Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling

Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling

Position Information

• Faculty Title: Assistant Professor
• Job Class Code: 10031
• FLSA: Exempt
• Posting Number: FRGV2085
• Number of Vacancies: 1
• Location: Edinburg, Texas
• Division/Organization: Provost - Academic Affairs
• Appointment Period for Non-Tenure Position:
• Tenure Status: Tenure Track
• FTE: 1.0

Scope of Job

We are seeking applicants dedicated to serving The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s student body as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling starting in 2027-2028 academic year. The Assistant Professor will be on the Edinburg campus.

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 Teaching. 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 mission of the CACREP-accredited Master of Education (MEd) in Counseling is to prepare highly competent professionals who can respond to the mental health needs of individuals across the lifespan in a multicultural community. Preparation of the profession counselor is accomplished through completion of a 60-hour degree in Counseling with specializations in Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling. The vision of the Department of Counseling is to be the catalyst for the education and mental well-being of individuals, families, communities, the region, and our society-at-large through thoughtful, culturally sustaining partnerships with communities, mental health facilities, and schools, thereby demonstrating responsiveness to the mental health needs to the people of the Rio Grande Valley.

The individual selected for this position will be expected to maintain a high-quality record of research and scholarship that projects a clear, coherent, and independent identity as a scholar. They will be expected to maintain a consistent and increasing record of research accomplishments, make progress toward a national reputation, sustain a research agenda with potential for continued trajectory, and demonstrate the quality and impact of their research and scholarship. Also, the individual selected for this position will provide direct instruction to MEd students in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling and may include supervision of practicum or internship students. Summer teaching is optional and dependent on enrollment. Additionally, the individual will engage in institutional service through participation in program activities and processes such as admissions, advising, orientation, and assisting graduate students with license requirements (CACREP, Texas Department of Health and Human Services) or certification requirements (Texas Education Agency) including maintenance of records and assessments. The individual will participate in faculty and departmental activities and serve the public, profession and constituencies of the department, college, and university as approved/assigned.

Tenure-track faculty in the Department of Counseling are expected to maintain a strong counselor identity through:

1. sustained memberships in professional counseling organizations,
2. the maintenance of professional counseling credentials related to their counseling specialty area(s),
3. research and scholarly activities (peer-reviewed research materials), and
4. by showing evidence of at least one of the following: (a) professional development and renewal activities related to counseling, (b) professional service and advocacy in counseling, and © on-going counseling practice.

In addition, UTRGV faculty are expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to student success and to advancing the university, college, and program missions, as well as a commitment to UTRGV’s guiding principles. http://www.utrgv.edu/cg/

Minimum Qualifications

• Have an earned doctoral degree in counselor education (ABD will be considered but degree must be conferred before start date) or
• Have a related doctoral degree and have been employed as a full-time faculty member in a counselor education program for a minimum of one full academic year before July 1, 2013, or
• Have sustained memberships in professional counseling organizations
• Have relevant professional counseling credentials such as licensure, eligible for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas, or a Certified School Counselor
• Show evidence of sustained professional engagement through research and scholarly activity (peer-review research materials) in counseling
• Show evidence of at least one of the following: (a) professional development and renewal activities related to counseling, (b) professional service and advocacy in counseling, or © ongoing counseling practice.

Discipline Specific Required Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

• Have an earned doctoral degree in counselor education from a CACREP-accredited program
• Demonstrated record of successful teaching in graduate-level counseling courses
• Demonstrated potential for scholarship.
• Experience in direct supervision of practicum or internship students as a counselor educator
• Experience and licensure as a clinical mental health counselor or a certified school counselor
• Experience with technology and software platforms for facilitating digital clinical records and processes
• License or Certification Required?: Yes
• Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience.
• Desired Start Date: 09/01/2027

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.

• Open Date: 10/26/2026
• Close Date:

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

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. 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.

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

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.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

1. Letter of Interest
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Certifications and Licenses
4. Reference Letter 1
5. Reference Letter 2
6. Reference Letter 3
7. Unofficial Transcripts
8. Unofficial Graduate Transcripts
9. Teaching Philosophy
10. Writing / Publication Sample
11. Research Statement
12. State Licensure

Optional Documents

1. Training Certificates
2. Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness