Assistant Professor (Physics)

LOCATION:

United States Naval Academy, Physics Department

APPLICATION TIMELINE:

This position does not have a specific application deadline. Review of applications will begin on February 23, 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 U.S. Naval Academy Physics Department invites applications for two tenure-track Assistant Professor of Physics positions.

This search is open to candidates of any subdiscipline within the fields of experimental or theoretical physics or astrophysics.  Areas of research interest in our department include atomic, molecular and optical physics, quantum information, astrophysics, computational physics, nuclear and particle physics, magnetic materials, material characterization, and condensed matter. This position may begin as early as the Summer of 2026.

USNA is a service academy and top tier liberal arts college with a demonstrated commitment to excellence in faculty teaching and research. Our highest priority is to find candidates who are committed to teaching in a highly interactive environment while establishing and maintaining a thriving research program here at USNA.  The teaching load for an assistant professor is typically 2 class sections per semester with small section sizes (15-25 students) and 2 preps per year.

We are committed to hiring faculty who are motivated to invest in the development of our unique student body, composed of exceptional women and men from every congressional district in the United States. In addition to demonstrating the ability to establish and grow a research program resulting in regular peer-reviewed publications, it is particularly attractive if a candidate’s research program provides opportunities for meaningful involvement by upper-class undergraduate physics majors. 

Feel free to explore our department webpages for further information, www.usna.edu/PhysicsDepartment.

Duties and responsibilities: 

• Teach 9-12 student contact hours (typically 2 sections) of undergraduate physics or astrophysics per semester
• Establish and maintain a research program producing significant, regular contributions to the scientific community (e.g. refereed journal articles)
• Involve undergraduates in this research program in a consistent and meaningful way
• Contribute rank-appropriate service to the department and the institution

This is an onsite, 10-month compensation model, excepted service federal faculty position with a 3-year renewable appointment, a highly competitive salary, and full federal benefits.

Salary Details:  

• • Pay Band: AD-01 - AD-03
    • Will be dependent on degree standing at time of start date.  

• • Approximate Starting Salary Range: $95,000 – $105,000
    • Based on 10-month compensation model

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

MINIMUM AND PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• A Ph.D. in Physics or a related discipline is required (anticipated completion of Ph.D. no later than June 2026 is acceptable).

Preferred: We are particularly interested in candidates who have experience or demonstrated interest in some or all of the following areas:

•     Commitment to teaching in a range of undergraduate courses including introductory calculus-based physics
•     Experience teaching at the undergraduate level
•     Knowledge and interest in employing active learning in the classroom environment
•     Demonstration of superior teaching ability during an onsite interview
•     A superior record of research and scholarship in peer-reviewed journals
•     Plans to conduct research at USNA that is suitable for student participation
•     Ability to collaborate with our current faculty or researchers at local institutions and/or a strong record of independent research
•     A demonstrated mastery of their subject during a research talk and in faculty discussions during an onsite interview
•     Shows promise as a teacher, coordinator and/or developer of a variety of physics courses, including required courses for physics majors at the upper-class level.
•     Superior performance in a postdoctoral appointment
•     A demonstrated ability to thrive in a collaborative, collegial environment.

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

• Teaching demonstration 
• Presentation of the candidate’s research and scholarship program  
• On-campus interview
• Executive level interview

HOW TO APPLY FOR POSITION:

Interested candidates should send application packages to the chair of the physics search committee at physics-positions2026-group@usna.edu.  

• Application Packages need to contain:
  • Cover letter
  • Two-page Resume or Two-page Curriculum Vitae with your essential background and contact information, work experience, education, and significant publications. (Note that the two-page limit is a federal requirement). 
  • Supplemental materials
    • Statement of teaching philosophy 
    • Full Curriculum Vitae to include comprehensive list of publications and courses taught; scholarly presentations, engagements and funding; successful experimental and/or observational proposals and collaborations
    • A research statement including a description of the candidate’s plans to involve USNA undergraduate students in this research
    • Graduate and undergraduate transcripts (unofficial transcripts are fine)
    • Contact information for three professional references 

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 23, 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 positions at USNA are subject to a background investigation. 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, https://www.usna.edu/Academics/Faculty-Information/Background-Investigation-Info.php. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

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