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Assistant Professor - Physics and Astronomy

Categories: College of Science & Engineering

Position TitleAssistant Professor - Physics and Astronomy

About the University

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the DepartmentThe College of Science and Engineering and the Physics and Astronomy Department support Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is comprised of 16 full-time faculty (tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenure track), 3 full time permanent staff, and ~100 undergraduate physics majors. Physics B.S. degrees are offered in addition to minor degrees in both physics and astronomy. The department strives to support meaningful research opportunities for its majors, including hiring new tenure-track faculty committed to undergraduate research. Members of the department are also active in the development of new educational materials and innovative teaching methods. The common vision shared within the department is to make the WWU Department of Physics and Astronomy the most outstanding undergraduate program of its kind in the nation.

WWU is committed to creating equitable and inclusive learning and working environments for their students, faculty and staff. A number of faculty-led initiatives and committees focus on diversity and inclusivity in the classroom and beyond. New faculty are supported by mentoring both within the department and through university-wide initiatives, and individual faculty involvement in theFaculty Success Program (https://www.facultydiversity.org/fsp-bootcamp) has recently been supported by our department. Student clubs such as SACNAS, Physicists for Inclusion in STEM (PhIS), and Out in Science are also vital to advancing inclusion within the college.

Detailed information is available for the Department of Physics and Astronomy at http://physics.wwu.edu

About the Position

Full-time, tenure-track assistant professor, beginning September 2026. Western Washington University (WWU) invites applications from candidates who will contribute to the department’s curriculum at all levels, and establish an active and sustainable research program with opportunities to engage WWU undergraduates.

Teach upper and lower division undergraduate courses in WWU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, where the standard teaching load is five classes across the three quarters of each academic year. Develop and maintain a research program involving undergraduate students, and seek extramural funding in support of research. Participate in student advising, committees, and departmental activities. Assist in closing existing gaps in student retention and success by fulfilling teaching and mentoring responsibilities in ways that provide equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students.

Required Qualifications

Required:

+ Ph.D. at time of application in physics or a closely related field

+ Record of significant scholarly accomplishment in physics or a closely related field

+ Potential for establishing an active, independent, and sustainable research program that engages undergraduates at a regional public primarily undergraduate institution (PUI)

+ Demonstrated experience in or potential for effective teaching of the physics undergraduate curriculum at both the upper- and lower-division

+ Demonstrated commitment to and potential for cultivating learning environments that are equitable and inclusive of students with diverse identities and backgrounds

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred:

+ Post-doctoral research experience or equivalent

+ Demonstrated commitment to and potential for the use of student-centered teaching approaches

+ Experience in, or potential for, teaching upper division courses in experimental methods, quantum mechanics, or astrophysics.

Conditions of EmploymentAll employees must comply with our Immunization policies, includingProof of Rubeola Measles Immunity (https://policy.wwu.edu/POL-U1300.01-Requiring-Proof-Of-Rubeola-Measles-Immunity) within 60-days of hire. Please reach out [email protected] you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations.

Salary

The starting salary range for assistant professor appointment, tenure-track is generally between $70,000-$75,000, with placement within the position’s salary range being based on qualifications and professional experience. The entire salary range for the assistant professor position is $70,000-$85,000, with the upper end of the salary range typically being achieved through collectively bargained salary adjustments.Relocation assistance (https://policy.wwu.edu/POL-U5410.08-Providing-Relocation-Compensation) may be available per University guidelines. Salary and start-up funds are to be determined upon being offered the position.

Benefits InformationBenefits Overview for Faculty Positions (https://hr.wwu.edu/files/2022-06/Benefits-Faculty.pdf)

Bargaining Unit

United Faculty of Western Washington

Application Instructions

A cover letter and curriculum vitae are required and should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications.

You will be asked to provide contact information of three references.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire. Employment-based visa sponsorship may be considered depending on the candidate's current immigration status; however, the University is unable to sponsor new H1B petitions or cover associated filing or processing fees at this time.

Required Supplemental Materials

Applications must include (1) a cover letter describing the ways in which the applicant's background addresses the required and preferred qualifications, (2) a statement of teaching philosophy and relevant experience, (3) a statement outlining proposed research plans, specifically addressing plans for undergraduate involvement, and including a brief overview outlining resources needed to develop and sustain the proposed research program at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI), (4) a statement that addresses how your cultural, experiential, and/or academic background has prepared you to support the success of students with backgrounds or identities that are underrepresented in STEM fields as well as your commitment to these issues, and (5) a full curriculum vitae including the names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of three professional references. Do not send letters of recommendation; they will be requested only for semi-finalists.

Inquiries may be addressed to the search committee chair,Dr. Ken Rines, [email protected].

Closing Date Notes

Review of applications will begin on February 1, 2026, and the position will remain open until filled.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class (https://policy.wwu.edu/POL-U1600.02-Prohibiting-Discrimination-Based-on-A-Protected-Class-Interim) andProhibiting Discrimination Based on Sex (https://policy.wwu.edu/POL-U1600.04-Prohibiting-Discrimination-Based-on-Sex-Interim) . Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225;360.650.3307(voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); [email protected]

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services (https://hr.wwu.edu/workplace-accommodation) ,360.650.3751or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life [email protected]. The report can be found at:Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (https://www.wwu.edu/clery) .

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires and rehires, which includes asexual misconduct background check (https://hr.wwu.edu/sexual-misconduct-background-checks) .

Job no: 502841

Advertised: Jan 13 2026 09:00 Pacific Standard Time

Applications close: