NSF MRI proposal support, national laboratory user facilities, and industry partnerships.

Each hire will join the Arkansas Materials Institute Early-Career Faculty Cohort, supported by the Provost’s Office, the Institute, and the home department. The cohort connects new hires with recently hired materials faculty, experienced mentors, and collaborators across both colleges through structured professional development, invited speakers, and joint projects and proposals. It complements departmental mentoring and provides an immediate network across disciplinary and college boundaries.

The candidates for the Physics hires must hold a Ph.D. degree in Physics, Materials Science, or closely related fields. The new faculty will be teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses in Physics and Materials Science.

This announcement is for the Department of Physics position. Additional information is available through the following websites:
• Department of Physics: http://physics.uark.edu/
• Arkansas Materials Institute: https://materials.uark.edu/
• High Density Electronics Center: http://hidec.uark.edu/
• Smart Ferroic Materials Center: https://sfmc.uark.edu/
• MonArk NSF Quantum Foundry: https://www.monarkfoundry.org/

About the Department:
The Physics Department has a strong international reputation in nanoscience and quantum materials, condensed matter physics, computational physics, quantum optics and quantum information, astrophysics, and biophysics, including neuro-physics. The current faculty consists of more than twenty regular faculty, a few teaching faculty, and many research faculty and postdoctoral associates. Almost all faculty mentor both graduate and undergraduate students.

The faculty includes fellows and major journal editors, including:
• 5 fellows of the American Physical Society
• 2 fellows of the Optical Society of America
• 2 associate editors for major physics journals
• 1 editor of the Einstein Papers Project

In 2025, the department had more than $3.5 million in research expenditures, and published well over 100 refereed journal articles, many in top-tier scientific journals such as Physical Review Letters and Nature.

Duties will include:
• 40% Teaching or Professional Performance
• 40% Research/Scholarly and/or Creative Activities
• 20% Academic Service Activities

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in Physics, Materials Science, or a closely related field from an accredited institution of higher education conferred by the date of initial appointment
• A demonstrated potential for outstanding teaching and mentoring at the graduate level and/or undergraduate level
• A demonstrated potential for research excellence, or evidence of an active research agenda and scholarly activity, with a focus on Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), or quantum devices

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and/or cross-campus collaborations
• Strong record of successful publications, and record or experience in external funding in the thematic and/or methodological areas of position focus
• A demonstrated ability to develop effective undergraduate and graduate classes that complement the current course catalog
• Experience in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in independent research
• Evidence of the ability to be an active, involved, and collegial member of a collaborative faculty team both on campus and in relevant national service organizations

Qualification Equivalencies:

Additional Information:

This position is a Designated Research Position and is regulated by the Arkansas Research Education Protection Act of 2025.  Prior to issuance of an offer of employment, the University is required to request and obtain additional information about an applicant’s background and, if required, conduct an additional review of that background information.

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.Cover Letter/Letter of Application, Curriculum Vitae, List of three Professional References (name, email, business title), Statement of Research Philosophy, Statement of Teaching PhilosophyProof of Veteran StatusDr. Hiro Nakjamura, associate professor, [email protected]

All application materials must be uploaded to the University of Arkansas System Career Site https://uasys.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/UASYS  

Please do not send to listed recruitment contact.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Completed applications received by December 10th, 2026, will be assured full consideration. Late applications will be reviewed as necessary to fill the position.

Questions about the positions may be directed to the chair of the search committee, Hiro Nakamura, at [email protected].

Applicants must submit the following materials:
· A cover letter describing their interest in and qualifications for the position
· A curriculum vitae, including a complete publication list and (if applicable) funding experience
· The names, email addresses, and professional titles of three professional references
· A teaching statement (no more than two pages)
· A research statement (three to five pages)

Review of applications will begin on December 7th, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.

Pre-employment Screening Requirements:

Criminal Background Check, Sex Offender Registry

The University of Arkansas is committed to providing a safe campus community. We conduct background checks for applicants being considered for employment. Background checks include a criminal background check and a sex offender registry check. For certain positions, there may also be a financial (credit) background check, a Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) check, and/or drug screening. Required checks are identified in the position listing. A criminal conviction or arrest pending adjudication or adverse financial history information alone shall not disqualify an applicant in the absence of a relationship to the requirements of the position. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.

The University of Arkansas seeks to attract, develop and retain high quality faculty, staff and administrators that consistently display practices and behaviors to advance a culture that embeds equal opportunity, educational excellence and unparalleled access for all.

The University of Arkansas is an equal opportunity institution. The University does not discriminate in its education programs or activities (including in admission and employment) on the basis of any category or status protected by law, including age, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, protected veteran status, military service, genetic information, sex, sexual preference, or pregnancy. Questions or concerns about the application of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, may be sent to the University’s Title IX Coordinator and to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

Persons must have proof of legal authority to work in the United States on the first day of employment.

All Application information is subject to public disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

Constant Physical Activity:

N/A

Frequent Physical Activity:

N/A

Occasional Physical Activity:

N/A

Benefits Eligible:

Yes