The Department of Physics in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences invites applications for a full-time, benefits-eligible Instructional Professional beginning in January 2025. The Physics Instructional Resource Team (PIRT) is operating one of the key aspects of the department's academic programs, with particular focus on physics demonstrations and teaching online lab courses. Department of Physics Academic Professionals are part of the Physics Instructional Resource Team (PIRT), a unit that operates and manages the undergraduate physics labs and demos at the ASU Tempe campus.

PIRT is responsible for providing physics demonstrations for lectures, managing laboratory equipment, providing materials to the students for mechanics and electromagnetism lab courses (in-person and online); training and managing TAs for those courses, and contributing to the department's outreach efforts by engaging with students, faculty, and the public.

The ideal candidate enjoys hands-on experimentation and experimental design, thrives in a collaborative team environment, and is passionate about teaching physics concepts through active learning and public engagement. This role requires the ability to manage complex logistical tasks, mentor student workers, and ensure smooth lecture operations while managing an online lab course.

The approximate distribution of effort is Teaching (35 %), Instructional Support (45%), and Service (20%).

About The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of Arizona State University, committed to improving communities on a local, national and global scale. We support the professional development and growth of our faculty and staff in their cutting-edge research to advance these aims. Within The College, our faculty engage with a large curious student body, guiding them as they grow into socially aware, critical thinkers and writers able to succeed in a wide range of careers and to address the challenges of the twenty-first century. Advancing the success of our students remains our top priority. To learn more about The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, please visit https://thecollege.asu.edu.

About the Department of Physics

The Department of Physics is ranked in the top 20 physics schools in the West. The Doctoral program is ranked 50th in the nation. A world leader in microscopy and diffraction methods. Our commitment is first and foremost to developing the highest quality programs and research opportunities for students engaged in the study of physics. Physics faculty at ASU are among the finest researchers, teachers, and mentors in the field today. We are a leader in physics research of solid-state phenomena at nanometer scales. State-of-the-art instrumentation includes electron microscopes, scanning probe microscopes, ion beam probes, solid-state lasers, and a low-energy electron microscope. We conduct experimental research at the smallest scales and have access to world-class accelerators across the globe.

About Arizona State University

Arizona State University ASU exemplifies a new prototype for the American public research university. As articulated in the ASU Charter, ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves.

Essential Duties

● Providing service to Department of Physics faculty by planning and preparing lecture demonstrations for physics courses

● Training Student Workers and Course Instructors during demo setups and presentations

● Leading Department of Physics outreach efforts

● Demo equipment maintenance, repair and purchase

● Maintaining a safe and clean working environment according to ASU and State of Arizona policies

● Teaching an online lab course

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

● Familiarity and being able to explain the undergraduate physics concepts including classical mechanics and electricity and magnetism

● Simple electronics diagnostic and repair skills

● Comfortable presenting demonstrations to the public

● Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite or similar products

● Strong written and verbal communication in English

● Organization and communication skills

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in physics or a related field by time of appointment or a Bachelor’s degree in physics or a related field with a minimum of 3 years experience teaching physics

• Effective teaching ability as evidenced by peer and/or student reviews

• Commitment to supporting innovative teaching in various modalities, including online

• Experience in setting up physics demonstrations to provide continuous instructional support to the physics lecture courses

Desired Qualifications:

• PhD in physics or related field by time of appointment

• Prior teaching experience in general physics lecture, laboratory or recitation courses

• Experience in multimedia presentation skills and aptitude for emerging technologies in content delivery

• Supervisory/peer mentoring experience

• Evidence of excellence in teaching

• Experience in teaching in a variety of modalities (e.g. classroom and online)

• Experience in providing physics demonstrations to the lecture courses taught

• Demonstrated commitment to working with faculty, staff, students and communities to advance the principles of the ASU Charter

Working Environment

● Work activities are primarily performed in a climate-controlled office setting, university laboratory room, or classroom, subject to extended periods of sitting or standing

● May require working with documents and/or software for extended periods of time

● May require standing for extended periods of time (up to 2 hours), walking moderate distances to perform work, frequent bending, reaching, or lifting

● May require bending, stooping, reaching and lifting up to 50 pounds

● May require the ability to quickly change priorities which may include and/or be subject to resolution of technical problems in the lab/lecture room

Application Instructions:

The application deadline is January 8, 2025. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled. Candidates will be asked to create or use an existing Interfolio Dossier to submit the following application materials: 1) a cover letter that also includes a summary of practical experience with physics demonstrations; 2) a current curriculum vitae; 3) Names and contact information of three references; 4) A teaching statement; 5) Evidence of teaching excellence in online and/or in-person settings (e.g. if available, students' evaluations, recognition, etc.)