Role overview

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Applicants who wish to have incumbency considered must declare it during the application process.

Course Information:

Course descriptions can be viewed on the Undergraduate and Graduate Studies Academic Calendars

Undergraduate studies - Academic Calendar

Graduate studies - Academic Calendar

Appointment Start Date:
2026-12-16

Appointment End Date:
2027-04-30

Number of Appointments:
1

Posting Information:

Key Responsibilities:

Course Development and Delivery:

Deliver engaging and informative lectures, seminars, and tutorials that align with the course outline and objectives.
Utilize various teaching methods and technologies to enhance student learning and participation, to comply with accessibility requirements, and to address the diversity of the material.
Design and develop course materials, if required, in alignment with the established curriculum, including syllabi, lecture notes, presentations, and reading lists.

Assessment and Evaluation:

Create, administer, and grade assignments, exams, projects, and other assessments.
Provide clear assessment criteria
Provide clear and constructive feedback to students on their performance.
Maintain student grades ensuring appropriate access and privacy.

Student Support:

Hold regular office hours to provide academic support and guidance to students.
Respond to student inquiries and concerns in a timely and professional manner.
Foster a supportive and inclusive classroom environment that encourages student engagement and collaboration.

Collaboration and Communication:

Work collaboratively with department faculty and staff to ensure course content and delivery meet academic standards.
Participate in meetings where appropriate and contribute to curriculum development and improvement.
Communicate effectively with students, colleagues, and university administration.

Administrative Duties:

Oversee the work assigned to graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants.
Complete administrative tasks related to course management, such as submitting grades by the Registrar’s Office deadline and prior to the end of the appointment, and maintaining course records to be provided to the hiring unit at the end of the appointment.
Adhere to university policies and procedures regarding academic integrity, grading, student conduct, accessibility and student information including Policies 33, 46, 70, and 71.
Coordinate course logistics, including scheduling of course support.
Complete training required for the position as specified by the University and/or the hiring unit.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Organizational Skills: Ability to manage course materials, assessments, and student records efficiently.
Student Engagement: Ability to engage and motivate students, fostering a positive learning environment.
Inclusivity: Ability to recognize and address the diverse needs of students, including cultural, linguistic, and learning differences, and to implement inclusive teaching practices
Professionalism: Adherence to university policies and procedures, including academic integrity and student conduct.

Education:
A PhD in Physics or a closely related discipline

Experience/Qualifications:
Applicants should possess the following:
Previous teaching, instructional, or teaching assistant experience in undergraduate physics, computational physics, scientific computing, or related courses; specific experience with PHYS 349 or a comparable advanced computational physics course is considered an asset, including other computational courses from our Physics curriculum: PHYS 249, PHYS 267
Previous experience teaching computationally intensive or interdisciplinary physics courses is considered highly beneficial
Demonstrated record of professionalism, reliability, and good standing within previous instructional or academic appointments
Demonstrated ability to maintain consistent instructional standards, prepare course materials in a timely manner, and uphold fairness and academic integrity across all students, tutorials, and/or course sections
Strong mathematical and computational background in numerical methods, differential equations, Fourier methods, Monte Carlo techniques, and scientific modelling
Advanced proficiency in Python and scientific computing libraries and tools used for numerical analysis, simulation, visualization, and data analysis
Demonstrated ability to communicate complex interdisciplinary concepts clearly and effectively to undergraduate students
Experience developing instructional materials, tutorials, assignments, computational exercises, or online learning resources aligned with course learning objectives
Demonstrated engagement with evidence-based teaching practices, instructional development, pedagogical training, or university teaching and learning initiatives is considered an asset
Strong commitment to inclusive, supportive, and student-centered teaching practices
Experience mentoring students from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds is considered an asset

Department or School Name:Physics & Astronomy

Department Head Name:David Hawthorn

Campus:Waterloo

Delivery Mode:In-person

Course Credit Weight:0.5

Audience:Undergraduate

Wage Rate: $9688.93

Anticipated Enrolment #:75

Enrolment Cap #:75

TA Support:Yes

Co-Teaching:No

Special Topics Course:No

New Course Development:No

Signficiant Course Development:No

Course-Specific Information:
Strong background in computational physics and numerical methods, including numerical solutions of differential equations, Monte Carlo methods, and Fourier transforms
Extensive experience programming in Python and applying computational methods to the solution of physical problems
Experience with computational applications across a broad range of physics, such as astrophysics, electricity and magnetism, classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, and related areas
Familiarity with numerical linear algebra, optimization, data analysis, scientific visualization, and computational modelling is considered highly beneficial
Familiarity with machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques and their applications to physics and scientific computing
Experience with commonly used Python scientific computing and machine learning libraries, such as NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib, pandas, scikit-learn, or equivalent tools, is considered an asset
Ability to develop, support, and update computational assignments, programming exercises, projects, tutorials, and assessments appropriate for an advanced undergraduate computational physics course
Experience helping students develop effective scientific programming practices, including algorithm design, numerical validation, debugging, interpretation of computational results, and reproducible computational workflows
Familiarity with modern pedagogical approaches for computational STEM instruction, including scaffolded programming activities, computational demonstrations, project-based learning, and formative assessment, is considered an asset
Ability to support technology-enhanced course delivery, including computational notebooks, coding environments, digital assessments, and learning management systems
Ability to coordinate effectively with instructional teams and teaching assistants
Availability to support student consultation outside lecture hours through office hours and online communication platforms

Equity Statement

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is coordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.