Available Positions
The Department of Physics and Astronomy has employment opportunities for:
Undergraduates
Undergraduate Summer Research Positions
Through its NSF funded REU Program (Research Experiences for Undergraduates), the department has summer positions available for undergraduate research assistants.
Paid summer research positions in Italy are available through a DOE-NSF/INFN student exchange program. Applicants must be US citizens who have completed at least three years of an undergraduate curriculum in physics, engineering or computing science at a US university.
Undergraduate Teaching Internship Positions
The department has positions during the academic year for undergraduate students to serve as teaching interns in introductory physics and astronomy courses. Interns typically work as teaching assistants in laboratory or recitation sections, or serve as workshop leaders. The internship program is open to all undergraduate science majors. Visit the teaching internship program page to learn more.
Graduates
Graduate Assistantships
Students admitted to the department's graduate program usually receive financial support either from the department or from external foundations.
Post-doctorates
Eberly Senior Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Quantum Science
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester invites applications for the Eberly Senior Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Quantum Science. Named after pioneering Rochester physicist and optical scientist Joseph H. Eberly in honor of his many seminal contributions to theoretical quantum optical and information science, the Fellowship will begin as soon as the Fall of 2026 and will support an outstanding Ph.D. recipient in performing research at the University of Rochester.
The Fellow will be given:
- Flexibility, support and freedom to develop their own theme of research within the broad field of theoretical quantum science, along with
- Mentorship by Physics faculty and opportunities to collaborate with multiple quantum science groups at the university
Terms of appointment:
- Initial appointment term: 3 years
- Salary: $80,000 in the first year
- Research fund: $10,000 per annum
- Benefits and health insurance
Qualifications:
- PhD in Physics or related field (completed or expected by start date)
- Eligibility extends to current postdoctoral scholars
Applications and supporting credentials must be submitted at: https://apply.interfolio.com/177628 .
Candidates should upload their:
- Curriculum vitae
- Cover letter
- Publication list
- Two-page research statement (excluding references)
- Three letters of reference
Review of candidates will begin December 15, 2025. Candidates whose applications and supporting materials, including letters, are uploaded on or before this date will be guaranteed full consideration.
For more information contact: Nicholas Bigelow: nicholas.bigelow@rochester.edu
The University of Rochester is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving an inclusive and welcoming culture to advance the University’s Mission to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create – and Make the World Ever Better. In support of our values and those of our society, the University is committed to not discriminating on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (Protected Characteristics). This commitment extends to non-discrimination in the administration of our policies, admissions, employment, access, and recruitment of candidates, for all persons consistent with our values and based on applicable law.
Postdoc position in strong-field QED
Deadline to apply: December 31, 2025
Job description:
The Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Rochester and the Laboratory for Laser Energetics are seeking to hire a postdoc associate under the supervision of Professor Antonino Di Piazza. The position is funded through the NSF-GACR grant described at
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2409460&HistoricalAwards=false
and is in collaboration with the group led by S. Weber at ELI Beamlines in Czech Republic.
The successful candidate is expected to work theoretically in the area of strong-field QED dealing especially with the emission of radiation by several charges in the presence of strong electromagnetic fields (please click on the link above for more details). Candidates are expected to have a strong theoretical background in high-field QED, as well as experience with advanced numerical techniques.
The position is immediately available and the initial appointment is one-year. It is renewable for a second year provided the funding continues. Interested candidates should provide a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, and a statement of research interests, as well as two letters of recommendation through our online application system at:
https://apply.interfolio.com/175531
For More information Contact: Professor Antonino Di Piazza, (a.dipiazza@rochester.edu)
Salary Range: $59, 000 - $64,000
The referenced pay range represents the full base range of pay for this job. Individual salaries will be determined within the job’s salary range and established based on market data, experience and expertise of the individual, and internal equity considerations.
For more information about the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester, please visit: https://www.sas.rochester.edu/pas/index.html
The University of Rochester is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving an inclusive and welcoming culture to advance the University’s Mission to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create – and Make the World Ever Better. In support of our values and those of our society, the University is committed to not discriminating on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (Protected Characteristics). This commitment extends to non-discrimination in the administration of our policies, admissions, employment, access, and recruitment of candidates, for all persons consistent with our values and based on applicable law.
Postdoctoral Associate: CMS Experiment at CERN
The High Energy Physics group at the University of Rochester invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position on the CMS experiment at CERN. The Rochester group is involved in electroweak, top quark and Higgs measurements, as well as in searches for dark showers; in addition, the group participates in the operation of the hadronic calorimeter, the tracker, and the High-Granularity Calorimeter (HGCAL) and Silicon outer-tracker upgrades for the High-Luminosity LHC.
The successful candidate is expected to engage actively in analysis of CMS data and will have considerable freedom in developing this program, as well as participating in the hadronic calorimeter operation and/or upgrade (HGCAL). The position will be primarily based at CERN. Appointments are nominally for one year with the possibility of renewal up to five years total, subject to mutual satisfaction and the availability of funds under our grant.
