Building, Architecture, Outdoors, City, Aerial View, Urban, Office Building, Cityscape
Red and White Tulips and the UW Crest

Scientist I

Scientist I

  • JR10011999
  • Hybrid
  • Madison, Wisconsin
  • Research
  • Full time
  • Closing at: Jul 2 2026 - 11:00pm CDT
View favorites

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Scientist I

Job Summary:

This position will involve the design and development of novel AI methods, especially self-supervised learning techniques used for training large-scale foundation models, tailored for fundamental physics analyses. The successful candidate will have a strong interest in multidisciplinary and theoretical work, particularly across the areas of High-Energy Physics (HEP), astrophysics, cosmology, statistics, and machine learning. The candidate will work closely with Prof. Pettee, leading new research directions and supporting the cohesion and mentorship of the team. 

The work schedule is flexible and will be determined at the time of hire. This position is in-person and eligible for a partially remote schedule.

Key Job Responsibilities:

  • Conducts literature reviews, prepares reports and materials, and disseminates information to appropriate entities
  • Assists with the identification of research problems and the development of research methodologies and procedures
  • Writes or assists in developing grant applications and proposals to secure research funding
  • Attends and assists with the facilitation of scholarly events and presentations in support of continued professional development and the dissemination of research information
  • Serves as a main point of contact and liaison with internal and external stakeholders providing information and representing the interests of a specialized research area
  • Collects and analyzes research data, conducts experiments and interviews, and documents results according to established policies and procedures under general supervision and limited responsibility

Department:

College of Letters & Science, Physics, High Energy

https://www.physics.wisc.edu/

Compensation:

The expected salary range for this position is $60,000 up to $80,000 for highly experienced candidates. Actual pay within this range will depend on experience and qualifications. 

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Please review the summary of benefits for more information.

Required Qualifications:

  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills
  • Mentorship & leadership experience
  • Demonstrated ability to lead independent, peer-reviewed research work at the intersection of AI and physics
  • Fluency in at least one machine learning language (e.g. PyTorch)

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Research experience in projects that merge disciplines in fundamental physics 
  • Training and/or published research in theoretical physics
  • Training and/or published research in data science & machine learning
  • Domain expertise in high-energy physics and/or astrophysics 

Education:

PhD in physics or related fields (especially computer science, data science, statistics, applied math), required

How to Apply:

Click the "Apply" button to start the application process. 

 

To be considered for this recruitment, you must upload: 

-Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)  

-Cover Letter 

 

The materials should address your experience relating to the qualifications referenced above. 

 

There is only one attachment field; please upload all application materials here. All listed application materials must be submitted for your application to be considered. Please submit only the materials specified; additional materials will not be reviewed. 

Contact Information:

Rachel Mattingly, rachel.mattingly@wisc.edu, 608-262-7970

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information. 

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. 
 
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). 
 
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.

Apply Now

Are you a current employee at any 
University of Wisconsin campus?

I am a current employee

I am not a current employee

Log in to Jobs Hub to apply:

Please search for requisition JR10011999 in Workday Jobs Hub to get started.

Log in to Workday