Assistant Professor of Medical and Health Humanities

Assistant Professor of Medical and Health Humanities/College of
Liberal Arts

Job Class Code: 10031

FLSA: Exempt

Posting Number: FRGV2060

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 in the School of Interdisciplinary Programs and
Community Engagement beginning in the 2027-2028 academic
year.

The School of Interdisciplinary Programs and Community
Engagement (SIPCE) at The University of Texas Rio Grande
Valley seeks a faculty member in Medical and Health
Humanities whose teaching, research, and community
engagement examine the human, cultural, ethical, historical, and
social dimensions of health, illness, medicine, healthcare, and
well-being.

The successful candidate will contribute to the continued
development of the Medical and Health Humanities program (an
undergraduate major and minor) while strengthening SIPCE's capacity
for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary teaching,
research, and community-engaged scholarship. The position
is particularly suited to a scholar whose work bridges the
humanities, social sciences, health professions, and/or other
relevant fields to address complex questions surrounding health and
human experience.

Areas of specialization are open but may include health
humanities; medical humanities; narrative medicine; history of
medicine and public health; medical anthropology; sociology of
health and medicine; disability studies; health equity;
environmental health humanities; health communication; migration
and health; border health; disaster and health; community health
and wellbeing; or the cultural dimensions of medicine and
healthcare.

The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an active
scholarly agenda and demonstrate the potential to contribute to
collaborative and externally funded research. Of particular
interest are candidates whose work engages contemporary health
challenges through interdisciplinary, community-engaged,
participatory, or publicly engaged approaches and who are
interested in connecting humanities-based inquiry with questions of
health equity, community wellbeing, healthcare practice, policy,
and social change.

Teaching responsibilities will include undergraduate courses in
Medical and Health Humanities and courses within the candidate's
area of specialization. The faculty member will also contribute to
student mentorship, experiential learning, undergraduate research,
internships, and other high-impact educational experiences.

The successful candidate will be encouraged to develop
collaborations across UTRGV and with healthcare providers,
community organizations, public agencies, nonprofit organizations,
and other regional partners. The position offers opportunities to
contribute to SIPCE initiatives and to collaborate with the
Center for Community Resilience Research, Innovation and
Advocacy (CCRRIA) and other university programs addressing
health, inequality, sustainability, resilience, and community
wellbeing.

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 advances in research and creative work,
expanding access to high-quality, 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 three universities with the highest percentage of
Hispanic students. For additional information, please visit
the UTRGV
website.

Department/CollegeBackground

The School of Interdisciplinary Programs and Community
Engagement (SIPCE) within the College of Liberal Arts at
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley provides an academic home
for interdisciplinary programs addressing complex social, cultural,
environmental, health, and organizational challenges through
innovative teaching, research, and community engagement. SIPCE
brings together programs including Medical and Health
Humanities, Environmental Studies, Public Heritage, Human
Dimensions of Organizations, and Multidisciplinary
Studies, creating opportunities for collaboration across
traditional disciplinary boundaries. Central to the School's
mission is the integration of academic knowledge with experiential
learning, community partnerships, and applied and community-engaged
research responsive to the distinctive needs and opportunities of
the Rio Grande Valley. SIPCE seeks to strengthen its role as a hub
for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary scholarship,
student-centered education, and community-engaged
research, fostering collaborations among faculty,
students, community organizations, healthcare and governmental
institutions, nonprofit organizations, and other
stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications:

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal
degree in Medical Humanities, Health Humanities, English,
History, Philosophy, Anthropology, Sociology, Communication,
Cultural Studies, Disability Studies, Public Health, or another
discipline closely related to Medical and Health Humanities.

Applicants who are ABD at the time of application will be
considered, provided that all requirements for the doctoral degree
are completed and the degree is officially conferred prior to
September 1, 2027.

Candidates must demonstrate academic preparation to teach
undergraduate courses in Medical and Health Humanities and courses
within their area of specialization, as well as evidence of, or
clear potential for, an active scholarly research agenda related to
the human, social, cultural, ethical, or historical dimensions of
health, illness, medicine, healthcare, or wellbeing.Candidates must
also demonstrate the ability to work effectively within an
interdisciplinary academic environment and a
commitment to student mentorship and success.

Discipline Specific Required Qualifications:

Preferred Qualification:

Preference will be given to candidates whose research and teaching
demonstrate an interdisciplinary approach to the human
dimensions of health, illness, medicine, healthcare, and
wellbeing. Particularly competitive candidates will
demonstrate several of the following qualifications:

• Expertise in health equity, community health and

wellbeing, disability, environmental health, migration and health,
border health, disaster and health, narrative medicine, medical
improv, health communication, or related areas.

• Experience conducting community-engaged scholarship,

participatory research, public humanities, knowledge co-production,
or collaborative research with communities, healthcare
organizations, governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, or
other stakeholders.

• Evidence of a strong or promising record of

peer-reviewed scholarship and external funding,
including potential to participate in collaborative
interdisciplinary proposals.

4. Interest in developing collaborative scholarship with other
UTRGV scholars addressing health challenges relevant to the
Rio Grande Valley, U.S.-Mexico border region, and/or Gulf
region.

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: 10/02/2026

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/53006
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