Working Title: Academic Unit Head, Physics & Astronomy 

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status: Full-Time

College/Division: College of Science and Mathematics

Department: 100032 - Physics Department

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? N/A

Beginning Review Date: 11/01/2024

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

James Madison University (JMU) invites applications for the position of Academic Unit Head (AUH) of the Department of Physics & Astronomy, to begin July 1, 2025.

Application review will begin November 1, 2024, and the position is open until filled.

The Department of Physics & Astronomy at JMU resides within the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM). We offer bachelor’s degrees in physics for approximately 90 majors in our multi-track baccalaureate-only program, as well as minors in physics and astronomy. In addition, we support the interdisciplinary minors in materials science, robotics, and data analytics, and the recruitment of and curriculum for training future physics teachers. Courses in our department enroll 3300 undergraduate students per academic year with 85% of credit hours taught in service to other STEM-H disciplines and JMU’s general education program.

Our 22 full-time and 10 part time/adjunct faculty members engage in teaching and research in the areas of Astronomy/Astrophysics, Materials Science, Nuclear/Particle Physics, Computational Physics, Theory, and Soft Condensed Matter. Our faculty are supported by 2 full-time Administrative & Professional faculty and 1 classified staff member. We have additional support in grant administration, scientific computing, and media design available within the CSM. Major facilities in our department include: the 72 seat John C. Wells Planetarium with its hybrid digital and optical projection systems; the Madison Accelerator Lab, which is a user-research facility and a laboratory member of the Association for Research at University Nuclear Accelerators; a class 10000 cleanroom and research grade materials characterization instrumentation shared with the Center for Materials Science. Use privileges on High Performance Computing infrastructure are available to all departmental and college faculty and their students. Please see Additional Information below for more on the department.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The AUH is responsible for the administration and overall effectiveness of the academic unit, including its academic programs, scholarship, faculty, classified personnel, budget, and resources. The AUH will lead the department within a student-centered research university that continues its long-standing emphasis on excellence in undergraduate teaching. The strategic goals of the department are aligned with JMU being a place for quality undergraduate education in parallel with its recent transition to R2 status.

We seek an AUH with a strong understanding of the national trends in undergraduate education and scholarship in physics, astronomy, and physics education and the future of these fields. The AUH will guide the department in recruitment efforts to increase the number of students with majors in the department. They must demonstrate a clear understanding of the importance of excellence in undergraduate teaching, commitment to undergraduate research, commitment to inclusion, keen interest in faculty development and support of faculty scholarship, and be able to promote, support, and advance the scientific initiatives in the department, the college, and the university.

Qualifications:

AUH candidates are required to have the following qualifications:
• A PhD or doctorate in physics or astrophysics, or closely related field
• A record of research, teaching and service commensurate with the rank of Professor at JMU
• A record of a federally or externally funded research program
• A record of supervision of undergraduate and/or graduate research students
• Evidence of effective teaching across the physics curriculum at the undergraduate level
• Evidence of supporting the role of physics as part of a general or a liberal arts education
• Experience with budgets and budgetary processes

The department is especially interested in candidates who can demonstrate the following:
• Interest in innovation in teaching and/or in curriculum
• Commitment to faculty development and inclusive excellence
• Commitment to supporting a diverse student body coming from a variety of backgrounds and levels of academic preparation
• Experience of advocacy on behalf of a unit or organization
• Evidence of support for and/or involvement in outreach programs
• Experience in management and evaluation of people in an academic setting
• Interpersonal skills and ability necessary to advance a collegial and collaborative culture that empowers faculty and students
• Interest in and ideas for student recruitment and retention

Additional Posting Information:

The Department of Physics & Astronomy at JMU resides within the College of Science and Mathematics, which also includes the departments of Biology, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Geology & Environmental Science, and Mathematics & Statistics.

Our programs provide meaningful student-centered learning experiences for majors and non-majors alike, both within and outside of the classroom. We care about people and value high quality undergraduate education for a diverse student body, including under-represented and first-generation student populations. Student communities include an active chapter of the Society of Physics Students, Women in Physics, the National Society of Black Physicists, and QUEST (Queers United for Educating STEM Together). The department is committed to further becoming a place where students, staff and faculty of all backgrounds experience a supportive, affirming environment. While we have made great strides, this is an ongoing endeavor that requires systemic transformation and bold leadership.

Scholarship is supported and valued in various forms across all disciplines represented in the department and in physics education. We have a strong history of supporting undergraduate research, as well as other grant-funded and internally funded student research opportunities. In the past academic year, faculty in the department of Physics and Astronomy were involved in approximately 3 million dollars of active research grants and published 25 papers in scientific research journals with 6 undergraduate coauthors. Faculty and students regularly present their research at national and regional conferences, and we organize a student research symposium annually each Spring.

Outreach efforts include free weekend public shows at our Planetarium, Demystifying the Expert Comedy Shows, a High School Physics Teacher of the year award, supporting the madiSTEM conference designed for middle school girls, and hosting public star observing events. Additional information about the department can be found at https://www.jmu.edu/physics

Interested candidates should complete the online application and upload:
• CV
• Cover letter that addresses duties and responsibilities, qualifications, and preferred qualifications (no more than 4 pages)
• Statement of Scholarship and Teaching Philosophy that incorporates a holistic understanding of student success at a large public university (uploaded under "Other Document #1", no more than 3 pages).


JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:  

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.