Assistant Professor in Reading and/or Literacy

Faculty Title Assistant Professor

Job Class Code 10031

FLSA Exempt

Posting Number FRGV1741

Working Title Assistant Professor in Reading and/or Literacy

Number of Vacancies 1

Location Rio Grande Valley

Division/Organization Provost – Academic Affairs

Appointment Period for Non-Tenure Position 

Tenure Status Tenure Track

FTE 1.0

Scope of Job 

We seek applicants who are dedicated to serving The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s student body as an Assistant Professor of Reading and/or Literacy beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year.

About UTRGV:

UTRGV serves the Rio Grande Valley and beyond via an innovative and unique multicultural education dedicated to student access and success. By championing leading research, healthcare, and application of university discoveries, we support sustainable development, community engagement, and well-being. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is committed to building and sustaining a highly qualified and talented faculty to pursue excellence in everything that we do, including teaching, research, and service.

Drawing on our unique identity as the leading Hispanic-Serving Institution in a bilingual and bicultural environment, UTRGV will promote student access and success by building from strength in education and creating a vibrant campus experience. By 2027, we will accelerate transformation in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond by driving meaningful advancements in research and creative works, expanding access to high-quality and affordable healthcare, and fostering authentic community engagement and integration.

UTRGV is a distributed campus, one university spanning four counties and multiple locations. Our purpose is to be a university for the entire Rio Grande Valley and beyond. Over 91% of the students enrolled at UTRGV identify as Hispanic, making UTRGV one of the top 3 universities with the highest percentage of Hispanic students. For additional information, please visit UTRGV website.

About the College of Education and P-16 Integration

The College of Education and P-16 Integration offers teacher preparation at the undergraduate level and, master’s programs in Counseling, School Psychology, Special Education, Educational Technology, Educational Leadership, Early Childhood, Reading and Literacy, Bilingual Education, Curriculum and Instruction, and Teacher Leadership. Two Ed.D.s are also offered in educational leadership and curriculum and instruction with several specialization areas. The College of Education and P-16 Integration is fully accredited by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), by the Counsel for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

For more information about the College of Education and P-16 Integration, please see the following website: https://www.utrgv.edu/cep/

Department Background

The Department of Bilingual and Literacy Studies offers programs designed to support the education of diverse students in monolingual, bilingual and multilingual settings. Our faculty and students are committed to understanding the linguistic and literacy strengths of traditionally underserved populations, examining the educational needs of children in these communities, and designing and implementing curriculum, instruction, and policy that will support their language and literacy achievement. The successful candidates will teach graduate and undergraduate reading and literacy courses across a range of initial teacher certification and advanced degree programs. In addition to teaching, faculty are expected to maintain an active research agenda in literacy, preferably with a focus on Latinx and linguistically diverse learners. Other responsibilities include participating in college performance assessment activities and providing service and outreach to the university and the profession. Candidates should have expertise in one or more of the following areas: literacy assessment, reading comprehension, and/or working with marginalized or linguistically diverse learners.

For more information about our department, please visit our website: https://www.utrgv.edu/cep/schools-and-departments/department-of-bilingual-and-literacy-studies/

• Minimum Qualifications
• Candidates must hold an earned doctoral degree from an accredited institution in literacy, reading, or a strongly related field with at least 18 hours of graduate work in literacy/reading. If transcripts do not reveal this focus, candidates may explain in their cover letters how the courses taken address these fields.
• Candidates who are ABD must have their doctoral degrees conferred by time of hire.
• Candidates must be capable of teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in person and online.
• Candidates must show productivity or potential in scholarship and grant acquisition.

Discipline Specific Required Qualifications

• Preferred Qualifications
• Have strong backgrounds in multiculturalism and linguistics
• Have multilingual/bilingual/ESL qualifications or credentials;
• Have at least three years of full-time teaching experience in public schools;
• Demonstrate a commitment to school partnerships and community initiatives.

License or Certification Required? Yes

Salary Commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Desired Start Date 09/01/2025

EEO StatementIt is the policy of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to promote and ensure equal employment opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or protected veteran status. In accordance with the requirements of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, our University is committed to comply with all government requirements and ensures non-discrimination in its education programs and activities, including employment. We encourage women, minorities and differently abled persons to apply for employment positions of interest.

Open Date 10/23/2024

Close Date 01/15/2025

Additional Information 

UTRGV is a distributed institution. As such and as assigned, the position may require presence at multiple locations throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Work is performed primarily in a general office environment. This position is security sensitive and thereby subject to the provisions of the Texas Education Code §51.215. The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Special Instructions to Applicants 

All applications must be submitted via the UTRGV application portal at http://careers.utrgv.edu. Complete all sections on the application. If you are applying for the first time, please complete all biographical information including address, email and phone number. You may update this at any time by selecting to edit your profile in the application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Security sensitive: All UTRGV employees are required to have a criminal background check (CBC). CBCs will be conducted for all candidates invited for an on-campus interview.

Please NoteTexas law requires faculty members whose primary language is not English to demonstrate proficiency in English as determined by a satisfactory paper-based test score of 500 (computer-based of 173 or internet-based of 61) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a satisfactory test score of 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Incomplete applications will not be considered. All positions are subject to budget approval.

Quick Linkhttps://careers.utrgv.edu/postings/44825

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