Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Coastal Physical Oceanography

School of Marine Science and Policy, College of Earth, Ocean and Environment

University of Delaware
Newark, DE

Starting Date: 2026-2027 academic year

The School of Marine Science and Policy (SMSP) seeks to hire a tenure-track coastal physical oceanographer with research interests in estuaries, continental shelves, or the interface between coastal and open oceans. We seek candidates with research interests from any area of coastal physical oceanography, including a broad set of processes and varying scales: turbulence and mixing, meso- and submesoscale dynamics, boundary layers, shelf-wide circulation and property budgets, and the impact of climate on the coastal ocean, among others. Applications of candidates that integrate field observations, theory, or numerical modeling are welcome.

SMSP offers an interdisciplinary environment with graduate programs in Physical Ocean Science & Engineering, Oceanography, Marine Biosciences, and Marine Policy,  and an undergraduate program in Marine Science, with concentrations in Oceanography and Marine Biosciences. We expect the candidate to be highly collaborative across our existing physical, chemical, geological, biological, and marine policy disciplines. SMSP is situated on the main campus in Newark and the coastal campus in Lewes, which together offer convenient access to state-of-the-art marine research facilities as well as coastal and estuarine environments in the Mid-Atlantic region.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop and maintain a robust externally funded research program, support graduate students, and contribute to the broader research, teaching, and service missions of SMSP. The candidate’s teaching responsibilities in SMSP’s undergraduate and graduate programs include courses in physical oceanography (e.g., geophysical fluid dynamics) and general marine sciences.

A PhD (or equivalent) in physical oceanography or a closely related field is required. Successful candidates are expected to have an excellent research record and a strong commitment to teaching and mentoring at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Application Process

Applicants should upload a letter of application, curriculum vitae, contact information for three references, and research and teaching statements. Applicants are encouraged to review the statement of values at the University of Delaware (https://www.udel.edu/about/values/) as they inform our approach to UD’s research, teaching, and community engagement activities. Inquiries regarding this position may be addressed to Professor Tobias Kukulka, SMSP (kukulka@udel.edu).

Review of applications will begin on December 19, 2025 and will continue until the position is filled. Compensation packages are highly competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. The UD benefits package is one of the best in the nation.

The University of Delaware is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or status as a protected veteran, as well as any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. For the University’s complete non-discrimination statement, please visit www.udel.edu/aboutus/legalnotices.html.