Description:

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

The University of Houston-Downtown Social Work Program is seeking candidates for one (1) position at the rank of Tenure-Track Assistant Professor. The successful candidate will teach a 4-3 course load over the two long semesters in a variety of modalities; demonstrate a theory-based and community-engaged teaching philosophy; engage in a research agenda that supports the knowledge base of social work practice; and engage in service to the institution, community, and profession.

Required Qualifications

The individual selected will have:

• Earned a doctoral degree (PhD/DSW) in Social Work or a closely related field, and a MSW from a Council of Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited social work program
• At least two (2) years of full-time post-MSW practice experience with systems of various sizes
• Experience in teaching or demonstrated potential for excellence in teaching at the college level
• Experience in research and scholarship or demonstrated potential to conduct research and scholarship as part of a clearly articulated and evolving social work research agenda
• Demonstrated commitment to service to the university, community, and/or profession

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD/DSW in Social Work (or be ABD)
• LMSW or LCSW (or is licensure-eligible) issued in the State of Texas
• Experience with face-to-face, hybrid, and online instructional modalities at the undergraduate and/or graduate social work course level
• Ability to teach generalist social work courses at all system levels (micro, mezzo, and macro)
• Experience in developing and implementing service learning and experiential learning activities in curricular and co-curricular settings
• History of publishing peer-reviewed articles and/or publishing in peer-reviewed academic journals of high quality
• Demonstrated experience or commitment to fostering community engagement programs and activities 
• Knowledge of and experience working with an array of social service, public health, criminal justice, and/or healthcare agencies in the Greater Houston or other urban areas

To be considered for this position, the candidate must submit:

• A cover letter detailing interest in the tenure-track Assistant Professor faculty position and potential for fit in the UHD Social Work Program 
• An updated Curriculum Vitae (please include a list of courses previously taught along with the modality)
• Teaching philosophy statement
• Research/scholarly agenda statement
• Unofficial graduate transcripts showing completion of an MSW degree from a CSWE-accredited program and unofficial transcripts showing completion or progress toward the doctoral degree
• Names and contact information for three professional references (letters will be requested if candidates advance in consideration for the position)

Review of applications will begin immediately and conclude when the position is filled. 

The University: Located in the heart of Harris County and the Houston metroplex, the University of Houston-Downtown is a public university that serves the fourth largest city and one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation. UHD offers bachelor's degrees in 44 areas of study and nine master's degrees. Current enrollment is approximately 15,000 students, making UHD the second largest member institution in the University of Houston System. UHD is a federally designated Hispanic and Minority Serving University.

The College: The College of Public Service (CPS) has two departments: Criminal Justice & Social Work and Urban Education. The college offers four bachelor's degrees and three master's degrees. The college is within walking distance of major police agencies, correctional facilities, and county, state, and federal courts. Additionally, the CPS maintains relationships with key social service providing organizations that serve the Greater Houston area.

The Department: The Department of Criminal Justice and Social Work offers degree plans leading to the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Criminal Justice, the Master of Science in Criminal Justice, the Bachelor of Social Work, and Master of Social Work degrees. The department recently added an innovative graduate-level Applied Corrections Certificate that draws on the combined strengths of the criminal justice and the social work faculty of the department.

The Program: The University of Houston-Downtown’s Social Work Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and awards a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) degree.

To apply for this position, fill out the online application and submit a Curriculum Vitae, cover letter, teaching philosophy statement, research/scholarly agenda statement, unofficial graduate transcripts, and contact information for three professional references.

The search committee will begin screening applications as early as October 2026, although the system will remain open for applications until the position is filled. Ideally, we will complete the selection process by early Spring 2027.

All positions at the University of Houston-System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.

The University of Houston System and its universities are Equal Opportunity Institutions. Everyone is encouraged to apply.