Assistant Research Professor (Physics)

LOCATION:

Physics Department, United States Naval Academy

APPLICATION TIMELINE:

This position does not have a specific application deadline. Review of applications will begin on February 9, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.

ABOUT THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY:

The United States Naval Academy is a unique institution of higher learning located in Annapolis, Maryland. As a service academy and premier undergraduate college, the United States Naval Academy has its own distinctive niche amongst American higher education institutions. Our talented faculty and staff are united by a common purpose — to develop the next generation of officers to be exceptional leaders in our naval service. 

Every year more than one million people tour "the Yard" to experience what our employees already know — the United States Naval Academy is a special place, with a special purpose. Employees will find challenging and rewarding work; state-of-the-art facilities which inspire academic and athletic excellence; the benefits of Federal employment; and exceptional quality-of-life.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Physics Department invites applications for an Assistant Research Professor (also known as a Postdoctoral Fellow) to begin as early as Spring 2026.  The successful candidate will contribute to DOE-funded research using the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Experiment at the CERN LHC. The candidate will work with USNA Asst. Prof. Allison Hall, who is a member of the CMS experiment through an affiliation with the Fermilab CMS group. The successful candidate will work closely with the Fermilab CMS group, including participating in their renowned mentoring program, and will have the option to work daily at Fermilab as their official Duty Station.

The candidate is expected to play a leading role in two main areas: 1) CMS searches for new physics, particularly searches for dark matter using displaced leptons, and 2) developing solutions to critical computing challenges facing CMS during the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC). Additionally, the candidate will mentor undergraduate student research projects and develop teaching materials such as Jupyter notebooks to be used in future projects.

The primary objective of the proposed computing research is making a credible plan for how to transition the current CMS computing model to one that takes advantage of novel distributed storage technologies such as object stores. The successful candidate will help make a road map for implementation at the Fermilab Tier 1 Computing Center, including design and execution of a demonstrator project and stress tests at scale using cloud computing resources. 

Candidates should have a strong commitment to producing high-quality peer-reviewed research and mentoring undergraduate students. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to teach introductory physics courses to undergraduates (~20 students/semester) should they be interested in expanding their teaching portfolio.

Duties and responsibilities: 

• Perform software R&D into new data storage techniques for CMS
• Perform physics analysis using CMS data 
• Mentor undergraduate student research projects and develop teaching materials about particle physics
• Write scientific papers and contribute to publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Present research findings at national and/or international conferences.

This on-site, 12-month compensation model excepted service federal position is reimbursable-funded with an initial appointment of approximately one year.  The position may be eligible for federal benefits and offers a highly competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. 

Salary Details:  

• • Pay Band: AD-01

• • Approximate Starting Salary: $65,000 - $80,000

• • Final Salary will be determined based on:
    • Experience and qualifications of the selected candidate

MINIMUM AND PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. degree in Physics or a related field.
  • Required prior to start date 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Track record of contributing to particle physics analysis, particularly at hadron collider experiments. 
• Experience with scientific computing and programming in C++ and/or Python. Additionally, previous experience with distributed computing technologies tools such as Kubernetes, FastAPI, S3 services is valued but not expected.
• Desire to work with undergraduate students
• Strong writing and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively 

FINAL SELECTION FOR POSITION WILL BE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING ASSESSMENTS: 

• On campus interviews
• Executive level interview
• Presentation of the candidate’s research program

HOW TO APPLY FOR POSITION:

Interested candidates should send an application package to the hiring manager and Search Committee Chair, at physics-researchprof2026-group@usna.edu. 

•  Application Packages need to contain:
  • Cover letter
  • 2 - page resume with your essential background and contact information, work experience, education, and significant publications. (Note that the two-page limit is a federal requirement).
  • Contact information for three professional references
• Supplemental materials
  • Full Curriculum Vitae
  • Research statement (3-page maximum, excluding figures and references)
  • Any additional information the candidate would like to submit

Candidates should also submit a response to the narrative questions found here. Please note you will need to include the announcement number listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Please note: This position does not have a specific application deadline. Review of applications will begin on February 9, 2026 and continue until the position is filled. The ability to fill this position is contingent upon the availability of funding.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• Two-year trial period will typically be required.
• All civilian faculty positions at USNA are subject to a background investigation. These investigations are conducted to ensure that individuals hired are trustworthy, of good conduct, and reliable. The selected candidate will be subject to a security investigation leading to successful completion of a background investigation with a favorable adjudication. The selectee's failure to meet this requirement will be grounds for termination. More information about the background investigation process can be found at the Academic Dean and Provost’s website here, https://www.usna.edu/Academics/Faculty-Information/Background-Investigation-Info.php. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

The U.S. Naval Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer