The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.
If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or jobs@unr.edu. For UNR Med professional job postings, please contact the Office of Professional Recruitment at (775) 784-6778.
Job Description
The University of Nevada, Reno seeks candidates for three tenure-track faculty openings at the Assistant, Associate, or Professor level to support the development of research and education programs in any one of the three specialties described below, where candidates will be placed within the College of Science or the College of Engineering within the appropriate department based on alignment and qualifications:
Dynamic Material Response, including the study of the kinetics of phase transitions, heterogeneous material response, or plasticity and fracture. Preference will be given to candidates that have experience in impact or explosively driven extreme material states.
Pulsed Power, including the design of high-current (kA-MA) and high-voltage (kV-MV) pulsed power generators as well as gaseous and vacuum discharge physics. Preference will be given to candidates that also have experience in explosive pulsed power, dense plasma focus, or applications to x-ray flash radiography.
Energetic Materials, including performance, mechanical properties, property/structure relationships, advanced manufacturing, and explosive safety. Preference will be given to candidates that have experience in developing a detonation research laboratory.
Based on the University’s mission as a land grant institution, we are expanding our research and education program in support of national security initiatives within our state and the region, with a specific focus on the science and technology of creating and understanding extreme environments. The University of Nevada, Reno has a unique combination of pulsed power and shock wave experimental facilities, all within a blast rated building. With increased expertise in the advertised specialties combined with current capabilities we will have a unique ensemble of faculty to advance cutting edge science, technology, and education initiatives. Candidates are sought who can perform outstanding research in one or more of these areas, work within a larger team while building their own research program, and teach relevant courses. These tenure-track/tenured positions will be responsible for teaching, research and university service.
Candidates will be hired at the level that is comparable to experience within industry, national research laboratories and sites, or academic institutions.
Required Qualifications
Applicants must have a Doctoral Degree in either Physics, Applied Physics, Material Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or another closely related field.
Preferred Qualifications
Candidates who already collaborate with NNSA/DoD labs/sites, perform hands-on experimental research, and whose specialization and interests complement UNR’s developing research program in the science and technology of creating and understanding extreme environments will be preferred.
Compensation Grade
Assistant Professor, 9-month
Associate Professor, 9-month
Professor, 9-month
To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules and select Academic Faculty (9-month). Salary is competitive and commensurate with related education and experience.
Remarkable Retirement!
Our retirement plan is beyond compare. Your 19.25% contribution is generously matched by the University. With the faculty retirement plan, you are 100% vested on your first day. Sit back and watch your retirement dollars grow! All permanent employees on an annual "A" or "B" contract who are employed at least 50% full-time are eligible to participate in the NSHE retirement program unless they are members of PERS of Nevada.
Perks of Working at UNR!
Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance
Generous annual, sick leave, long term disability and life insurance – Faculty Benefits
E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers annual or semester memberships and spouse/domestic partner membership options. E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center
Reno is proud to be a University town! Many local businesses offer discounts to WolfCard holders
Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.
Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate
No state income tax!
Grants-in-Aid for Faculty Employees
The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits but, in order to be eligible, children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner. Faculty Grants-in-Aid
Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program
The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program
Department/College Information
College of Science: Join the College of Science at the University of Nevada, Reno. We value faculty and staff as essential partners in our mission to advance scientific discovery, technological innovation, and wholistic education. Our college seeks individuals committed to:
Advancing fundamental and applied scientific research
Delivering innovative, student-centered education
The College of Science is a research-active and collaborative academic unit, supporting externally funded research across the physical, life and mathematical sciences. With strong institutional support and a growing research portfolio, including over $20M in recent commitments to explore the response of materials to extreme conditions, the college provides resources for professional development and interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure faculty success. We offer undergraduate and graduate degrees through eight departments:
Biology
Chemistry
Mathematics & Statistics
Mining and Metallurgical Engineering
Physics
Psychology
Geography
Geological Sciences & Engineering
The college is home to specialized laboratories that support work in areas such as molecular biosciences, geophysics, atmospheric science, materials characterization, data science, plasma science, and dynamic compression science. Located near the Nevada National Security Site and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, our faculty have strong partnerships with national laboratory scientists and engineers.
College of Engineering: Join the College of Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno. We value faculty and staff as partners in our mission to deliver outstanding education, research and engagement. Our college seeks individuals committed to:
Engaging in impactful outreach
Providing state-of-the-art education
Fostering broad community engagement
Nevada Engineering is a fast-growing college, with research expenditures that have doubled over the past eight years. Supported by an Engineering Research Office, the college secured $27.9 million in research awards in FY25 and offers professional development resources to ensure success. We offer bachelor’s, graduate degrees and certificates through five departments:
Chemical & Materials Engineering
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Computer Science & Engineering
Electrical & Biomedical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Our specialized facilities include the Center for Civil Engineering Earthquake Research, Cybersecurity Center, the Nanofabrication Lab in the Davidson Foundation Cleanroom and the Nevada Water Innovation Institute. Located near the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center and offering ready access to the bustling California economy, Nevada Engineering collaborates with leading tech firms and advance research in robotics, AI, battery technology, aerospace, water systems and sustainable energy.
In Reno, you will find world-class outdoor recreation opportunities — including skiing, hiking, biking and water sports — in nearby Lake Tahoe and throughout the northern Nevada region. Learn more at unr.edu/engineering
Contact Information
Beth Jacobsen at 775-682-8787 or jacobsenb@unr.edu
Exempt
Yes
Full-Time Equivalent
100.0%
Required Attachment(s)
Please note, once you submit your application, the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at jobs@unr.edu.
Please attach the following documents to your application:
Resume/CV
Cover Letter including the candidate’s specialty and motivation for applying.
Contact information for Three Professional References
Research Statement (maximum 8 pages)
Teaching Statement (maximum 2 pages)
This posting is open until filled
Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. This search will close without notice when a sufficient number of applications are received or a hiring decision has been made.
Posting Close Date
06/2/2026
Note to Applicant
A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.
HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.
References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.
Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.
As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.
For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.
Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.
The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes).
About Us
The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.
Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”
Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.
The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.
Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.
In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.
Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.
The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.
Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.
For more information, please visit the University’s website.