Assistant Professor of Physics

University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD — USA

University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD USA Posted Nov 25, 2025 Due Nov 21, 2026

Physics

Position: Assistant Professor – Physics (Germanium Science & Technology)
Type: Full-Time, Tenure-Track
Location: Vermillion, South Dakota
Department: Physics, University of South Dakota (USD)
Start Date: Fall 2026
Salary: Not specified
Application First Review Date: 12/01/2025
Final date to receive applications: Open until filled

Part of the NSF EPSCoR Ge-STAR Project (Germanium Science and Technology for Advanced Research).

Focus on Ge-based science and technology
, with research in:

High-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors for rare-event physics (dark matter, neutrino properties)

Medical imaging using Ge-based sensors

AI/ML applications in materials science, detector development, and data analysis

Responsibilities:

• Develop an externally funded research program aligned with Ge-STAR goals
• Teach graduate and undergraduate courses in Physics and AI/ML in Data Sciences
• Contribute to interdisciplinary collaborations within USD and the Ge-STAR project

World’s only public high-purity germanium crystal growth facility

Collaborations with international rare-event physics experiments: LEGEND, SuperCDMS, COHERENT

Infrastructure and expertise for AI/ML research in materials informatics and detector optimization

PhD in Physics, Computational Physics, Medical Physics, Materials Science, or a closely related field by the time of appointment

Potential for high-quality research and effective teaching

Research experience with:

• Low-background experiments
• Medical imaging systems or related areas

Statement of research interests and future plans (max 3 pages)

Teaching philosophy statement (max 2 pages)

Contact information for at least three references

USD is committed to a dynamic, inclusive, and welcoming environment.

Provides equal employment opportunities regardless of protected status.