Assistant Professor of Physics - Tenure Track @Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
About the role
Augustana College is a nationally recognized liberal arts and sciences institution that empowers students through engaged learning, strong community partnerships, and a focus on student potential. Located on a scenic, wooded campus in Rock Island, Illinois, the college is part of the Quad‑Cities metropolitan area (population ~470,000), about a three‑hour drive from Chicago. Augustana serves approximately 2,500 students and offers a collaborative, student‑focused environment where faculty and staff actively shape futures through hands‑on learning, mentorship, and leadership development.
Responsibilities
- Teach 24 credits per 10‑month academic year (standard courses are 4 credits) of introductory and upper‑level physics courses and labs.
- Contribute specialty courses related to your sub‑field, particularly those that may be interdisciplinary, and participate in the general education program.
- Develop a research program appropriate for undergraduate involvement.
- Participate in service to the Department of Physics, Engineering, and Astronomy and the broader Augustana College community.
- Join an active ten‑member department with disciplinary interests in thermal fluids, environmental fluid dynamics, 3D printing and design, signal processing, quantum photonics, nuclear physics, planetary and stellar magnetic fields, observational astronomy, physics education, and planetarium directing.
- Utilize department research spaces for environmental fluid dynamics, computational fluid dynamics, nuclear physics, and quantum photonics.
- Work in the newly designed Maker Space equipped with 3D printers, a laser cutter, a scanning electron microscope, a CNC mill, and a welding station.
- Teach in renovated instructional spaces including an electronics lab, design lab, and studio physics teaching areas.
- Engage in interdisciplinary collaboration in teaching and/or research given the department’s disciplinary diversity.
- Participate in professional development opportunities supported by the department for research and teaching.
Requirements
- Ph.D. in Engineering Physics, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering, or a comparable field by August 26, 2027; ABD candidates will also be considered.
- Ability to teach introductory and advanced physics classes, including labs and lab courses.
- Ability to teach upper‑level electives in physics or engineering, such as electronics, advanced lab, and/or experimental design.
- Ability to teach introductory physics courses for non‑major students.
- Commitment to develop a research program that includes undergraduate students.
- Demonstrated commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration.
Skills
- Potential for teaching excellence.
- Commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and the value of a broadly educated person.
- Ability to recruit, engage, and mentor students of many backgrounds both in and out of the classroom.
- Potential to meaningfully engage undergraduate students in an active research agenda.
- Ability to contribute to the operation and development of the department and its programs.
- Skill in strengthening relationships across campus and with community partners.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- Retirement plan with eligibility to receive up to a 7% contribution from the College.
- Company‑sponsored short‑term and long‑term disability benefits.
- Access to college facilities including a wellness center, gym, and recreation center.
- Tuition benefits for employees and their family members.
- Generous paid time off.
Pay
The budgeted compensation for this position ranges from $60,000 to $63,000 per year, based on minimum and preferred qualifications, education, experience, skills, and abilities. Actual placement within the range will depend on experience, education, research, and other relevant factors.