Physics Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Kentucky
Physics visa sponsorship jobs in Kentucky are concentrated around research institutions like the University of Kentucky in Lexington and the University of Louisville, alongside federal contractors and advanced manufacturing employers in the region. Roles span research physics, applied optics, and instrumentation. International physicists typically pursue sponsorship through H-1B or O-1 visa pathways with these employers.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
The Department of Physics, Geology, and Engineering Technology (PGET) at Northern Kentucky University invites applications for a tenure-track position in engineering physics to begin August 2026. The PGET department is housed within the College of Arts & Sciences and has 11 tenured/tenure-track faculty members and four full-time teaching faculty who serve nearly 250 students that are majoring in at least one of its programs. The engineering physics program was launched in 2019 and has grown to 30 majors who are currently taught by faculty from the physics and the engineering technology programs. This new tenure line will be the first position dedicated to serving the engineering physics program. A readiness review has been submitted to ABET with the goal of achieving accreditation for the engineering physics program in 2027. The entire department, including the engineering physics program, will be housed in the newly renovated Herrmann Science Center and its expansion, which are due to be completed in spring 2027.
Our new colleague is expected to be effective in all three areas of professional responsibilities at NKU: teaching, research, and service. This includes leading engaging introductory physics courses, teaching upper-division courses in the engineering physics curriculum with a student-centered focus, and enriching student experiences through involvement in co-curricular activities. Undergraduate research opportunities are highly valued within the department, and our new colleague will be expected to provide research experiences to undergraduate students by involving them in scholarship and mentoring senior capstone projects. Our new colleague also will be expected to develop and cultivate relationships with employers in support of student professional development. Tenure-track faculty members also engage in service activities at all levels of the university. Any research expertise or specialization within engineering physics will be considered as long as it will lead to a productive research program at NKU, involve students, and engage the northern Kentucky community and greater Cincinnati region more broadly. Our new colleague will have opportunities to engage in K-12 outreach, to participate in student recruitment, and to help shape the engineering physics program. This is an on-campus position.
NKU is a comprehensive regional university of approximately 15,000 students located seven miles from downtown Cincinnati, OH in an area offering an outstanding quality of life. It is near a variety of natural areas and is a nationally recognized metropolitan university committed to active engagement with the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region of nearly two million people. The university serves traditional students who enroll directly after high school, post-traditional students, and working adults. NKU has a large population of students who commute, and only 20 percent of NKU students are full-time, undergraduates who live on campus. The university has been recognized as one of America’s most military-friendly and disability-friendly schools.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities for this position include the following:
- Teach introductory physics courses, some of which are in the general education curriculum
- Teach advanced upper-level courses in the engineering physics major, including development of courses in the hire’s area of expertise if they are not already part of the curriculum
- Establish a productive research program that involves NKU’s undergraduate students
- Mentor engineering physics capstone projects
- Disseminate results from research at conferences and in suitable journals
- Serve as a career mentor for students, including helping them find research and professional experiences at other institutions
- Establish or grow professional connections in industry, government, and academia
- Contribute to curriculum oversight, assessment, and continuous program improvement which are required for ABET accreditation
- Participate in service activities at various organizational levels of the university, within the profession, and in the community
QUALIFICATIONS
Required qualifications:
- Doctorate in engineering physics, a doctorate in applied physics, or a combination of graduate degrees such as one in physics and one in engineering where one of them is at the doctorate level
- Commitment to teaching excellence at the undergraduate level and qualified to teach in the engineering physics program
- Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain a productive research program in engineering physics that can involve undergraduate students
- Excellence in written and oral communication
Preferred qualifications:
- Effective teaching experience in introductory and advanced engineering physics courses
- Demonstrated understanding of and compassion towards the needs of the student population served by NKU
- Proven record of peer-reviewed, scholarly research in engineering physics
- Active advocate for the fields of physics, engineering, and engineering physics
- Demonstrated involvement in student organizations
- Experience with ABET accreditation activities
- Track record of industry engagement
- Prior involvement in K-12 outreach
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Review of applications will begin on January 2, 2026. All interested, qualified persons must apply for this position online at http://jobs.NKU.edu and will be asked to provide the following documents in PDF format.
- Cover letter outlining qualifications and interests
- Detailed curriculum vitae
- Statement of teaching philosophy, including how laboratory exercises and evidence-based instructional practices fit in
- A description of current research and plans for future research, including how undergraduate students will be incorporated into the research program
- Unofficial copies of graduate transcripts
- List of three references with contact information
Any candidate who is offered this position will be required to go through a pre-employment criminal background check as mandated by state law.
MINIMUM EDUCATION
A doctoral degree in engineering physics, a doctoral degree in applied physics, or a combination of graduate degrees in physics and in engineering with at least one at the doctoral level
PREFERRED EDUCATION
A doctoral degree in engineering physics
INTRODUCTION
The Department of Physics, Geology, and Engineering Technology (PGET) at Northern Kentucky University invites applications for a tenure-track position in engineering physics to begin August 2026. The PGET department is housed within the College of Arts & Sciences and has 11 tenured/tenure-track faculty members and four full-time teaching faculty who serve nearly 250 students that are majoring in at least one of its programs. The engineering physics program was launched in 2019 and has grown to 30 majors who are currently taught by faculty from the physics and the engineering technology programs. This new tenure line will be the first position dedicated to serving the engineering physics program. A readiness review has been submitted to ABET with the goal of achieving accreditation for the engineering physics program in 2027. The entire department, including the engineering physics program, will be housed in the newly renovated Herrmann Science Center and its expansion, which are due to be completed in spring 2027.
