Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy (Data-Intensive Methods)

Position: Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy with Emphasis on Data-Intensive Methods Effective Date: August 17 2026 (Fall Semester)
Salary Range: The Assistant Professor (Academic Year) classification salary is $74652 to $158688/year $6221 to $13224/per month (12 monthly payments per academic year). The anticipated hiring range is $88008 to $95004/per year $7330 to $7920/per month. Salary offered is commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Application Deadline: Review of applications to begin December 2 2025. Position opened until filled (or recruitment canceled)

California State University Long Beach (CSULB) is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). CSULB earned the prestigious Seal of Excelencia in 2023 joining a distinctive group of colleges and universities who have been recognized for its commitment to Latine/x student success. CSULB is committed to serving diverse students and has established and actively supports the Black Excellence Collegium dedicated to promoting Black excellence and advancing Black Student Success and El Concilio for Latinx Success at the Beach whose mission is to build capacity and promote inclusive servingness across initiatives and efforts for the benefit of all students. The Presidents Equity and Change Commission is dedicated to achieving inclusive excellence in our community and culture and throughout the university. CSULBs Beach 2030 University Action Plans prioritize engaging all students; expanding access to higher education; promoting intellectual achievement; building community; and cultivating resilience.

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Department of Physics and Astronomy

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. or equivalent degree in Physics Astronomy or a closely related field
• At least one year of postdoctoral experience at the time of application
• Record of theoretical experimental physics or astronomy research focused on any subfield involving large data that may require the use of tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence or computationally intensive simulations
• Potential for attracting external funding to develop and sustain research involving undergraduate and masters students
• Potential to teach physics courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels
• Demonstrated commitment to working successfully with a diverse student population including low socioeconomic and first-generation students

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrates potential for excellence in teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels
• Evidence of ongoing research utilizing Big Data in physics and astronomy theory or experiment including but not limited to developing and applying machine learning and/or data-driven modelling to large-scale datasets or computationally intensive numerical simulations
• Demonstrates potential for developing and sustaining an independent externally funded research program involving undergraduate and masters students leading to peer-reviewed publications
• Experience successfully working with populations demographically and/or socioeconomically similar to the CSULB student body
• Experience mentoring or supporting students using inclusive and culturally relevant teaching strategies in a diverse classroom

Duties:

• Teach physics and/or astronomy courses at various levels of the departments curriculum

(Mode of instruction may include in-person hybrid online and/or any combination thereof.)

• Supervise and mentor undergraduate and masters students in research projects
• Develop and sustain a research program involving students leading to publications and external grant applications
• Participate in and provide service to the department college university profession and community

CSULB seeks to recruit faculty who enthusiastically support the Universitys strong commitment to the academic success of all of our students including students with disabilities students who are first generation to college veterans students with diverse socio-economic backgrounds and students of diverse sexual orientations and gender expressions. CSULB seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve the People of California to maintain the excellence of the University and to offer our students a rich variety of expertise perspectives and ways of knowing and learning.

About our Department and the Position

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at California State University Long Beach provides a high- quality curriculum with state-of-the-art research opportunities offering an exceptional education for our students. We value teaching and research as essential components of education; our graduate and undergraduate students engage in research mentored by faculty leading to diverse career outcomes such as joining Ph.D. programs industry and teaching.

Our 13 tenure-track faculty engage in research in Condensed Matter Physics Astrophysics Particle Physics Nuclear Theory Nanomaterials Biophysics and Astronomy providing stimulating research projects for our students resulting in publications with student co-authors. Our faculty are supported by a diverse range of external funding sources and many of our research students are supported by internal and external awards and fellowships.

The Physics and Astronomy Department at CSULB has one of the largest number of physics masters graduates among U.S. masters granting universities. We have a strong record of graduating women and underserved communities. Our department is one of only six Bridge Sites of the APS Bridge Program in the nation to create pathways to physics PhD programs for students from all backgrounds. Together with The Ohio State University and other CSULB departments Physics and Astronomy is a PREM center (Partnership for Research and Education in Physics) to broaden participation in STEM by providing research opportunities and career pathways through collaborations between CSULB and the materials research centers at OSU.

In serving the State of California the department is committed to developing a diverse faculty with a richness of personal and educational experience. We welcome all applicants who are highly motivated to engage in research supervision of a diverse student body and to work vigorously in the classroom to provide an exceptional education to our community of student scholars. We seek faculty who are committed to the academic success of all our students particularly those from groups that are historically marginalized in Physics. Department faculty have provided and continue to provide substantial leadership in various programs serving all student population. We seek candidates who will join us in contributing their expertise and perspective to providing excellent educational and research opportunities for the next generation workforce of scientists technicians entrepreneurs teachers and Ph.D. candidates.

How to Apply Required Documentation:

• A Student Success Statement about your teaching or other experiences successes and challenges in working with a diverse student population (maximum two pages single-spaced). For further information and guidelines please visit: Student Success Statement
• Letter of application addressing the required and preferred qualifications
• CV
• Names and contact information for three references (to be contacted for confidential letters of recommendation should you reach the semi-finalist stage)
• Statement of research interest and plans to secure external funding and engage undergraduate and masters-level graduate students in research
• Statement of teaching philosophy. This statement which is different from the Student Success Statement should articulate your approach to creating an engaging and effective learning experience for students at the undergraduate and graduate level.
• Finalists should be prepared to submit an official transcript (e-transcript preferred if available)

How to Apply: Click Apply Now icon to complete the CSULB online application Requests for information and process should be addressed to:

Professor Prashanth Jaikumar Chair
California State University Long Beach
Department of Physics & Astronomy
1250 Bellflower Boulevard
Long Beach CA 90840-9505

Requests for information about the position should be addressed to:

Professor Prashanth Jaikumar Chair

EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS:

A background check (including a criminal records check and telephone reference check with most recent employer) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

The person holding this position is considered a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 Revised July 21 2017 as a condition of employment.

Pursuant to the CSU Out of State Employment Policy hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside of California is prohibited effective January 1 2022. By prohibiting employment outside of California the CSU also prohibits hiring and retaining employees working permanently from a business location outside of the United States. Exceptions to the Policy are limited to approved and documented purposes for conducting CSU business outside of California.