Company Description:
The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is a Carnegie R1 and community engaged research university at the heart of the U.S.-Mexico border region that is increasing access to excellent higher education. We advance discovery of public value and positively impact the health, culture, education, and economy of the community we serve. UTEP enrolls 24,000 students – 84% of whom are Hispanic and half of whom are the first in their families to attend college. UTEP offers 170 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs at the only open-access, top-tier research university in America.
The city’s border location makes it an ideal venue for academic programs and research studies on topics of national interest such as bilingual education/language acquisition, Hispanic health disparities, border environment and immigration, environmental sustainability and infrastructure, and international trade and commerce.
Background
Decreasing water security in the U.S. Southwest has driven the need for integrated water resources management and state-of-the-art water treatment technologies to ensure the region’s sustainable future. The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has a long history of advancing research in water-related technologies and management in the desert Southwest, with over 40 researchers dedicated to water-related areas. UTEP is poised to become a leader in water research by leveraging its unique partnerships and innovative approaches to address the complex water challenges of today and tomorrow.
UTEP’s collaboration with El Paso Water (EPWater) and the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility (BGNDRF) provides unparalleled access to facilities, expertise, and real-world applications, distinguishing it from other universities in the United States. UTEP researchers collaborate to solve water resources management problems with regional and international organizations, such as the International Boundary and Water Commission (IWBC). These unique research opportunities are highly sought after by engineering companies and technology start-ups from around the world. Investigators from across UTEP collaborate on water research with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, academic and research institutions, and private enterprises across the water sector and across scales, from international to municipal to households. UTEP is also unique in that the university co-manages the Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, which has been undergoing restoration for 50 years and is the site of numerous educational and research initiatives.
With support from the University of Texas Board of Regents, an interdisciplinary research initiative was created in collaboration with eleven departments across UTEP’s campus, including engineering, natural sciences, and the social sciences. Through this strategic investment, UTEP seeks to hire a nationally recognized individual to lead the growth of this interdisciplinary initiative.
El Paso’s active arts and culture community features the state’s longest-running symphony orchestra, a nationally recognized chamber music festival, a vibrant street art and mural scene, art galleries, museums, and a full schedule of seasonal events and festivals. UTEP adds to the arts and entertainment scene with concerts and live events at the city’s largest indoor and outdoor venues; theater, music and dance productions; contemporary and student art galleries; and a natural history museum and desert gardens. El Paso residents can also easily travel to our sister city of Ciudad Jurez, Mexico, to enjoy great food, markets and cultural events.
El Paso is also an ideal location for people who love the outdoors, as home to one of the nation’s largest urban parks – Franklin Mountains State Park – and many options for year-round hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing.
For sports fans, the UTEP Miners offer exciting Division I college athletics at several campus venues including Sun Bowl Stadium – where one of the oldest football bowl games takes place annually – and the Don Haskins Center arena. Southwest University Park, located a mile away in lively downtown El Paso, is home to the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Triple-A baseball affiliate of the San Diego Padres, and the El Paso Locomotive FC, a professional soccer team founded in 2019.
Job Description:
The University of Texas at El Paso seeks a highly qualified full Professor to join its College of Engineering and play a pivotal role in developing a Regional Water Institute. The faculty member will have the opportunity to be appointed in the Department of Civil Engineering at the rank of full Professor. Faculty hired into the rank of tenured full professor will be given the additional honorific title of Regents’ Distinguished Research Professor.
The Professor is expected to develop and enact the initiative’s vision and mission in collaboration with UTEP leadership and the interdisciplinary faculty that formed this initiative. The position provides an opportunity to unite UTEP’s water experts into a cohesive and collaborative team and lead interdisciplinary projects. The Professor is expected to strengthen existing relationships and better integrate the initiative’s researchers with UTEP’s established regional, national, and global partners. The Professor is expected to conduct research that aligns with the effective execution of duties related to water. This faculty appointment is a 9-month appointment, with summer support for the first three years.
Requirements:
Candidate must have a doctorate in Environmental or Civil Engineering or a related field.
Qualifications
Qualifications for this position include excellent leadership and communication skills and a vision for long-term organizational strategies. A key requirement for this role is the ability to integrate teams effectively. The candidate must have nationally recognized expertise in water research, demonstrated by peer-reviewed articles, citations, H-index, patents, and leadership in professional organizations. The candidate must show the ability to sustain extramural research support from diverse sources and effective mentoring to researchers at undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels. The candidate should be exceptionally skillful at marketing the initiative and its strengths to federal, state, and local government as well as non-government agencies, industry partners, and philanthropists. The candidate should also bring to UTEP a deep and valuable network of government and industry partners.
Additional Information:
In keeping with its access, excellence, and impact mission, The University of Texas at El Paso is committed to an open, diverse, and inclusive learning and working environment that honors the talents, respects the differences, and nurtures the growth and development of all. We seek to attract faculty and staff who share our commitment.
The University of Texas at El Paso is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity in employment or the provision of services in accordance with state and federal law. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes an employee’s or prospective employee’s right to be free from sexual harassment under Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972. Inquiries-including the filing of a Formal Complaint or reporting an incident-about the application of Title IX may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, who can be reached by phone at (915) 747-8358, by email at titleix@utep.edu, or by mail at 500 W. University Ave., El Paso, TX, Kelly Hall, Room 312.
For accommodation information for employees and applicants with disabilities, please contact UTEP’s Equal Opportunity Office at eoaa@utep.edu.
Application Instructions:
Applicants must submit the following: 1) a cover letter describing their interest in the position and their commitment to the Department of Civil Engineering and UTEP mission; 2) a statement of the candidate’s vision for leading the integration of water research at UTEP; 3) a detailed curriculum vita; 4) research statement (up to 3 pages); 5) teaching and mentorship statement (up to 3 pages); and 6) name and complete contact information of five references. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Salary and benefits are highly competitive and based on experience, education, and qualifications. UTEP offers an attractive compensation package.
Review of applications will begin in November and will continue until the position is filled. For information/inquiries regarding the position, please email Dr. Ivonne Santiago at isantiago@utep.edu.