Position Information
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), College of Sciences (COS) Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) invites applications for a tenure-track position in Critical Minerals/Economic Geology at the Assistant Professor rank starting in Fall 2027.
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) is a nationally recognized, top-tier public research university that unites the power of higher education, biomedical discovery and healthcare within one visionary institution. As the third-largest research university in Texas and a Carnegie R1-designated institution, UT San Antonio is a model of access and excellence — advancing knowledge, social mobility and public health across South Texas and beyond. UT San Antonio serves approximately 42,000 students in 320 academic programs spanning science, engineering, medicine, health, liberal arts, AI, cybersecurity, business, education and more. With 17,000 faculty and staff, UT San Antonio has also been recognized as a Top Employer in Texas by Forbes Magazine. Learn more online, on UT San Antonio Today or on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or LinkedIn.
College of Sciences
The College of Sciences (COS) at UT San Antonio is dedicated to innovation and excellence in both the classroom and the laboratory, preparing the next generation of well-educated, highly trained professionals and leaders.
COS offers 17 undergraduate and 14 graduate degree programs across the life and physical sciences. More than 270 faculty in seven academic departments support these programs, making COS the fourth-largest college at UT San Antonio. In Fall 2026, enrollment exceeded 5,200 undergraduates and 410 graduate and post-baccalaureate students.
As a Carnegie R1 institution, COS drives discovery and tackles real-world challenges with approximately
$38 million in annual research expenditures and nearly 200 active projects.
Research strengths span biomedical and health innovation, molecular, chemical and materials discovery, fundamental and applied physical sciences, earth, environmental and planetary systems, mathematical, computational and data sciences, and STEM education and workforce development.
COS collaborates with leading research centers and institutes, including the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Brain Health Consortium, Matrix AI, the Center for Innovative Drug Discovery, and the Center for Space Technology and Operations Research. Faculty distinction is reflected in prestigious honors such as NSF CAREER awards, AAAS Fellowships, membership in the National Academy of Inventors, and leadership roles in professional societies worldwide.
Student success is central to COS. Faculty members have earned the University of Texas Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award, and the COS Student Success Center, founded in 2020, serves as a hub for mentoring, professional development, and community-building. COS students are recognized nationally, with recent recipients of Barry Goldwater Scholarships and NSF Graduate Research Fellowships.
Learn more at the College of Sciences website.
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in the College of Sciences at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) consists of 12 full-time faculty members and offers BS, BA and MS degrees in Geosciences, an MS in Geoinformatics, and a collaborative doctoral degree with Environmental Science and Engineering. Our faculty and students have been recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally for excellence in research.
Salary Range: Commensurate with education, experience, and qualifications.
Job Type: Full Time
Position Summary
We seek candidates whose research addresses fundamental questions about the formation, exploration, extraction and sustainability of mineral resources, broadly defined, on Earth and/or in space. Research may be field-based, analytical, experimental, theoretical, or use geospatial technologies. We seek applicants who will develop an internationally recognized research program, supported by external research funding from federal agencies (e.g., DOE, NASA, NSF, USGS, DOD) and/or industry partners. The successful candidate will also be required to teach courses in their field of expertise, including Mineralogy, and effectively mentor BS, MS and PhD students in their research area.
The successful candidate will complement and expand upon one or more of the department’s existing strengths in geochemistry, geoinformatics, planetary science, volcanology, and water cycle science. This position has broad opportunities for collaboration with faculty in EPS, across UT San Antonio, and with affiliated researchers at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). The UT San Antonio Kleberg Advanced Microscopy Center (KAMC) provides state-of-the-art technology in electron microscopy and advanced material characterization to support world-class research in nanotechnology, biology, chemistry, and materials sciences. The UT San Antonio Research Computing Support Group (RCSG) provides access to high-performance computing architecture for researchers on campus and facilitates use of the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC). Depending on expertise and interest, the candidate may be considered for affiliation with the Center for Advancement Measurements in Extreme Environments (CAMEE), the Center for Data Science, the Center for Space Technology and Operation Research (CSTOR), the Institute for Water Research, Sustainability and Policy (IWRSP), or the Texas Sustainable Research Institute (TSERI).
Qualifications
- Ph.D. or equivalent degree in Geological Sciences, or a related field, by the time of employment.
- A record of scholarship and advancing research in the broad area of economic geology and mineralogy, or a closely related field.
- Demonstrated excellence or strong potential in teaching. The successful candidate will demonstrate the potential to establish an externally funded research program that supports Ph.D. students, and to teach across the curriculum at the graduate and undergraduate levels.
- Demonstrate a commitment to mentoring students at UT San Antonio, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college, and to teaching that gives every student the opportunity to succeed.
- This position may require the ability to maintain the security and integrity of UT San Antonio and its infrastructure per Texas EO-GA-48.
Application Process
To apply, applicants must upload the following:
- A current curriculum vitae.
- Complete contact information for at least three professional references.
- A research statement (2-page limit).
- A teaching statement (2 page limit).
This position will remain open until filled, with a priority deadline of November 15, 2026.
At the discretion of the hiring department, this posting may close once a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.
This position will work primarily on campus. Travel and parking expenses are the employee’s responsibility.
This position is contingent upon a successful background check. Verification of a valid driver’s license and Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) may be completed as applicable. Applicants selected must be able to show proof of eligibility to work in the United States by time of hire.
Equal Employment Opportunity
As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, it is the policy of The University of Texas at San Antonio to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or genetic information, and veteran status. The University is committed to the Affirmative Action Program in compliance with all government requirements to ensure nondiscrimination.
