Human Resources

Summary

The Department of Physics at Michigan Technological University (MTU) seeks a candidate to fill a faculty position as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Optics, to begin in August of 2025. Applicants with the required education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and accomplishments commensurate with a higher rank will also be considered for an appointment at the rank of associate or full professor.

Detailed information about the current research and educational programs in the department can be found at (https://www.mtu.edu/physics/). Current optics and photonics research at MTU include ultrafast laser spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, plasmonics, magneto-optics, atmospheric optics, metamaterials, quantum photonics, electro-optics, and optical and biomedical imaging. MTU physics faculties are also actively involved in theoretical and experimental research in nanostructured, two-dimensional, magneto-optic materials and optical detection.

Michigan Tech is Michigan’s flagship technological university and will be a Carnegie-classified R1 institution in 2025. The university provides its graduates with an extremely high return on investment through its academic rigor and focus on experiential learning. Located near the shore of Lake Superior in Michigan’s scenic Upper Peninsula, the university provides a high standard of living. The community offers a small-town environment with outstanding four-season recreational opportunities.

Michigan Tech attracts world-class faculty and staff who enrich the educational experience of smart, motivated, and adventurous students. Applicants who are committed to promoting a sense of belonging and contributing to an equitable and inclusive learning environment for all are strongly encouraged to apply (https://www.mtu.edu/belonging/).

Responsibilities 

Teach both undergraduate and graduate-level courses.
Develop a sustainable, externally funded research program.
Be recognized by your peers for your excellence in research and knowledge creation. Foster a collaborative and collegial culture within the workplace.
Engage in professional service activities within the department, university, community, and technical organizations.
Employees are expected to apply safety-related knowledge, skills, and practices to everyday work and commit to learning about continuous improvemen strategies and applying them to everyday work.

Required Education, Certifications, Licensures

Ph.D. in Physics or a closely related field.

Required Experience

Postdoctoral experience and a proven publication record.

Desirable Education and/or Experience

Experimental or theoretical research experience in one or more of the following sub-fields: quantum optics, optical sensing, spectroscopy, polaritonics, photonic quantum computation, optical physics with two-dimensional materials, strongly correlated materials, and/or topological quantum materials.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

Ability to develop a sustainable externally funded research program.
Ability to be recognized by peers for excellence in research and creation of knowledge.
Preference will be given to optics researchers who will enhance and complement the current experimental, theoretical, or computational research activities at MTU.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

Researchers who display excellence in any area of optics and photonics.

Demonstrated success in, or potential future contributions to, teaching, academic advising, mentoring, and working with persons from diverse backgrounds, creating a sense of belonging, and fostering a fair, objective, welcoming place to work for persons with a wide variety of personal characteristics and viewpoints.

Language, Mathematics and/or Reasoning Skills

Work Environment and/or Physical Demands

The work environment is that of a typical office, classroom and/or laboratory setting.

Required Training and Other Conditions of Employment

Every employee at Michigan Technological University will receive the following 4 required trainings; additional training may be required by the department.

Required University Training:

• Employee Safety Overview

• Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Training

• Annual Data Security Training 

• Annual Title IX Training

Background Check:

Offers of employment are contingent upon and not considered finalized until the required background check has been performed and the results received and assessed.

Other Conditions of Employment:

The successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment. This is not an E-Verified Position.

1

FLSA Status

Exempt

Appointment Term

9 months

Shift

Pay Rate/Salary

Title of Position Supervisor

Department Chair

Posting Type

Dependent on Funding

Special Instructions to Applicants (if applicable)

Applicants will need to upload the following documents:
● Curriculum Vitae
● Cover Letter
● Research Statement
● Teaching Philosophy
● Names for three reference providers will be asked for as part of the application.  (reference letters will only be requested for top candidates)

Application evaluation will begin on January 6, 2025, and continue until the position is filled.

We encourage applicants to address the required and desired qualifications in their cover letter and explain how they will contribute to the Vision and Mission of Michigan Tech.

Additional Information

Michigan Technological University, one of the four major research universities in the State of Michigan, is in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula adjacent to Lake Superior. The community offers a small-town environment with outstanding four-season recreational opportunities. Michigan Tech is in Houghton, MI, on the south shore of Lake Superior.

Michigan Tech is proud to be an ADVANCE Institution that has thrice received National Science Foundation support to increase diversity, inclusion, and the participation and advancement of women and underrepresented individuals in STEM. 

Michigan Tech recognizes the importance of supporting faculty members’ partners; candidates selected for on-campus interviews will be invited to bring a guest. Additional details on our Partner Engagement Program can be found at https://www.mtu.edu/provost/programs/partner-engagement/.