Description

Detailed Job Description

The School of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology invites applications for a Tenure Track (TT) position in the area of physics, with a specialization in the development and implementation of techniques of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) across one or more areas of physics, to begin in the fall of 2026. This TT position is supported in part by one of the world's leading funders of fundamental scientific research: the Simons Foundation as part of the Simons Empire Faculty Fellows Program to stimulate faculty hiring across New York State. This position is designed to support the development of strong, independent research programs while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration that advances the Simons Foundation's mission to push the boundaries of mathematics and the basic sciences.

The candidate for the position in Physics and Astronomy will work at the intersection of physics, astrophysics, biotechnology, materials science, computational and experimental modeling, and artificial intelligence (AI) and will focus on pushing the boundaries of AI for real-world applications in predictive modelling and data analysis techniques. AI/ML has emerged as a key player in the design and discovery of functional materials (for applications in batteries, fuel cells, supercapacitors), biotechnology and protein engineering, and enabling the efficient processing of vast astronomical datasets. Successful candidates will be expected to augment and expand the School's current strengths in areas of observational, experimental, and theoretical astrophysics, materials science, biophysics, nanotechnology, and quantum information science.

The candidate will focus on applying and developing physics-informed and physics-embedded AI/ML methods to, for example, design new materials and technologies through data-driven modeling and simulation, pattern recognition, brain-inspired or spiking neural network approaches, predicting material properties, optimizing processing parameters for next-generation energy technologies, analysis of "big data" generated from astronomical observations, as well as pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence research. The successful candidate will have an opportunity to interact with RIT faculty across campus that are active in AI, including participation in the RIT Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub, a newly formed strategic entity responsible for developing AI solutions for teaching and learning and promoting AI-enabled innovations and services.

Applicants are expected to have the demonstrated ability, or strong potential, to establish and maintain a vigorous, externally funded research program that incorporates undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers. They must demonstrate a commitment to excellence in teaching at all levels of the physics curriculum. They must also demonstrate the potential to mentor physics research students at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

We are seeking an individual who has the ability and interest in contributing to a community committed to student-centeredness; professional development and scholarship; integrity and ethics; innovation and flexibility; and teamwork and collaboration. Select to view links to RIT's core values and honor code.

To attract and retain an excellent and innovative faculty, RIT offers several programs and professional development opportunities to help faculty succeed from our onboarding and orientation on through to the tenure and promotion process. https://www.rit.edu/aes/ofr

Applicants must have a Ph.D. in physics, astronomy, or other closely related fields, such as electrical engineering. Postdoctoral experience is preferred. Candidates must have strong communication skills and demonstrate an overall commitment to the educational, research, and teaching mission of the School of Physics and Astronomy.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Physics, or a related field (e.g. astronomy/astrophysics, electrical engineering, computer science) at the time of appointment
• Ability to effectively mentor and collaborate with scholars from a variety of disciplines
• A commitment to the educational and teaching mission of the School of Physics and Astronomy
• Ability to establish and maintain a vigorous, extramurally funded, research program in artificial intelligence and machine learning applied to the physical sciences
• Evidence of peer-reviewed publications in disciplinary journals

Department/College Description

The School of Physics and Astronomy consists of 37 full-time faculty, 10 postdocs, 190 undergraduate physics majors, and 70 graduate students. The School offers BS, MS, and PhD programs in Physics and a MS/PhD program in Astrophysical Sciences and Technology. Faculty in the school currently also contribute to graduate programs in Materials Science & Engineering, Microsystems Engineering, Sustainability, Imaging Science, Mathematical Modeling, and Applied & Computational Mathematics. The College of Science leads six of RIT's nine major research centers, namely, the Center for Advancing Scholarship to Transform Learning, the Center for Computational Relativity & Gravitation, the NanoPower Research Laboratory, the Laboratory for Multiwavelength Astrophysics, the Center for Detectors, and the Digital Imaging & Remote Sensing Laboratory. Currently, RIT has identified five Signature Research Areas, and the College of Science leads three of them, i.e., the Future Photon Initiative, Frontiers in Gravitational Wave Astrophysics, and Unmanned Aerial Systems. College of Science faculty also collaborate with the Center for Human-aware AI and the Computational Linguistics and Speech Processing Lab.

Additional information about the RIT School of Physics and Astronomy can be found at https://www.rit.edu/science/school-physics-and-astronomy.

The RIT College of Science offers 12 undergraduate programs and 18 graduate programs. Our students benefit from the intersection of science and technology at RIT, including access and training with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and facilities starting in their first year at RIT. As one of the top externally grant-funded colleges on campus, the College of Science houses six of RIT's major research centers that give students unrivaled opportunities to engage in real-world research with supportive faculty mentors.

At the RIT College of Science, we are committed to fostering a community where fairness, opportunity, and accessibility are at the core of everything we do. We seek to build a network of researchers that will support ongoing work in COS to forge a path forward as we grow our strategic research areas and who will contribute to a climate of respect and collaboration within our college community. We believe that a true sense of belonging emerges when everyone is empowered to contribute, grow, and thrive in a supportive environment.

The College of Science strives to attract and retain high-quality faculty, students, and staff from a variety of backgrounds and to ensure a welcoming campus culture and a global mindset. Furthermore, we aim to advance research and scholarship and capitalize on our partnerships and strengths to increase the impact of COS. We plan to hire faculty who can contribute to some or all these strategic priorities.

How To Apply

Apply online at http://careers.rit.edu/faculty; search openings, then Keyword Search 9923BR. Please submit your application, curriculum vitae, cover letter addressing the listed qualifications and upload the following attachments:

• A Research Statement that includes information about your goals and plans, the potential for future grants, and information about one-on-one supervision of student research (not to exceed 3MB and 4 pages)
• A Teaching Statement that outlines pedagogical approach, describes prior teaching experiences, and includes preferred courses to teach or develop. Address how you would contribute to our college's goals to provide accessible learning environments, cultivate engagement, and promote the success of all learners.
• The names, addresses and phone numbers for three references

You can contact the search committee with questions on the position at: ttaphyssrch@rit.edu

Review of applications will begin December 5, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled.

Additional Details

In compliance with NYS's Pay Transparency Act, the salary range for this position is listed above. Rochester Institute of Technology considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The hiring process for this position may require a criminal background check and/or motor vehicle records check. Any verbal or written offer made is contingent on satisfactory results, as determined by Human Resources. RIT provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, marital status, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status or disability in its hiring, admissions, educational programs and activities. RIT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Human Rights Law, or similar applicable law. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the Human Resources office at 585-475-2424 or email your request to hr@rit.edu. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.