Position Overview
The Department of Physics at the University of the South invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professorship starting on July 1, 2027. Applicants with significant experience might be offered an Associate Professorship.
We are committed to ensuring the success of the distinctive and talented students in our classrooms and laboratories. With 1,750 undergraduate students, we value small interactive classes and close student-faculty mentoring and research. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds whose teaching, research, or service contributes to the culture of learning and community in our department and College.
Position Appointment Details
- Faculty
- Tenure-Track
Position Description
We seek highly qualified candidates capable of teaching in all areas of modern physics. Primary teaching responsibilities can include foundational physics and upper-level courses in the major, both lecture and laboratory. The position carries a teaching load of 5 courses per year, with both lecture and lab sections counting toward that total.
We offer a comprehensive physics curriculum as well as a robust pre-engineering program. The department deeply values undergraduate research and collaboration opportunities. We also gladly welcome new community members seeking collaborative research endeavors with faculty and students from across the campus or beyond.
Additionally, we maintain active research supported by modern instrumentation used by faculty and students.
Professional development opportunities include start-up funds, funds for professional travel, and eligibility for internal grant funding, access to a broad range of programming in our Center for Teaching, a sponsored research office, and robust programming for first-year faculty, including orientation, community-building, and mentoring.
Attributes of a Successful Candidate
A doctoral degree in physics is required. Candidates who are near the completion of a Ph.D. may be considered.
The successful candidate will be able to teach introductory-level physics courses and upper-level courses in their area of expertise. Prior experience teaching courses in an undergraduate physics curriculum is preferred.
Candidates should have a research plan in experimental-based physics that can meaningfully include undergraduate students.
Supplemental Information
The review of applications will begin on October 1, 2026, and continue until the position is filled or closed.
Applications must be submitted through the University of the South Careers Page.
We invite interested candidates to submit the following items:
- Cover letter that describes why this particular position is of interest. This letter should also include contact information for a minimum of three individuals who may be asked by the search committee to provide letters of recommendation.
- Teaching statement (2 pages) that describes your approach to teaching or techniques you would like to pursue or have tried previously, and how these approaches would engage broad groups of students.
- Research statement (2–3 pages) describing your research interests, how undergraduates can participate in this work, and what infrastructure might be needed.
- CV clearly describing your prior work and expertise in Physics.
Contact Information
For more information or questions about the position, please contact Dr. Robert E. Bachman, F.B. Williams Professor of Chemistry, Department of Physics Chair. Email: rbachman@sewanee.edu.
The University of the South, familiarly known as “Sewanee,” is home to a nationally recognized College of Arts and Sciences and a School of Theology. Sewanee is distinguished by its dedication to cultivate academic excellence, community values, and environmental stewardship that produces informed, self-aware, and participatory citizens for our democracy and servant-leaders for the world. Nestled on 13,000 acres atop Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau, the University offers both a uniquely beautiful setting and convenient access to nearby cities—Chattanooga, Nashville, and Huntsville. The University is affiliated with the Episcopal Church and seeks to be a place where individuals from a variety of backgrounds and experiences find support, opportunity, and purpose.
Support in the Hiring Process
If you have questions about a position or need assistance filing an application, or if you are a person with a disability and would like to request an accommodation in the application and interview process, please contact Human Resources at 931.598.1381 or hr@sewanee.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of the South is an equal-opportunity institution, dedicated to treating all applicants fairly and fostering a welcoming environment for employees and students alike.
