Research Assistant In Astrophysics Jobs in California

Description
TENURE-TRACK POSITION IN ASTROPHYSICS
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL SCIENCES
PITZER AND SCRIPPS COLLEGES
The Department of Natural Sciences of Pitzer College and Scripps College, both members of the seven-college Claremont Colleges Consortium, invites applications for a tenure-track appointment in astrophysics at the Assistant Professor level, beginning July 1, 2027. Theorists, computationalists, observationalists, and experimentalists will all be considered. Candidates should be able to provide our students with research opportunities, which could involve a blend of both in-house efforts and external collaborations. The successful candidate will be expected to teach a broad range of introductory and upper-division physics courses, and to potentially develop new astrophysics courses.
Our unique integrative science department features scientists from biology, chemistry, environmental science, neuroscience, and physics. The Physics discipline also oversees an active 3-2 pre-engineering program. We are a vibrant, highly collegial community of teacher-scholars who value an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and research. We seek candidates who are committed to working with students from diverse backgrounds, share our enthusiasm for both scientific research and innovative undergraduate teaching, and desire a liberal-arts-college career that balances the two. The Department actively supports faculty success through mentorship, opportunities for professional development, direct access to individual faculty funds to support their research and teaching, regular sabbaticals plus a one-semester junior research leave in the 4th year, and a two-course per semester teaching load (with one additional course every other year). Additionally, brand new labs and teaching spaces have recently opened in our new building, the Nucleus. (To learn more about the Nucleus, please see https://www.pitzer.edu/the-nucleus-a-pitzer-scripps-colleges-partnership/). We also have access to Bernard Field Station Observatory and can partner with neighboring Claremont Colleges to provide additional observatory resources to the successful applicant.
As a new professor, the successful candidate would join a department of over 40 scientists, including six physics colleagues. Faculty of the Department of Natural Sciences are part of the rich intellectual environment of the Claremont Colleges Consortium (with 150+ scientists). We also benefit from close proximity to major research universities in the Southern California region (e.g., Caltech, UCLA, USC), enabling collaboration both within and outside the department. The charming town of Claremont, CA, is a welcoming community in vibrant Los Angeles County. It is within convenient driving distance of the mountains, the desert, and the ocean and offers a high quality of life, including a highly regarded K-12 public school district.
Candidates must have a Ph.D. in a relevant field, a strong record of scholarly publications, the capacity to engage students in research, some prior teaching experience such as grad-school TAing, and the ability to teach a broad spectrum of undergraduate physics courses. Postdoctoral or equivalent professional research experience is strongly preferred. Applications should be uploaded to Interfolio and require:
(1) a cover letter (up to 2 pages) highlighting your specific interest in this position, your experience, accomplishments, and any preliminary ideas for developing future astrophysics offerings toward a potential astrophysics minor
(2) a curriculum vitae
(3) a research statement (up to 3 pages) highlighting your main research accomplishments and experiences, which includes a viable multi-year plan to establish a productive research program that will engage undergraduates
(4) a teaching statement (1-2 pages) summarizing your teaching experiences, interests, approaches, and your plans to pursue excellence in teaching. Your teaching statement should specify which courses in our existing curriculum you are most enthusiastic about/capable of teaching and also share your thoughts on potentially teaching Phys114 (Quantum Mechanics), Phys100 (Computational Physics), and Astro66 (Astronomy for Non-Science Majors). If available, include summary statistics of student course evaluations. Feel free to describe any other courses you are interested in teaching or developing.
(5) an inclusivity statement (1-2 pages) describing your experience and/or approach to cultivating a welcoming and highly supportive educational environment that fosters the success of students from all backgrounds (via your teaching, research, and mentoring)
(6) names and e-mail addresses of three or four references, at least two of whom can address research and at least one of whom can address teaching
Your listed references will be automatically contacted and asked to upload their letters, but the candidate should also directly reach out to their references to ensure that they have submitted their letters. Inquiries regarding the position may be emailed to Professor Sarah Marzen at smarzen@natsci.claremont.edu. Review of applications will begin October 1, 2026, and the position will remain open until filled. Additional information about the department (which was formerly known as the W.M. Keck Science Dept.) may be found at https://natsci.claremont.edu.
The salary for this position will range from $105,000 - $111,000 and will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training. Current faculty benefits include a generous tuition-remission program for children of faculty, which can potentially cover up to half their tuition at most colleges in the U.S., and a 12% employer contribution to a 403b retirement plan.
The Department of Natural Sciences of Pitzer and Scripps Colleges is an equal-opportunity employer. In keeping with its ongoing commitment to build and support a diverse and equitable academic community, the Department of Natural Sciences actively encourages applications from women and members of historically underrepresented groups