Department Head

Head Of The Department Of Physics

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.

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.

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…