Applications including a curriculum vitae, a publication list to which the applicant has made direct contributions, the contact information for three letters of recommendation, and a two-page description of research experience and interests should be submitted at: https://apply.interfolio.com/174354
Salary Range: $59,000 - $63,000.
The referenced pay range represents the full base range of pay for this job.
Review of applications will begin on November 1st and continue until the position is filled.
For more information about this post, please contact: Prof. Aran Garcia-Bellido (aran@pas.rochester.edu).
The University of Rochester is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving an inclusive and welcoming culture to advance the University’s Mission to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create – and Make the World Ever Better. In support of our values and those of our society, the University is committed to not discriminating on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (Protected Characteristics). This commitment extends to non-discrimination in the administration of our policies, admissions, employment, access, and recruitment of candidates, for all persons consistent with our values and based on applicable law.
Postdoctoral Position in Exoplanets, Brown Dwarfs, and M Dwarf Star
Deadline to apply: December 15, 2025
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Applicants are invited to apply for a postdoctoral associate position in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester, working with Professor ZJ Zhang and his research group.
Research topics for this position include spectroscopic observations of gas-giant exoplanets, brown dwarfs, and M dwarf stars; atmospheric modeling and characterization of these objects through spectroscopy; and the discovery of new exoplanets and brown dwarfs from wide-field sky surveys. Candidates with expertise in any of these areas are strongly encouraged to apply. The successful applicant will have opportunities to participate in ongoing JWST and ground- based observational programs.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy has privileged access to the twin 6.5-meter Magellan Telescopes and provides a supportive, collaborative environment for research. The successful candidate has access to Magellan Telescopes, high-performance computing facilities from the Center for Integrated Research Computing (CIRC), and opportunities to mentor undergraduate and graduate students. Rochester is a welcoming city with a vibrant cultural scene and abundant year-round outdoor activities in the Finger Lakes and surrounding region.
The nominal start date is August 1, 2026, with flexibility for an earlier or later start. The applicants should have obtained a Ph.D. in Astronomy or a related field before the start date. The initial term is 1 year, renewable annually for up to 3 years, contingent on satisfactory performance and continued funding.
Applicants should submit the following materials through our online application system at https://apply.interfolio.com/173163. All materials are due December 20, 2025.
- Cover Letter (1 page)
- Curriculum Vitae, including a publication list (no page limit)
- Description of current research and future research plans (5 pages max, including text,figures, and tables; references do not count against the page )
- Three letters of recommendation
For more information, please contact Prof. ZJ Zhang at zjzhang@rochester.edu.
The nominal salary range for this position is $60,000—$64,000, with the final amount commensurate with experience. The referenced pay range represents the full base range of pay for this job. Individual salaries will be determined within the job’s salary range and established based on market data, experience and expertise of the individual, and internal equity considerations.
The University of Rochester is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving an inclusive and welcoming culture to advance the University’s Mission to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create – and Make the World Ever Better. In support of our values and those of our society, the University is committed to not discriminating on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (Protected Characteristics). This commitment extends to non-discrimination in the administration of our policies, admissions, employment, access, and recruitment of candidates, for all persons consistent with our values and based on applicable law.
Post-Doctoral Position in Quantum Nanostructures
The Quantum Nanostructures group at the University of Rochester, led by John Nichol, is seeking applications for a postdoctoral research associate. We are looking for a creative, self-motivated researcher who has the ability and interest to pursue exciting and challenging problems at the boundaries of quantum information processing and many-body quantum physics. Successful candidates should
- Have completed a PhD in physics by the start of the position.
- Have experience with dilution refrigerators.
- Have experience with microfabrication, including electron beam lithography.
- Possess good oral and written communication skills.
For more information about the group, visit labsites.rochester.edu/nicholgroup. The position is initially for one year but may be extended for a second and third year, depending on performance and funding.
Salary: $58, 656 - $63,000
The referenced pay range represents the full base range of pay for this job. Individual salaries will be determined within the job’s salary range and established based on market data, experience and expertise of the individual, and internal equity considerations.
To apply, applicants should submit their CV, a brief statement of research interests, and arrange to have three letters of recommendation sent to John Nichol (jnich10@ur.rochester.edu). Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
The University of Rochester is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving an inclusive and welcoming culture to advance the University’s Mission to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create – and Make the World Ever Better. In support of our values and those of our society, the University is committed to not discriminating on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (Protected Classes). This commitment extends to non-discrimination in the administration of our policies, admissions, employment, access, and recruitment of candidates for all persons consistent with our values and based on applicable law.
Marshak Fellowship in Particle and Nuclear Physics
The Marshak Fellowship in Particle and Nuclear Physics has been established to offer young scientists the opportunity to pursue innovative research at the University of Rochester in the fields of particle and nuclear physics, plasma astrophysics, and plasma physics and controlled fusion. To learn more, visit the Marshak Fellowship page.
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