Job Description

Position Summary
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, College of Science and Health, Department of Physics, invites applicants for a full-time academic year tenure-track Assistant Professor in Physics to start on August 25, 2025.

The Department is seeking a colleague with expertise in engineering physics; applied physics; or electrical, mechanical or materials engineering (all fields defined broadly) to compliment a thriving undergraduate research program in the areas of quantum optics, surface physics, nuclear physics, biomechanics, physics education, and observational astronomy, as well as theoretical research in astrophysics and low-temperature quantum mechanics.

Duties/Responsibilities:
Teach a variety of courses including large-classroom introductory physics courses and upper-level engineering physics courses (possibly including dynamics, engineering thermodynamics, electrical circuits, and electronics);
Supervise senior-level capstone projects, including facilitating interdepartmental collaborations and project sponsorship from industrial partners;
Maintain a productive program of experimental research that involves undergraduates;
Advise students interested in careers in engineering;
Aid in achieving departmental goals and implementing the strategic plan;
Contribute to departmental, college, and university service activities.
Position Type Faculty/Instructional
Pay Basis Annual
FLSA Exempt
Is this position eligible for employment sponsorship, (H1B or PERM)? Yes
Required Qualifications
Ph.D. in Physics, Engineering Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Material Science or other closely related field with a strong academic background in physics.
ABD will be considered. The degree must be earned by the end of the first Academic Year.

Preferred Qualifications
Having a B.S. in Physics, Engineering Physics, Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering different than your doctorate.
post-doctoral and/or industrial experience

Physical Demands
Reasonable Accommodations
UWL provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodations for a qualified individual with a disability. If you need assistance or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact [email protected] or 608.785.8013. This job announcement and other material on this site will be made available in alternate formats upon request to an individual with a disability.

All position descriptions are required to provide physical demands and working condition/environment and may not be published in the job announcement. For information on the physical demands and/or working conditions/environment for this position, please contact Human Resources at [email protected] or 608.785.8013.
Working conditions and environment
Classroom / Office Settings
Miscellaneous Information
Information about your Benefits
Your benefits add an additional 40%+ to the overall financial package from the university.
Highlights include:
paid vacation for 12-month positions.
excellent flexible health insurance with low co-pays and good coverage.
paid holidays and sick days.
after 5 years of employment, you become vested in our retirement system which ensures income post-career.
benefits at UWL are highly competitive with local industry and some of the strongest in state and nation.
Benefit eligibility is determined at point of hire. This information is provided for illustrative purposes only. Benefits are also pro-rated based on the appointment percentage.

Information about UWL and the Surrounding Region
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UW–La Crosse) provides a challenging, dynamic, and diverse learning environment in which the entire university community is fully engaged in supporting student success. Grounded in the liberal arts, UW-La Crosse fosters curiosity and life-long learning through collaboration, innovation, and the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge. Acknowledging and respecting the contributions of all, UW-La Crosse is a regional academic and cultural center that prepares students to take their place in a constantly changing world community.

For more than a decade UW-La Crosse has been named one of Kiplinger’s 100 Best Values in Public Universities and has appeared prominently on the U.S. News & World Report list of “America’s Best Colleges” for more than 15 years, and is ranked #4 on its list of the Best Regional Public Universities in the Midwest. UW-La Crosse ranks 6th nationally among the Top LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges for 2018-19 by AffordableCollegesOnline.org (ACO).

With a student population of roughly 10,500, the university offers 91 undergraduate programs, 21 graduate programs, and 2 doctoral programs through the following three colleges, the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities, the College of Business Administration, and the College of Science and Health, as well as the School of Education. There are over 600 full-time faculty and instructional academic staff, 75 percent of whom hold terminal degrees. UW-La Crosse boasts a retention rate (freshmen returning as sophomores) of 84 percent, graduation rate (degree within six years) of 70 percent, and is among only 12 institutions cited nationally by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities for its success in linking campus culture and university leadership to outstanding graduation rates.

UW-La Crosse’s strategic plan Sustaining Excellence continues to move our community forward through its four pillars: increasing community engagement, achieving excellence through equity and diversity, investing in our people, and advancing transformational education. More information about the ongoing work of Sustaining Excellence is available at www.uwlax.edu/info/strategic-plan.
The UW-La Crosse campus is in southwestern Wisconsin, nestled in a residential area of the City of La Crosse and positioned as part of a larger metro area with a population close to 140,000. The area, known as the 7 Rivers Region, is famous for its exceptional natural beauty which includes the Mississippi River on one side, majestic bluffs on the other, and views of rolling farmland and forested valleys in between. Abundant water, woodlands and varying terrain provide ample opportunities for year-round outdoor recreation. Only a couple of hours from Minneapolis or Madison, La Crosse enjoys the affordability and charm of small town living with larger city benefits. Three colleges, two world-class medical institutions, the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, a restored nineteenth century downtown business district, and a number of galleries and art centers have made La Crosse a regional center for culture, entertainment, medical care, shopping, sports and recreation. More information about the La Crosse metro area can be found here: Choose La Crosse. Learn more about UW-La Crosse here: https://www.uwlax.edu/human-resources/services/talent-acquisition-and-employment/finalist-welcome/

AA/EO Statement
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. We strongly encourage women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans to apply. UWL, in compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, or protected veteran status.

COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE
Inclusive Excellence is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the Universities of Wisconsin community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning, research, scholarship, creative activity, community service, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.