What are the responsibilities and job description for the Post-Doctoral Research Associate: Department of Physics and Astronomy - UTK position at University of Tennessee - Knoxville?
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in theoretical nuclear physics, under the supervision of Prof. Chien-Yeah Seng. The position is expected to begin in June 2026 or later.
The research will focus on precision tests of the Standard Model in hadronic and nuclear processes. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to participate in the Topical Collaboration "Nuclear Theory for New Physics" (NTNP), funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Further information about the NTNP collaboration can be found here: https://a51.lbl.gov/~ntnp/TC/ .
This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon the continued funding of the grant.
The postdoc will perform theoretical research on one or more topics in precision physics, including but not limited to:
- Hadronic and nuclear beta decays
- Lepton-nucleus scattering
- Electric dipole moments
- Neutrinoless double beta decays
Required Qualifications
- PhD in theoretical nuclear or particle physics, or a closely related field, completed by employment date.
Preferred Qualifications
Strong research record in fundamental symmetries, effective field theory, or nuclear ab-initio calculations.Work Location
- The research will be performed onsite in Knoxville, TN (primary) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Compensation and Benefits
Application Instructions
For best consideration applicants should submit the below materials before November 1, 2025
- Cover letter
- Curriculum vitae
- List of publications
- Statement of research interests Three letters of recommendation
About The Department
The Department has an exemplary research record, with eight professors earning NSF CAREER awards since 2012, eight professors among the world’s top two percent of physicists based on citation count, the award of the prestigious American Physical Society 2021 Bonner Prize, eleven APS Fellows, and four AAAS Fellows. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is Tennessee’s flagship state research institution, a campus of choice for outstanding undergraduates and a premier graduate institution with a number of nationally and internationally ranked programs and with national and international leadership in numerous fields.
