Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice (Courts, Law, and Judicial Studies)

Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice (Courts, Law, and
Judicial Studies)/College of Liberal Arts

Job Class Code: 10031

FLSA: Exempt

Posting Number: FRGV2057

Location: Rio Grande Valley, Texas

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
Criminal Justice beginning in the 2027-2028 academic year.

The Department of Criminal Justice invites applications for one
full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
(Courts, Law, and Judicial Studies). Areas of interest may include
courts and judicial processes, criminal law and procedure,
sentencing, prosecution and defense, plea bargaining, bail and
pretrial justice, judicial decision-making, specialty and
problem-solving courts, wrongful convictions, legal
decision-making, court policy and reform, or related areas. The
successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses
within the candidate's area of specialization and core Criminal
Justice courses as departmental needs require, with opportunities
to teach in both Traditional and Accelerated Online graduate
formats.

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.

Department/College BackgroundThe Department of
Criminal Justice is part of the College of Liberal Arts at The
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and is one of the
University's largest departments. The Department offers the
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ) and the Master of
Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ), including Traditional and
Accelerated Online pathways. Fall 2025 BSCJ enrollment was
approximately 2,245 students, and Fall 2025 MSCJ enrollment was
approximately 90 students. Faculty are based primarily on the
Edinburg and Brownsville campuses and support undergraduate and
graduate education, research, professional engagement, and
community partnerships.

Minimum Qualifications:

A Ph.D. in Criminology, Criminal Justice, or a closely related
field is required. Advanced ABD candidates will be considered, but
all Ph.D. requirements must be completed by the start date. A Juris
Doctorate alone does not meet the minimum qualifications.
Candidates must demonstrate potential for scholarly productivity
and the ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary
academic department.

Discipline Specific Required Qualifications:

Candidates must demonstrate a teaching and research specialization
in courts, judicial processes, criminal law and procedure,
sentencing, or a closely related criminal justice area.

Preferred Qualification:

Preference will be given to candidates whose scholarship addresses
contemporary issues involving courts and judicial processes,
sentencing, prosecution and defense, criminal procedure, judicial
decision-making, pretrial justice, wrongful convictions, specialty
courts, or court policy and reform. Candidates with a demonstrated
record of scholarly activity, experience teaching in classroom and
online environments, potential for external funding and
interdisciplinary collaboration, and the ability to mentor
undergraduate and graduate research are especially encouraged to
apply. A Ph.D. with a J.D. is desirable but not required; a J.D.
alone does not satisfy the minimum qualification.

Salary: Commensurate with Qualifications and
Experience

License or Certification Required?: No

Number of Vacancies: 1

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: 10/01/2026

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.

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/53003
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