Assistant Professor in Near-Surface Geophysics

The Department. The Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences (https://geoearth.charlotte.edu/) is a diverse community of physical, geospatial, and social scientists composed of over 35 faculty members, approximately 400 undergraduate majors, and 80 graduate students. Our mission is to inspire discovery of the Earth and its inhabitants with a vision for an informed and diverse community that strives for a sustainable Earth and an equitable world. We create and disseminate knowledge of the Earth’s human and natural systems to adapt to an ever-changing environment in which we live, work, and interact. The Department offers undergraduate degrees in Meteorology (BS), Earth and Environmental Sciences (BS), Geology (BS), Geography (BA/BS), and Environmental Studies (BA). At the graduate level, we offer an MS in Earth Sciences, an MA and PhD in Geography, and participate in the interdisciplinary Infrastructure and Environmental Systems (INES) and Public Policy (PPOL) PhD programs. The Department is also home to the Center for Applied Geographic Information Science (CAGIS, https://gis.charlotte.edu/) and the Charlotte Action Research Project (CHARP, https://charp.charlotte.edu/). We are committed to excellence in disciplinary and interdisciplinary research and teaching.

The College. The Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences is housed within the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences (https://chess.charlotte.edu/). As the largest and most academically diverse college at UNC Charlotte, CHESS houses 15 departments, 13 interdisciplinary programs,and 7 applied centers. We offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs with extensive honors and early-entry options. The College plays a pivotal role in delivering on the university’s goals in the areas of research excellence, student success and experience, and community engagement. Through their scholarship and teaching, the College’s 350+ faculty members seek to deepen our understanding of complex problems and lead the university in interdisciplinary collaboration.

The University. UNC Charlotte is an R-1 university, and the only research university in North Carolina’s largest metropolitan area. As the second largest institution in the UNC System, we transform lives, communities, and industries through accessible and affordable education, offering exemplary bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional programs. Our commitment to scholarship, innovation, and service drives our contributions to the ever-evolving needs of society. Through strategic partnerships and a focus on real-world applications, we prepare our graduates to excel in their careers and lead with purpose and integrity in a rapidly changing world.

The successful candidate will establish a sustainable, student-centered, and externally funded research program that results in scholarly publications and that complements existing strengths of the Department. Application areas may include hydro geophysics (e.g., groundwater, vadose zone, contaminant transport), fracture mechanics/rock physics, geohazards (e.g., landslides, karst, liquefaction), urban geosciences (e.g., subsurface infrastructure, mapping rock/soil boundaries, cavity and tunnel detection), soils/critical zone (e.g., critical zone architecture, pedogenesis, weathering, fracture networks, carbon sequestration), land-atmosphere feedbacks (e.g., soil moisture-boundary layer coupling); and resources and sustainability (e.g., geothermal, critical minerals, energy). The successful candidate is expected to collect and use field-based geophysical observations (e.g., seismic, electrical, acoustic emissions, ambient noise seismology, UAS and other electromagnetic surveys, or GPR), preferably with complementary quantitative analytical approaches (e.g., deterministic modeling, experimentation, inversion, data fusion, or AI/machine learning tools). The faculty member will have the opportunity to collaborate with related departments and research units such as Civil & Environmental Engineering, Bioinformatics & Genomics, Anthropology, School of Data Science, Center for Applied Geographic Information Science, and Energy Production & Infrastructure Center. The successful candidate must be able to support teaching and research spanning all levels of the Department’s undergraduate and graduate programs. The faculty member will teach a BS/MS level Geophysics course and other courses related to their expertise that support a range of

undergraduate and graduate programs in the Department.

A Ph.D. is required in Geology, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Geophysics, or a related physical science field by the start date of the position. Candidates should submit the following to https://jobs.charlotte.edu [Position Number 004984]: (1) cover letter; (2) curriculum vitae; (3) a statement of research and teaching interests; and (4) contact information (including email addresses) for at least three references. Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled. For more information, contact search committee chair Dr. David Vinson (dsvinson@charlotte.edu).

Finalists will be asked to discuss how their teaching practices engage, include, and eliminate barriers to learning for UNC Charlotte students, and how their educational approach helps increase the engagement and success of all students regardless of their entry pathway into the university.

This position is subject to research-security screening. As part of the application, applicants must disclose, either in their CV or in a separate document submitted with the application, all current appointments or affiliations with foreign institutions or organizations, foreign research support, and ongoing research collaborations with foreign institutions, organizations, or their personnel. Before candidates advance to an on-campus interview, the university will review this information and other publicly available information for relationships involving institutions on the current Section 1286 list and any other applicable U.S. restricted-party lists. A disclosed or identified relationship does not automatically disqualify a candidate. As a condition of employment, a selected candidate must resolve any relationship the university determines would violate applicable law or sponsor requirements or materially impair the candidate’s or the university’s eligibility for federal funding.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other protected status. In keeping with this commitment, UNC Charlotte ensures that persons of any background are invited, included, and treated equally in the terms and conditions of employment. The candidate chosen for this position will be subject to a Criminal Background Check. The candidate selected for this position will be required to submit their official transcripts of their highest degree upon hire. Hiring is subject to budget availability.