Assistant Professor in Public Administration/College of Liberal Arts

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley•Brownsville, TX

59d

About The Position

We seek applicants dedicated to serving The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's student body at the rank of Assistant Professor in the School of Political Science, Public Affairs, Legal and Security Studies (PPLSS), beginning September 1, 2026. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of the Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program, with a focus on strengthening its core public administration curriculum. We are particularly interested in candidates with strong quantitative skills and the ability to teach applied statistics, artificial intelligence (AI), or machine learning in public affairs contexts. The ideal candidate will integrate their research with regional policy challenges and contribute to innovative curricular offerings at the local, state, national, and global levels. 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. 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 Background The School of Political Science, Public Affairs, Legal and Security Studies (PPLSS) has a faculty consisting of 35 full-time and 11 part-time faculty. The school has approximately 5,000 enrollment each semester. In fall 2025, it has approximately 360 political science majors, 160 political science minors, 400 legal studies minors, 20 public affairs minors, 22 global security minors, 80 public affairs graduate students, and 25 political science graduate students. UTRGV was recently designated an RU 2 doctoral granting institution by the Carnegie Foundation with aspirations to become an R1 in the future.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Public Administration, Public Affairs, Political Science, or a closely related field (ABDs will be considered but must have the degree in hand by August 31st, 2026).
Public administration with strong quantitative skills
Ability to teach core courses in the Master of Public Administration curriculum, such as research methods, program evaluation, public policy and electives if their field of expertise.
Evidence of potential high-quality research, an active research agenda and commitment to excellence in teaching.

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. in Public Administration, Public Policy, or Political Science
experience with municipal, state, or federal agencies
evidence of impactful policy research or program evaluation

Responsibilities

contribute to the development of the Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program
strengthening its core public administration curriculum
teach applied statistics, artificial intelligence (AI), or machine learning in public affairs contexts
integrate their research with regional policy challenges
contribute to innovative curricular offerings at the local, state, national, and global levels

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