Who we are

Job Summary

The Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY seeks to hire a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Experimental Quantum Optics, Quantum Entanglement & Quantum Information.

Possible research areas include, but are not limited to, single-photon qubit manipulations, quantum interconnects, entangled-photon light-matter interactions, quantum information transmission, and quantum entanglement and decoherence.

This hire would be part of a bold effort at RPI to strengthen and extend our current faculty cluster in Quantum Information, aligned with the broader research initiatives in the RPI Forward 10-year Strategic Plan. The candidate would also interact with our current Physics faculty on non-linear and quantum optics and photon entanglement, as well as with researchers from Material Science and Electrical Engineering. The position also represents a response to federal priorities expressed in the National Quantum Initiative Act.

The successful candidate will establish and maintain an externally-funded research program, participate in high-impact collaborative research in this field, and contribute to the high-quality teaching program in the Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy

This position is part of a faculty cluster hire funded by support from the Simons Foundation designed to stimulate research in the basic sciences across New York State.

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates must possess a Ph.D. degree or an equivalent foreign qualification in Physics or a closely related field. Postdoctoral experience is highly preferred. Applicants for the Assistant Professor position should demonstrate potential for future excellence in research, scholarship, and teaching. The candidate is expected to work in an interdisciplinary and collaborative research environment.

Starting Salary/Rate

Expected hiring range: $108,000 - $118,000

Pay transparency disclosure: The selected candidate’s salary will be determined based on factors that include the available budget, internal equity, and the final candidate’s qualifications, experience, education and other job-related credentials. This hiring range is provided as Rensselaer’s good faith estimate of the expected hiring range at the time of posting.

Application instructions

Follow the on-screen prompts at https://careers.rpi.edu/en-us/job/495558 to create a brief online profile with contact information for 3 professional references. Please be ready to upload the following: 

• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover letter
• Statement of research
• Evidence of effective teaching
• Statement of commitment to the communities served by your work

If you need assistance with the online application process, please contact careers@rpi.edu.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applications received by December 1, 2025 will receive first consideration.

Questions about this position may be directed to Prof. Gyorgy Korniss (korniss@rpi.edu), Department Head or to Prof. Humberto Terrones (terroh@rpi.edu), Chair of the Faculty Search Committee.

Total Compensation and Benefits Information

Rensselaer’s Total Compensation Program is designed to provide stable pay growth, a comprehensive and affordable benefits package, and a comprehensive and affordable retiree medical and prescription plan. Our goal is to provide you and your family with a comprehensive health and welfare program as an umbrella of financial security and protection during your employment. For more information, please visit Benefits | Human Resources (rpi.edu).

Who we are

Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is the first technological research university in the United States. We bring creativity, science, and technology together to address society's greatest challenges. We cultivate exceptional problem-solvers by immersing them in a culture of rigorous inquiry, disciplined practice, and hands-on application. Our strategic plan, RPI Forward, charts a pioneering course for the next era of RPI. Explore the RPI Forward plan. ↗︎

Nestled on a beautiful 275-acre campus in upstate NY, RPI is home to five schools, 32 research centers, three makerspaces, an observatory, one of the world’s fastest supercomputers, and the IBM Quantum System One - the first university-based quantum computer in the world. 

Job Summary

The Department of Cognitive Science in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute invites applications for a full-time Lecturer position beginning Fall 2026. This position is a one-year appointment, with the possibility of renewal based on performance and institutional needs.

We seek candidates to teach and help develop core undergraduate courses in cognitive science, with an emphasis on introductory-level instruction. The successful candidate will play a key role in delivering foundational coursework that serves students across the Institute. While the primary teaching responsibility is in introductory cognitive science, the ability to contribute to the department’s introductory linguistics offerings—particularly as they intersect with Cognitive Science—is welcomed but not required.

We encourage applicants whose academic background and teaching experience reflect a strong grounding in psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, or cognitive systems.

Candidates must hold a terminal degree or foreign degree equivalent by the time of appointment and have demonstrated experience teaching at the college level. Evidence of effective teaching, and the ability to demonstrate, through accomplishment, promise of academic, scholarly and/or research achievement in their specialty is required.

The Department of Cognitive Science at RPI is known for its teaching and research in areas including computational cognitive modeling, artificial intelligence, human and machine reasoning, computational linguistics, perception and action, cognitive robotics, and synthetic characters.

Shift

Business Hours: Monday - Friday

Starting Salary/Rate

Expected hiring amount: $64,890

Pay transparency disclosure: The selected candidate’s salary will be determined based on factors that include the available budget, internal equity, and the final candidate’s qualifications, experience, education and other job-related credentials. This hiring range is provided as Rensselaer’s good faith estimate of the expected hiring range at the time of posting.

