Assistant Professor in ESL/Bilingual Education

Assistant Professor in ESL/Bilingual Education

Job Class Code: 10031
FLSA: Exempt
Posting Number: FRGV1444
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 diverse student body as an Assistant Professor in ESL/Bilingual Education at the Department of Bilingual and Literacy Studies beginning in the 2023-2024 academic year. The successful candidate will teach graduate and undergraduate bilingual education and/or ESL courses across a range of initial teacher certification and advanced degree programs. This may include in-person, online synchronous and online asynchronous formats and some travel between our multiple campus locations. Summer teaching opportunities may be available. In addition to teaching, faculty are expected to maintain an active research agenda in bilingual education, ESL education and/or related fields, preferably with a focus on Latinx learners. Other responsibilities include participating in department and/or college performance assessment activities and committees, and providing service and outreach to the university, the profession, and the community.

About UTRGV: It is UTRGV's Vision “To be one of the nation's leaders in higher education, its premier Hispanic-serving institution, and a highly engaged bilingual university, with exceptional educational, research, and creative opportunities that serve as catalysts for transformation in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.” As such, UTRGV is committed to building a diverse faculty and staff that can contribute to an enriching learning environment that strives for more equitable outcomes for student success.
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 our website
The College of Education and P-16 Integration is a catalyst for educational success for individuals, families, communities, the region, and our society at large. We do this through thoughtful, culturally sustaining partnerships with our schools and communities, demonstrating responsiveness to a growing bilingual and biliterate population. As such, we are committed to excellence and innovation in teaching, research, and service.

The mission of the College of Education and P-16 Integration is:

• Provide rigorous programs of study founded on the belief that scholarship and life experience are strengthened when integrated, that diversity in all its manifestations is a fundamental component of excellence in education, and that partnerships that foster authentic social and community engagement are vital;
• Engage in continuous improvement through curricular and technological innovation in order to remain responsive to the changing educational and global reality;
• Develop highly effective, multiculturally responsive and sustaining innovative scholars, learning leaders, and education professionals who challenge the status quo and serve as change agents, making a difference by promoting social justice, embracing diversity in its broadest definition, inspiring thought leadership, and pursuing life-long learning; and
• Lead through evidence-based decision making and data literacy in order to share our story with the academic and broader research communities, as well as our public school partners, families, and policy makers.

The College of Education and P-16 Integration offers initial teacher certification programs at the elementary level in bilingual education, ESL education, special education, and early childhood, as well as programs in various secondary disciplines. We also have master's programs in Bilingual Education, Reading and Literacy, Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education, School Psychology, and Counseling. The College of Education and P-16 Integration is fully accredited by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and is pursuing national accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

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.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Candidates must hold an earned doctoral degree from an accredited institution in bilingual education/ESL or a strongly related field with at least 18 hours of graduate work in bilingual education/ESL. 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 Qualification:

• Be bilingual and biliterate, with Spanish/English preference.
• Have at least three years of teaching experience in public schools with linguistically diverse populations.
• Demonstrate a commitment to school partnerships and community initiatives.
• Research agenda focused in one of the following areas: Quantitative or mixed methods; emergent bilinguals and content area instruction (i.e., math, science, social studies, or other); and/or language and linguistics.

Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience.
License or Certification Required?: No
Number of Vacancies: 1
Desired Start Date: 09/01/2023

EEO Statement:
EEO Statement
It 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.
Diversity Statement
UTRGV is a Hispanic-serving Institution dedicated to student success and building a diverse faculty committed to working in a multicultural environment. UTRGV has an NSF ADVANCE grant to increase the representation of women in STEM fields and to promote a positive, family friendly workplace for all faculty. We strongly encourage applications from women and minorities.

Open Date: 11/01/2022

Special Instructions to Applicants:
Dear Applicant,

Human Resources will not be held responsible for redacting any confidential information from the documents you attach with your application. The confidential information includes the following:

* Date of Birth
* Social Security Number
* Gender
* Ethnicity/Race

Please make sure that you omit this information prior to submission. We are advising that Human Resources will be forwarding your application to the department as per your submission.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley reserves the right to discontinue accepting applications prior to the stated close date of this position, after meeting the posting requirement of three (3) calendar days.
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.

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.

Please Note:
Texas 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.

To apply, visit https://careers.utrgv.edu/postings/36294 jeid-a81ea90397974d42b2d50bd5bd5c8594