Assistant Professor of Physics and Statistical & Data Sciences

The Department of Physics and the Program in Statistical and Data Sciences at Smith College invite applications for a joint tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor, to begin July 1, 2025. Details about the Department of Physics and the Program in Statistical and Data Sciences may be found at https://www.smith.edu/academics/physics and https://www.smith.edu/academics/statistics.

A Ph.D. in Physics or a closely related field is expected by the time of appointment; additional degrees in statistics, computer science, or data science are welcome but not required. The successful candidate is expected to establish a professional identity in both fields as an important part of their research and teaching activities at Smith. Applicants should be passionate about inclusive teaching and be able to offer substantive research opportunities for undergraduates studying in both fields.

Research: the candidate's research should make extensive use of advanced data science tools and methods to achieve fundamental insights and understanding within physics. Examples include but are not limited to the design, construction, and use of machine learning tools for theoretical calculations and analysis of experimental data; the use of cloud computing clusters and/or supercomputers for the collection, management, and statistical analysis of big data sets in physics; the application of statistical and data science methods to the manipulation and control of qubit systems for quantum computing; or use of Bayesian methods to analyze data sets in physics.

In support of these research responsibilities, the successful candidate will have priority access to a departmentally owned high performance computing cluster and a substantial departmental endowment for the purchase of new equipment for research in physics with undergraduates, in addition to dedicated research lab space and a well-equipped and staffed center for design and fabrication. General research and conference travel funds, new faculty mentoring programs for teaching and research, and research grants for students are also available.

Teaching: responsibilities for this position include 2 courses/year in Physics and an additional two courses/year in Statistical and Data Sciences (SDS). The successful candidate will be able to teach courses spanning the full range of the standard undergraduate physics curriculum and contribute to the update of that curriculum to better incorporate data science tools and general computational methods into the study of physics.

The candidate would also be expected to be able to teach a range of courses in the SDS curriculum, including existing introductory and intermediate courses in data science and/or statistics. The incoming candidate should have proficiency in Python and/or R (with experience in both preferred).

In the long-term, the candidate will be expected to develop a dual-prefix research seminar that can serve both majors.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Diversity and a culture of equity and inclusion among students, staff, faculty, and administration are crucial to the mission and values of Smith College. We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or veteran status in the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff, and the operation of any of its programs and activities, as specified by all applicable laws and regulations. Women, historically underrepresented minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College is the largest women's college in the country and is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts. A faculty of outstanding scholars interact with students in small classes, as advisors, and through student-faculty research projects. Smith College offers opportunities to foster faculty success at every career stage, such as those listed here: https://www.smith.edu/about-smith/provost/faculty-development. The College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students cross-enroll and faculty cross-teach across the Five Colleges.

Submit application at http://apply.interfolio.com/151219 with a cover letter, curriculum vitae, teaching statement, research statement, diversity/inclusion statement, and three confidential letters of recommendation. In the research statement, please include a clear explanation of how undergraduate students would be able to substantively participate in your research. The diversity/inclusion statement is an opportunity to discuss teaching and research experiences that you have had and/or proved relevant to the building of a more inclusive and fully representative community of scientists in physics and/or statistics and data science. Applications are due on or before 10/4/24. Review of applications will begin on October 4, 2024.