Job Description

Job Description Summary, Duties and Responsibilities, Required Qualifications and Preferred Qualifications
Search will be open until filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by October 15, 2026. Applications received after October 15, 2026 may be reviewed depending on search progress and needs but are not guaranteed full consideration.
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The University of Rhode Island is the State’s flagship land/sea/space grant research university with an enrollment of approximately 18,000 students. The Physics Department has 22 full-time faculty/staff members and offers BS, MS and PhD degrees. URI is in Kingston, RI — a beautiful seaside community that is well connected by car and rail located about an hour away from Boston and 3 hours from New York City.
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The Physics Department at the University of Rhode Island (URI) invites applications for two full-time tenure-track positions at an Assistant Professor level beginning in the fall of 2027, specifically for theorists or computational physicists working in the field of Quantum Information Science (QIS). The Department has established multiple new QIS-related degree programs and research groups that include over $8.5M in external funding.


Considerations will be given to applicants who can show expertise and creative ideas for their role as researcher, mentor, and teacher in the QIS program. Applicants working or interested in quantum algorithms, quantum optics, quantum resource theory, and semi-conductor/superconducting quantum computing are encouraged to apply. Points of contact with ongoing research programs in ultrafast spectroscopy, nonlinear optics, astrophysics/gravitation, biological physics, statistical physics, surface and thin film physics are a plus. The Physics Department, College of Arts and Sciences and URI are committed to building and supporting a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community of students and scholars.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate physics courses, advise undergraduate and graduate students toward BS, MS, and PhD degrees, conduct independent and collaborative research, with an expectation of external funding, and be active in service at the levels of Department, College, and University. The successful candidate will also seek collaborations with other researchers at URI including those in Computer Science, Mathematics, Graduate School of Oceanography, Engineering and the Institute for AI and Computational Research.


QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED:
PhD in Physics or a very closely related field.

Postdoctoral experience.

Record of scholarly achievement (publications, presentations, awards).

Demonstrated ability to be an effective teacher of undergraduate and/or graduate physics courses.

Demonstrated potential for developing and sustaining an independent, externally funded, research program involving undergraduate and graduate students leading to peer-reviewed publications.

Demonstrated proficiency in written and oral communication skills.

Demonstrated ability to work with diverse groups/populations.

PREFERRED:

1. Experience in quantum algorithms and quantum information theory.

2. A broader interest in the interdisciplinary field of quantum information science.

3. Demonstrated interest and commitment to increasing the participation of underrepresented students in science through teaching and mentoring.