Adjunct Faculty - Department of Physics and Astronomy

About the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

The college is home to five academic departments: Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Geography and the Environment, Mathematics, and Physics and Astronomy. The college offers over 30 degrees ranging from Bachelor of Arts to Doctor of Philosophy as well as having many active research labs funded through extramural sources. DU and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics are strongly committed to an environment of belonging for all. In alignment with this commitment and regardless of specialization, successful candidates will demonstrate the ability to integrate content, programming, processes, communication, and sentiments to build a welcoming community of learning for all.

About the Department of Physics and Astronomy

The Department of Physics and Astronomy (P&A website) underwent a strong expansion with nine tenure-track and two teaching professor positions filled since 2006. Our diverse and dynamic faculty of 12 includes four women who come from seven different countries. Out of 10 research faculty, there are five NSF CAREER award winners, two Cottrell and Scialog Scholars, and one W.M. Keck Foundation award recipient. Additionally, faculty are supported by DOE, traditional (three-year) funding from NSF and grant awards (R15, RO1) from NIH. We provide an attentive, hands-on research and learning community for undergraduate and graduate students up to the PhD level. The program is recognized by the APS among US PhD-granting departments for our high percentage of female graduates, placing second nationally at the undergraduate level and third at the graduate level (APS data for the period 2011-2013).

Position Summary

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is accepting expressions of interest for adjunct faculty positions in the 2025/26 academic year to teach a variety of courses.  This posting will be utilized to seek applicants for teaching for both adjunct and faculty overload.

Some courses may not be offered, depending on the student interest. Adjunct faculty positions are non-benefitted positions. More information about the courses can be found on the Registrar’s Office schedule of classes: https://www.du.edu/registrar/course/scheduleofclasses.html

Essential Functions

• Teach courses as scheduled
• Create and Maintain course Canvas container
• Assign papers, exams, and other assignments
• Grade in a timely manner
• Hold office hours and meet with students over Zoom or in person

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to teach classes in different modalities (in-person, hybrid, and online) at both undergraduate and graduate levels
• Ability to work collegially and collaboratively with internal and external constituencies
• Ability to communicate with different audiences

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Physics (for all courses) or Astronomy (for the astronomy 1000-level courses)

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. degree in Physics (for all courses) or Astronomy (for the astronomy 1000-level courses)

Work Schedule

While the University's administrative offices are open Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, faculty schedules vary from term to term and are based on courses taught, service commitments, and research agendas. The University's academic calendars are posted on the registrar's website (the law school is on a semester system and has a different academic calendar).

Application Deadline

For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MDT) on February 18, 2026.

Special Instructions

Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Course Rate

The course rate is $4,952 for Master's degree and $6,189 for PhD degree. 

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market