Application instructions

Follow the on-screen prompts at https://careers.rpi.edu/en-us/job/495590 to create a brief online profile with contact information for three (3) professional references. Please be ready to upload the following: 

• Cover letter (please use the link for "letter of interest")
• Curriculum Vitae
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness
  • this could be course evaluations, surveys, feedback, or anything else that speaks to your ability to teach effectively.
  • In the absence of this type of documentation, please upload a statement of your teaching approach
• Statement of research
• Statement describing your contributions to a welcoming and inclusive learning community.

You may disregard the supporting documents links. 

If you need assistance with the online application process, please contact careers@rpi.edu.

Questions (not applications) may be directed to search chair Prof. Brett Fajen at fajenb@rpi.edu

Applications received by December 15, 2025 will receive first consideration.

Total Compensation and Benefits Information

Rensselaer’s Total Compensation Program is designed to provide stable pay growth, a comprehensive and affordable benefits package, and a comprehensive and affordable retiree medical and prescription plan. Our goal is to provide you and your family with a comprehensive health and welfare program as an umbrella of financial security and protection during your employment. For more information, please visit Benefits | Human Resources (rpi.edu).

Who we are

Why Rensselaer? Our dynamic global community of changemakers includes some of the world’s leading researchers, students, alumni, and faculty who ask the important questions and devise the scientific and technological innovations that make the world a better place for all of humanity. Nestled on a beautiful 275-acre campus in upstate NY, Rensselaer is home to five schools, 32 research centers, three makerspaces, an observatory, and one of the world’s fastest supercomputers. 

Rensselaer faculty and alumni include more than 145 National Academy members, six members of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, six National Medal of Technology winners, five National Medal of Science winners, three astronauts, and a Nobel Prize winner in Physics. With nearly 200 years of experience advancing scientific and technological knowledge, Rensselaer remains focused on addressing global challenges with a spirit of ingenuity and collaboration. To learn more, please visit www.rpi.edu.

Are you ready to change the world? Apply now!

Job Summary

Endowed Constellation Faculty in Future Chips at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute invites applications for the Future Chips Constellation endowed chaired faculty positions. A constellation at Rensselaer consists of an interdisciplinary team with a clear research focus led by a group of Senior and Junior faculty members, with collaborations across the campus.

We are especially interested in candidates who have a demonstrated ability to perform high impact research in semiconductor technology to address the next generation challenges in computing. Areas of focus are rooted in fundamental science and engineering that drive advances in microelectronics, such as heterogeneous integration, advanced logic, advanced packaging, and power electronics. Physics of materials is also important to making these advances and is, therefore, an area of interest. The ideal candidates are expected to develop an internationally recognized, externally funded, scientific program in chip technology for the future of computing. The Future Chips Constellation will be a key stakeholder in the Center for Materials, Devices, and Integrated Systems (cMDIS) which houses the Microscale and Nanoscale Cleanroom and the Nanoscale Characterization Core.

Applicants must possess an outstanding record of research accomplishments and a strong commitment to teaching. At minimum, candidates must have a Ph.D. or foreign degree equivalent in engineering, or science, or an appropriate field for their proposed research, along with the ability to demonstrate, based on their record, promise of future distinction in scholarship and education.

Successful candidates will have duties that include teaching graduate and undergraduate courses, developing and maintaining robust programs of research and scholarship, and service to their department and to Rensselaer. We seek highly collaborative applicants with strong technical vision and a focus on emerging 21st century technologies and challenges.

Application instructions

Follow the on-screen prompts to create a brief online profile and contact information for six (6) references. Please be ready to upload the following required documents.  

1. Cover letter
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Research Statement including future research plans
4. Statement of Teaching activities and interests. Please include evidence of effective teaching
5. Diversity Statement

 If you need assistance with the online application process, please contact careers@rpi.edu 

Expected hiring range: $130000 - $230000

Pay transparency disclosure: The selected candidate’s salary will be determined based on factors that include the available budget, internal equity, and the final candidate’s qualifications, experience, education and other job-related credentials. This hiring range is provided as Rensselaer’s good faith estimate of the expected hiring range at the time of posting.

Rensselaer’s Total Compensation Program is designed to provide stable pay growth, a comprehensive and affordable benefits package, and a comprehensive and affordable retiree medical and prescription plan. Rensselaer is recognized locally and nationally for the depth and breadth of its compensation and benefits program. Our goal is to provide you and your family with a comprehensive health and welfare program as an umbrella of financial security and protection during your employment. For more information, please visit this link: https://hr.rpi.edu/benefits

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Candidates who apply by May 15, 2023, will receive first consideration.

Culture of Safety at Rensselaer

Rensselaer is committed to providing a safe and healthy living, learning, and working environment for its faculty, staff, and students. we strongly recommend that faculty, staff and students obtain a COVID-19 vaccination and remain current with available boosters.

We welcome candidates who will bring diverse cultural, ethnic, national and international perspectives to Rensselaer’s work and campus communities.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity, Race/Gender/Veterans/Disability Employer.