Post Doctoral Fellow - Department of Physics and Astronomy
- Employer
- Clemson University
- Location
- Clemson University
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- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Institution Type
- Four-Year Institution
Job Details
Post Doctoral Fellow - Department of Physics and Astronomy
Clemson University: College of Science: Physics & Astronomy
Location: 310C Kinard Lab
Open Date: Feb 27, 2025
Description
Dr. Paul Cassak invites applications for a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Clemson University. This position comes with a competitive salary in a region with a relatively low cost of living, university benefits, and travel funds for conferences. This position is to perform research in theoretical and computational plasma physics, with a focus on out of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) energy conversion during collisionless magnetic reconnection through the pressure-strain interaction term and/or the structure and evolution of kinetic entropy in reconnection and turbulence in weakly collisional plasmas. The postdoctoral researcher will use kinetic simulations and analytical theory, and closely collaborate with observers from NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. Postdocs will have the opportunity to interact with graduate students in a collaborative environment. About the PI Lab & Department:The research of the Cassak group is in theoretical and computational plasma physics with an emphasis on space and solar physics. Numerical techniques employed by the Cassak group include primarily kinetic approaches but also include the fluid approach when needed. The group has close connections with colleagues that employ satellite observations and laboratory experiments in their research. The Clemson University atmospheric and space physics group is described at https://www.clemson.edu/science/academics/departments/physics/research/atmos.html.Other research areas in the Department of Physics and Astronomy include Astronomy and Astrophysics; Atomic, Molecular, and Optical physics; Biophysics; and Condensed Matter Physics. Clemson University is a land grant university enrolling approximately 23,000 students. Clemson University's Carnegie Classification is R1 ("Doctoral Universities - Very High Research Activity") and is ranked in the top 50 of public universities in the US. Clemson was named "the Best Small College Town in the U.S." for 2024. It is 45 minutes from Greenville, which is in top 5 of the US News & World Report's Best Places to Live in the US in 2024.For more information about the Department of Physics and Astronomy and its programs, please visit the website https://www.clemson.edu/science/academics/departments/physics.For more information about Clemson, please visit the website http://www.clemson.edu/.
Qualifications
A successful candidate must have completed the requirements for a PhD in Physics, Plasma Physics, Space Physics, or a related discipline by the beginning of the appointment. Expertise in computational approaches to simulate kinetic plasmas, preferably the particle-in-cell technique, is strongly preferred. A solid background in plasma physics theory is strongly preferred. Evidence of the following abilities and skills will be beneficial: Potential to pursue independent research, ability to work as part of a team, skilled at identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions, ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, ability to document and present the results of research, ability to write presentations and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format, ability to make effective presentations on complex topics to technical and non-technical audiences, ability to deal with nonverbal symbolism (formulas, scientific equations, graphs, etc.), ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form, ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions, ability to meet deadlines, and ability to collaborate effectively with a multidisciplinary team of co-investigators from diverse backgrounds.
Application Instructions
Review of applications will begin immediately, and the position will remain open until filled. The preferred start date is August 15, 2025.
Applicants should submit the following items via Interfolio at:
http://apply.interfolio.com/164291
(1) Cover letter with a statement of interest in the position
(2) Curriculum vitae (CV), including a list of publications
(3) Names and contact information for 3 references
Please contact Paul Cassak (pcassak@clemson.edu) with questions.
For more information and to apply, visit https://apply.interfolio.com/164291
Clemson University is an EEO/AA employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to characteristics protected by applicable law including disability and protected veteran status.
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Organization
Working at Clemson University
Clemson is a dynamic research university located in Upstate South Carolina at the center of the booming I-85 corridor between Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, Ga. One of the nation’s most selective public research universities according to U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review, Clemson University is the school of choice among top students in South Carolina and is increasingly competitive for the best students in the region and the nation. More than 17,100 students select from 70 undergraduate and 100 graduate degree programs through five academic colleges: Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences; Architecture, Arts and Humanities; Business and Behavioral Science; Engineering and Science; and Health, Education and Human Development.
Clemson’s transformation into a leading research institution — currently attracting in excess of $140 million in externally funded research and sponsored program awards per year — is based upon an academic plan that identifies eight emphasis areas in which the University has opportunities to increase education and research, to align with South Carolina’s economic development needs and to draw upon faculty strengths. Emphasis areas include automotive and transportation technology, advanced materials, biotechnology and biomedical sciences, leadership and entrepreneurship, sustainable environment, information and communication technology, family and community living, and general education.
Major economic development initiatives that have emerged from the academic plan include the Clemson International Center for Automotive Research — a 250-acre campus in Greenville, which has generated more than $225 million in public and private commitments in just four years; an advanced materials initiative at the Clemson Research Park, which includes a new LEED Silver-certified facility; and the South Carolina Health Sciences Collaborative — an initiative of the state’s three research universities and major health-care systems.
As the state’s land-grant university, Clemson reaches out to citizens, communities and businesses all over South Carolina. The Public Service Activities division includes the county-based Cooperative Extension Service, five off-campus research and education centers through the Clemson University Experiment Station and critical regulatory responsibilities for plant and animal health.
The University boasts a 1,400-acre campus on the shores of Lake Hartwell within view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Surrounding the campus are 18,000 acres of University farms and woodlands devoted to research. A warm campus environment, great weather and recreational activities offered by proximity to both the natural surroundings and large cities are part of the Clemson Experience.
Points of interest at Clemson include the following:
The Clemson Conference Center and Inn is a state-of-the-art facility for symposia, meetings, seminars and special events. The complex includes the Madren Continuing Education and Conference Center, the Walker Golf Course and the Martin Inn.
The South Carolina Botanical Garden, a 295-acre public garden, features several thousand varieties of ornamental plants and a unique collection of nature-based sculptures.
The Robert Howell Brooks Center for the Performing Arts brings an exciting array of concert, theater, dance, comedy and other live performances to the community.
The Robert Campbell Geology Museum at the Botanical Garden displays meteorites, minerals, dinosaur fossils and the largest faceted-stone collection in the Southeast.
The T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena is a showplace for livestock activities in the state and has hosted horse and livestock shows, rodeos, sales, 4-H activities, educational programs, and industrial and agricultural exhibitions.
Fort Hill, the home of John C. Calhoun and later of his son-in-law, University founder Thomas Green Clemson, is a registered National Historic Landmark located in the center of campus.
The Class of 1944 Visitors Center is the front door to Clemson — a friendly place to get tours, information, assistance and an introduction to this beautiful, historic university and community.
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