Open-Rank Professor, Physics at UATX in Austin, TX

The University of Austin (UATX) educates citizens and leaders capable of assuring national prosperity and the success of constitutional liberty. We seek talented, energetic, and productive individuals to help us develop America’s newest university into an inspiring model of best practices in student formation. Ideal candidates will be passionate about teaching, eager to innovate, and committed to reforming higher education.

The Center for Sciences at UATX invites applications for positions in Physics, open to candidates at any academic rank.

Student Development

We teach small classes of talented and motivated students, accustomed to high expectations and rigorous standards. Annual teaching loads are typically 18 quarter hours, and include courses across all class levels. We teach in our area of specialty for upper division courses, but can and do teach more broadly across areas related to ours in the lower division.

External Impact through Research and Creative Work

UATX research respects a broader standard than many institutions and ranges from traditional journal and conference publications to outward facing work with startups and larger firms. Research is evaluated on intellectual significance and on practical, constructive impact on the human condition.

Building and Sustaining the Institution

UATX is both a university and a startup, so service is light on bureaucracy and long on innovation and initiative. Faculty are involved in designing and building a creative improvement to traditional higher education.

Physics Concentration

After completing core coursework in mechanics, electromagnetics, thermodynamics, and basic quantum mechanics and relativity, students choose further coursework in advanced areas, following either a theoretical or experimental/applied approach.

Candidates for faculty must have the following qualifications:

• PhD in physics or closely related field.
• Strong teaching ability.
• A record of physics research or advanced work in technology.
• Multidisciplinary viewpoint and breadth of interest within the hard sciences.
• Ability to mentor students in a variety of physics-related projects.

The Center for Sciences @ UATX

The Center for Sciences at the University of Austin teaches students to think and reason quantitatively and scientifically, and to creatively apply mathematics, economics, science, and technology to constructive purpose.

All UATX students in Sciences concentrations or tracks complete an intense core STEM curriculum, and have opportunities to focus in one or more of mathematics, quantitative economics, computer science, AI, physics or applied engineering.

All UATX students also complete a core curriculum, Intellectual Foundations, that includes courses on literature, philosophy, history, mathematics, science, and economics, and that prepares Sciences students for leadership in scientific and technological fields.

UATX is currently building out its new Applied Engineering Lab in Bastrop, Texas, where students engage in hands-on learning to design, build, and test complex electromechanical systems. The lab sits next door to The Boring Company's headquarters and across the street from SpaceX's Starlink factory. Bastrop is becoming one of the country's most important centers of advanced manufacturing. Located just 45 minutes from our downtown Austin campus, the lab immerses students directly at the center of this dynamic industrial corridor.

Appointment

Faculty will be appointed at the rank of Assistant, Associate, or full Professor, with an anticipated start date of Fall 2027. Part-time appointments will be considered; applicants interested in a part-time appointment should indicate this preference in their cover letter. Compensation is competitive, commensurate with rank and includes comprehensive benefits and a research stipend.

UATX operates on a quarter schedule, with an annual teaching load of 18 quarter hours, equivalent to a 12 semester hour teaching load or 2/2 teaching load in a semester system. This structure supports excellence in undergraduate teaching while allowing faculty to maintain substantive research agendas.

UATX is committed to building a permanent faculty. Although the University does not operate under a traditional tenure system, faculty positions are long-term academic appointments, supported by renewable five-year contracts. This model reflects UATX's commitment to institutional stability as well as high standards, building an enduring community of engaged teachers and active scholars.

Application Materials

Upload a CV and a cover letter via this website.

The cover letter should describe a candidate’s interest in the position, their relevant teaching and research experience, and their alignment with the distinctive mission of the University of Austin.

Review of applications will begin immediately. Applications submitted by January 4, 2027 will receive priority review. Applicants who are selected for further review may be asked to submit writing samples, a list of references, and/or a teaching portfolio.

University of Austin (UATX)

The University of Austin (UATX) is a non-partisan institution committed to the fearless pursuit of truth and the highest standards of scholarship and pedagogy. The university does not accept federal funding and does not charge its students tuition.

Standardized testing is required for admission. The average student score on standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT, and CLT is within the top 5% nationwide. Seminar-style teaching is common, and the typical section size is 12 to 20 students.

The curriculum at UATX emphasizes the distinctive value of Western civilization and the unique prosperity of American civilization alongside fields such as math, computer science, physics, applied engineering, business, and law.

More information can be found on the university website: https://uaustin.org/.