Our new colleague is expected to be effective in all three areas of professional responsibilities at NKU: teaching, research, and service. This includes leading engaging introductory physics courses, teaching upper-division courses in the engineering physics curriculum with a student-centered focus, and enriching student experiences through involvement in co-curricular activities. Undergraduate research opportunities are highly valued within the department, and our new colleague will be expected to provide research experiences to undergraduate students by involving them in scholarship and mentoring senior capstone projects. Our new colleague also will be expected to develop and cultivate relationships with employers in support of student professional development. Tenure-track faculty members also engage in service activities at all levels of the university. Any research expertise or specialization within engineering physics will be considered as long as it will lead to a productive research program at NKU, involve students, and engage the northern Kentucky community and greater Cincinnati region more broadly. Our new colleague will have opportunities to engage in K-12 outreach, to participate in student recruitment, and to help shape the engineering physics program. This is an on-campus position.
NKU is a comprehensive regional university of approximately 15,000 students located seven miles from downtown Cincinnati, OH in an area offering an outstanding quality of life. It is near a variety of natural areas and is a nationally recognized metropolitan university committed to active engagement with the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region of nearly two million people. The university serves traditional students who enroll directly after high school, post-traditional students, and working adults. NKU has a large population of students who commute, and only 20 percent of NKU students are full-time, undergraduates who live on campus. The university has been recognized as one of America’s most military-friendly and disability-friendly schools.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities for this position include the following:
- Teach introductory physics courses, some of which are in the general education curriculum
- Teach advanced upper-level courses in the engineering physics major, including development of courses in the hire’s area of expertise if they are not already part of the curriculum
- Establish a productive research program that involves NKU’s undergraduate students
- Mentor engineering physics capstone projects
- Disseminate results from research at conferences and in suitable journals
- Serve as a career mentor for students, including helping them find research and professional experiences at other institutions
- Establish or grow professional connections in industry, government, and academia
- Contribute to curriculum oversight, assessment, and continuous program improvement which are required for ABET accreditation
- Participate in service activities at various organizational levels of the university, within the profession, and in the community
QUALIFICATIONS
Required qualifications:
- Doctorate in engineering physics, a doctorate in applied physics, or a combination of graduate degrees such as one in physics and one in engineering where one of them is at the doctorate level
- Commitment to teaching excellence at the undergraduate level and qualified to teach in the engineering physics program
- Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain a productive research program in engineering physics that can involve undergraduate students
- Excellence in written and oral communication
Preferred qualifications:
- Effective teaching experience in introductory and advanced engineering physics courses
- Demonstrated understanding of and compassion towards the needs of the student population served by NKU
- Proven record of peer-reviewed, scholarly research in engineering physics
- Active advocate for the fields of physics, engineering, and engineering physics
- Demonstrated involvement in student organizations
- Experience with ABET accreditation activities
- Track record of industry engagement
- Prior involvement in K-12 outreach
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Review of applications will begin on January 2, 2026. All interested, qualified persons must apply for this position online at http://jobs.NKU.edu and will be asked to provide the following documents in PDF format.
- Cover letter outlining qualifications and interests
- Detailed curriculum vitae
- Statement of teaching philosophy, including how laboratory exercises and evidence-based instructional practices fit in
- A description of current research and plans for future research, including how undergraduate students will be incorporated into the research program
- Unofficial copies of graduate transcripts
- List of three references with contact information
Any candidate who is offered this position will be required to go through a pre-employment criminal background check as mandated by state law.
MINIMUM EDUCATION
A doctoral degree in engineering physics, a doctoral degree in applied physics, or a combination of graduate degrees in physics and in engineering with at least one at the doctoral level
PREFERRED EDUCATION
A doctoral degree in engineering physics
Physics Job Roles in Kentucky
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Search Physics Jobs in KentuckyPhysics Jobs in Kentucky: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies and institutions sponsor visas for physicists in Kentucky?
The University of Kentucky and University of Louisville are the most consistent sponsors for physics roles in the state, hiring researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty. Federal contractors supporting defense and materials science work in the Louisville and Lexington areas also appear in H-1B disclosure data. Smaller employers include private research labs and advanced manufacturing firms with instrumentation or optics divisions.
Which visa types are most common for physics roles in Kentucky?
The H-1B is the most commonly used visa for physics positions in Kentucky, covering roles that require at least a bachelor's degree in a specific technical field. Physicists with exceptional records in research may qualify for the O-1A, which does not require employer sponsorship through the lottery. J-1 visas are frequently used for postdoctoral researchers at Kentucky universities, though they do not lead directly to permanent residence.
Which cities in Kentucky have the most physics sponsorship jobs?
Lexington and Louisville account for the majority of physics-related sponsorship activity in Kentucky. Lexington is anchored by the University of Kentucky and nearby research facilities, while Louisville supports physics-adjacent roles through its university system and manufacturing sector. Smaller research activity exists near federal installations in western Kentucky, though sponsorship opportunities there are more limited and less frequently listed.
How to find physics visa sponsorship jobs in Kentucky?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for employers willing to sponsor work visas, making it easier to identify physics roles in Kentucky without sorting through positions that exclude international candidates. You can search by role type and state to surface university research positions, applied physics roles, and instrumentation jobs in Lexington, Louisville, and surrounding areas. Checking listings regularly matters, since research and academic postings open on academic hiring cycles.
Are there any Kentucky-specific considerations for physicists seeking visa sponsorship?
Kentucky's physics job market is closely tied to academic and research cycles, so hiring windows at institutions like the University of Kentucky tend to follow semester timelines. Employers sponsoring H-1B visas must pay the Department of Labor prevailing wage for the role and location, which for physics positions in Kentucky reflects regional benchmarks rather than coastal rates. Physicists with backgrounds in materials science, optics, or nuclear instrumentation may find more employer options given the state's manufacturing and federal contracting presence.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored physics jobs in Kentucky?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.
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