Job Description

Position Information
Announcement Number FAC - VA - 26012
For questions regarding this position, please contact:
Professor Joan Broderick
Search Committee Chair
Classification Title
Working Title Assistant Professor of Chemistry in Physical Chemistry
Brief Position Overview
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana invites applications for a tenure track position at the level of assistant professor with expertise in physical chemistry, broadly defined.
Faculty Tenure Track Yes
Faculty Rank Assistant Professor
Position Number 4A4135
Department Chemistry
Division College of Letters & Science
Appointment Type Faculty
Contract Term Academic Year
Semester
If other, specify From date
If other, specify End date
Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining
FTE 1.0
Benefits Eligible Eligible
Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications
Contract Type MUS
If other, please specify
Recruitment Type Open
Position Details
General Statement
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Montana State University invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in either experimental or theoretical physical chemistry. Appointments will be considered at the Assistant Professor level. The successful candidate must have a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry or a related field by the anticipated start date of August 01, 2026. Candidates are expected to develop an internationally recognized, independent research program involving any area of experimental or theoretical physical chemistry. Programs with interdisciplinary research themes are encouraged. Excellence in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level is expected, and postdoctoral experience is desirable.
We seek individuals who work professionally and effectively with individuals from all backgrounds, possess effective interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills and have the ability to contribute positively to the academic success of the students and the mission of Montana State University.
Duties and Responsibilities
As a tenure-track faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, the successful candidate will conduct research activities in Physical Chemistry and establish an independent, productive, externally funded, nationally-competitive research program. Duties also include teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels in areas of chemistry that are of mutual interest to the Department and the candidate, advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, participating in appropriate departmental and university service functions, and collaborating with other faculty and departments to enhance scholarship and pedagogy at Montana State University.
We hope to attract applicants who can teach in a University community and have demonstrated ability in helping students from all backgrounds to succeed.
Required Qualifications - Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills * Ph.D. in Chemistry or a related area by start date.

• Potential to establish an internationally recognized and externally funded independent research program.
• Potential to effectively teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students.

Preferred Qualifications - Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills * Postdoctoral experience.

• Interest in and ability to establish multidisciplinary collaborative research.
• Commitment to excellence in graduate and undergraduate teaching and research.
• Demonstrated commitment to value and support students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Be a dynamic and visionary scientist and educator who will advance MSU's goals of outstanding research, teaching, and service.
• Have excellent communication skills.
• Have an appreciation for all constituencies and continuously support, promote, and build a whole community, which includes people of many backgrounds.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information
References provided must be able to speak to the applicant's research achievements and teaching potential.
This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University's rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Physical Demands
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
The Program
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is one of Montana State University's premier departments. We continually strive for excellence in all of MSU's core values. We are a vibrant, cohesive community with faculty, staff, and students who are dedicated to teaching, research, and service.
The department has identified three primary areas of research emphasis. These three themes are energy conversion, supramolecular/mesoscale materials, and research at the chemistry/biology interface. The Department is uniquely positioned to perform energy conversion research across a wide range of material substrates using highly sophisticated instrumentation and methods. We are also well placed to perform supramolecular/mesoscale research on a breadth of sample types including synthetic materials, protein networks, and viruses. Finally, we are able to provide new chemical insights into biology using a vast array of methods that have been developed or enhanced within the Department. Fundamental research programs in additional areas of chemistry and biochemistry are also important for the development of these research themes. State-of-the-art instrumentation and shared instrumentation facilities are essential infrastructure for all of the research themes.
Our Department is a University Flagship, and our faculty members play leading roles in multi-disciplinary research programs that integrate efforts across the College of Letters and Science, across Montana State University, and with other academic institutions and industrial partners both locally and more widely. We leverage our research activities to provide outstanding opportunities for our students, post-doctoral associates, and staff scientists. After earning their degrees, our Ph.D. graduates have taken positions in universities, industry, and government labs. These graduates are highly sought after because of their excellent training and demonstrated records of accomplishment.
As an integral part of our scientific lives, we are committed to excellence in training the next generation of scientists. Our faculty, staff, and students share a common vision of maintaining a collegial environment in which the professional, intellectual, and personal growth of each individual is nurtured. We strive to stimulate all of our students to learn, to imagine, and to discover. We strive to equip them with every tool that they need to flourish in their own exciting and rewarding careers.
The Department
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Montana State University (MSU) is a vigorous, research-active department with strong interdisciplinary collaborations. Research thrusts of the Department and University include structural biology, biophysics, bioinorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, nanomaterials, optical spectroscopy, and energy research. The Department is composed of 17 tenure track faculty, several research faculty and approximately 90 graduate students. The Department grants Ph.D. degrees in both Chemistry and Biochemistry and also has a strong tradition of undergraduate participation in research. The Department's research building (built in 2008) houses shared instrumentation including a new macromolecular x-ray diffractometer, NMR and Mass spectrometry facilities, high field and pulsed EPR, CD, femtosecond laser spectrometers, microscopes, FTIR spectrometers, steady state and time resolved emission laser spectrometers, molecular graphics, and parallel computing with a 90-processor heterogeneous Linux cluster. We have also recently installed a cryo-electron microscope, the only instrument of its kind within the greater 5-state, Northern Plains and Northern Rockies region. Other instruments including SEM,TEM, confocal microscopy, scanning Auger, and scanning probe techniques, are available in shared user facilities at MSU. MSU is connected to the very broadband network system (vBNS) that provides fast Internet access and facilitates remote computing at national supercomputer sites.
The College
The College of Letters and Science, the largest center for learning, teaching, and research at Montana State University, offers students an excellent liberal arts and sciences education in nearly 50 majors, 25 minors, and over 25 graduate degrees within the four areas of the humanities, natural sciences, mathematics, and social sciences. Building on the strength of our traditional disciplines, the college provides exciting opportunities for faculty and students at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary inquiry. The College of Letters and Science is dedicated to supporting student success, discovering and disseminating new knowledge, and providing an atmosphere in which discovery and learning are integrated and valued. The College of Letters and Science is at the confluence of intellectual tradition, discovery, and innovation.
Posting Detail Information
Number of Vacancies 1
Desired Start Date August 2026
Position End Date (if temporary)
Open Date
Close Date
Applications will be:
Screening of applications will begin on October 1, 2025; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.
Special Instructions
This position is not eligible for NEW sponsorship.
EEO Statement
Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran's Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran's preference, please complete the veteran's preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.
FLSA Details
FLSA Determination
FLSA Status Exempt
Applicant Documents
Required Documents * Cover Letter addressing each of the Required and Preferred Qualifications

• Curriculum Vitae
• Research / Scholarship Statement
• Teaching Statement

Optional Documents

Skills Required