Department Head

Overview

Utah State University invites nominations and applications for the Head of the Department of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences. We are seeking a colleague who will provide strong leadership for strategic growth in areas including the department’s research program, graduate and undergraduate student enrollments and outcomes, such as career readiness, timely completion, and retention, and internal and external partnerships. The successful applicant will be expected to offer a clear vision for building on the department’s distinctive strengths and enhancing its national visibility. Utah State University (USU) is Utah’s student-centered, land-grant research university with a statewide mission.

 

This position starts as soon as July 1, 2027, although a later start date is negotiable. Review of applications will begin December 7, 2026. Applicants should submit a cover letter, a statement describing their qualifications in relation to the responsibilities and qualifications listed in this advertisement and vision for the department, a current curriculum vitae, and names of at least five references.

 

Inquiries and nominations should be sent via email to Dr. Ravi Gupta, search committee chair.

Responsibilities

Leadership of the department’s research program, teaching, and service activities.

• The Department Head will foster a positive, collegial climate, and participatory decision-making process within the department that promotes excellence in the department’s programs. The Department Head is expected to understand faculty roles in research, teaching, and service, and have the ability to articulate and promote excellence in these areas.
• Key roles include oversight and championing growth of the externally-funded research program synergistic with departmental strengths and federal, state, and university priorities; strong graduate and undergraduate academic programs; strategic hiring, retention, and mentoring of faculty and staff; promoting durable skills and career-readiness among students; building relationships with alumni, industry, and other partners.

Administrative management of the department’s organizational performance.

• The Department Head is responsible for fiscal planning and oversight of the department’s budgets and resources, and for management of processes and procedures relating to human resources including recruitment, career development, performance evaluations, and retention of faculty and staff.

Engagement with internal and external stakeholders.

• The Department Head is expected to establish effective liaisons with other departments, college and university administration, alumni, industry partners, and other stakeholders with the goals of increasing public and professional recognition for the department, and to attract resources and personnel that strengthen the department’s mission and goals.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Earned PhD in Physics or a related discipline that synergistically strengthens or extends the department's research portfolio.
• Experience equivalent to the academic rank of associate professor or higher
• Evidence of excellent leadership and interpersonal skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated success in growing and maintaining a research program with a strong history of external funding, mentorship, and productivity synergistic with existing department strengths and aligned with university, state, and federal priorities. This includes experience in helping faculty compete for programmatic and multi-investigator awards that support the graduate academic program.
• Leadership and experience in growing and strengthening the graduate academic program, including recruitment, retention, timely completion, external student support, and student success in alignment with department and college strategic visions.
• Ability to articulate, advocate, and effectively represent the needs, vision, and goals of the department to a variety of audiences including college and university administration.
• Experience developing and advocating for strategic faculty recruitment, which includes advocating for necessary resources to facilitate faculty success, mentoring of pre-tenure faculty, and retaining faculty in a competitive market.
• Capacity to provide leadership to support and promote excellence in teaching, research, and service.
• Demonstrated experience in teaching and pedagogy, mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students, and promoting career-readiness which includes tracking student success after graduation and building alumni networks.
• Proficiency in program administration and evaluation, curriculum improvement, fiscal management, and interdisciplinary collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
• Commitment to the land-grant mission and statewide reach of Utah State University
• Sincere appreciation for the accomplishments of others and demonstrated commitment to working with students, faculty, and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and strengthen collaborative research partnerships with government laboratories, including USU’s Space Dynamics Laboratory (a UARC), federally funded research and development centers, and other external partners.

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

CV to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”

Cover Letter to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”

• Be sure to describe the your qualifications in relation to the responsibilities, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications listed in this job ad 

Names of at least five references to be typed at the beginning of the application

Additional materials may be requested if candidacy advances to the next level.

 

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent benefits

ADA

Employees typically work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.  

College/Department Highlights

The Physics Department has a diverse research portfolio in experimental, observational, computational, and theoretical physics that is supported by 18 faculty members, 70 undergraduate majors, and 20 graduate students.  Current experimental activities include nanoscale structures relevant to electronics and photonics devices, ultrafast spectroscopy for photonics and nanoscale energy transport, physics of materials, and remote sensing of the near-space upper atmosphere.  Current theoretical and computational research activities include upper-atmospheric dynamics, gravitation, string theory and artificial intelligence models. Our moderate size fosters a collegial environment among faculty and supportive research experiences for students.

 

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s only land-grant institution, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, inclusion, and outreach supported by 1200 full-time faculty members, 26,629 undergraduate students, and 3200 graduate students. USU is a Carnegie R1 research institution and the recipient of the 2020 Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments by the Council on Undergraduate Research.

 

USU's main campus is in Logan, Utah, about 90 miles north of Salt Lake City.  Logan is a college town of 56,000 inhabitants located in Cache Valley, a picturesque mountain valley that is home to rich outdoor and cultural activities.  The Logan metropolitan area claimed the top spot in the Milken Institute’s 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation based on job growth, wage growth, high-tech industry diversity, broadband access, and housing affordability.

 

U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah first for its strong economy, fiscal stability, education, and health care.  Outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout the state, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts.

 

University Highlights

As Utah’s student-centered, land-grant research university, Utah State University expands opportunity and strengthens communities across the state through learning, discovery, extension, and engagement. Founded in 1888, USU now holds two Carnegie distinctions: R1 status for very high research activity and the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. Its innovative research and scholarship is grounded in reciprocal partnerships with local, regional, and global communities, advancing knowledge and serving the public good across Utah, the nation, and the world. With over 50 world-class research facilities and the nation’s second-oldest undergraduate research program, USU prepares students to become active, civically engaged leaders who can address critical societal challenges.

 

USU enrolls over 29,800 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah State’s 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU educates students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. For over 100 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns, serving every county in the state.

 

Competing at the NCAA Division I level in 16 sports, USU is a proud member of the Pac-12 Conference, which it joined July 1, 2026. The Aggies capped a historic final season in the Mountain West by capturing nine combined regular-season and tournament titles in 2025-26, with five teams advancing to postseason play. This tradition of excellence extends to the classroom, where 232 student-athletes earned academic honors, and to the community, where USU ranked second nationally in Division I service hours, with nine teams placing in the top 10 for community service.

 

Utah State is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported and where diversity of thought and culture are cultivated. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when it named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU.

 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and a reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at 435-797-0122 or [email protected].

 

*updated 10/26

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

 

Utah State University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination including harassment in employment including in hiring, promotion, transfer, or termination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy or any other federal, state, or local law.

 

Utah State University does not discriminate in its housing offerings and will treat all persons fairly and equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, familial status, disability, national origin, source of income, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Additionally, the University endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations when necessary and to ensure equal access to qualified persons with disabilities.

 

In all circumstances, Utah State University follows state and federal laws related to sex-segregated spaces.

 

The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

 

Civil Rights & Title IX Office

Old Main Room 405

1475 Old Main Hill, Logan UT 84322

[email protected]

(435) 797-1266

 

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit crtix.usu.edu or contact:

 

U.S. Department of Education

Denver Regional Office

303-844-5695| [email protected]

 

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

800-421-3481 |  [email protected]

 

*updated 08/2026