Associate or Full Professor, Weather Ready Texas Cluster

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Job description

Location: San Antonio, TX
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Job ID: 14378
Full/Part Time: Full Time

Position Information

Associate or Full Professor, Weather Ready Texas

The University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Political Science and Geography in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering and School of Architecture and Planning in the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Department of Biology, Health and Environment in the College of Sciences, and Department of Finance in the Alvarez College of Business, invite applications at the rank of Associate or Full Professor, to be appointed as a University of Texas System (UT System) Research Excellence Regents’ Professor. Successful candidates will be part of a strategic cluster hiring initiative focused on Weather Ready Texas, with an anticipated start date in the Fall of the 2026-27 academic year.

The University of Texas System approved the creation of the Regents’ Research Excellence Program across its four Emerging Research Universities (ERUs), including UT San Antonio. UT System has allocated funds across all four ERUs to fund the recruitment of research-active faculty to dramatically grow its national research prominence and federal funding opportunities. The university’s allocation from UT System translates to approximately 40 new faculty positions for new, mid- to senior-level faculty over the next several years who will add expertise in research areas that will enhance competitiveness, help solve societal needs, and advance the university’s capacity to meet UT System and state goals as outlined by the Texas Legislature.

UT San Antonio is utilizing our Clustered & Connected Hiring Program (CCP), which is designed to recruit and hire some of the best and brightest minds of varying backgrounds and experiences in select fields to UT San Antonio to join in efforts to address some of today’s most significant challenges.

For the Weather Ready Texas cluster, the five positions open are:

  • Remote Sensing of Weather Extremes (Dept of Political Science and Geography).
  • Wildfire Scientist (Dept of Earth and Planetary Sciences/Dept of Biology, Health and Environment).
  • Weather Resilient Transportation Systems (School of Architecture + Planning).
  • Modeling and Prediction of Energy System Weather Resiliency (Dept of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering).
  • Finance and Weather Resilience (Dept of Finance).

The University of Texas at San Antonio

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) is a nationally recognized, top-tier public research university that unites the power of higher education, biomedical discovery and healthcare within one visionary institution. As the third-largest research university in Texas and a Carnegie R1-designated institution, UT San Antonio is a model of access and excellence – advancing knowledge, social mobility and public health across South Texas and beyond. UT San Antonio serves approximately 42,000 students in 320 academic programs spanning science, engineering, medicine, health, liberal arts, AI, cybersecurity, business, education and more. With 17,000 faculty and staff, UT San Antonio has also been recognized as a Top Employer in Texas by Forbes Magazine. Learn more online, on UT San Antonio Today or on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or LinkedIn.

Remote Sensing of Weather Extremes

College of Liberal and Fine Arts

UT San Antonio’s most academically multidisciplinary college, the College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA) contributes to the education of virtually every student. In addition to exemplary teaching, the college produces quality research and creative works in the arts, humanities and social sciences. COLFA has exceptional faculty, drawn from outstanding institutions nationwide. Their academic interests are well balanced, with commitment to teaching and mentoring, research and creative achievements, and service to the university, their profession, and the community. The college has 175 tenured and tenure-track faculty, two endowed chairs, and two endowed professors. Twenty-two faculty members in the college have received Fulbright Lectureships. Faculty members have received grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, the National Geographic Society, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense and the National Endowment for the Arts, and many have won teaching awards.

Department of Political Science and Geography

With 22 full-time faculty and over 700 undergraduate and graduate students, the Department of Political Science and Geography is one of the largest in COLFA. The department is home to nationally and internationally recognized faculty who represent a wide variety of theoretical and methodological approaches within Political Science and Geography, teach and publish on topics central to the major fields of our two disciplines, and are among the most honored and highly rated classroom instructors at the university. The department offers four undergraduate programs: Geography and Environmental Sustainability, Global Affairs, Politics and Law, and Political Science. Our undergraduate programs in Geography and Environmental Sustainability and Political Science also have teaching tracks that allow students to receive a secondary social studies certification upon completion of the program. The department offers three graduate programs in Geography, Global Affairs, and Political Science.

Application Information

We seek a remote sensing scientist with expertise in transdisciplinary research focused on weather extremes. The scholar will have experience applying remote sensing to help monitor, predict, and/or recover from extreme weather events such as floods, heat waves, tornadoes, hurricanes, hail, or others.

The successful candidate is expected to:

  • Continue an externally funded research agenda.
  • Contribute to teaching in both the in person and online geography and environmental sustainability degree programs.
  • Engage in interdisciplinary collaborations associated with the cluster hire.

Required Qualifications

  • PhD in Geography, Geoinformatics, Atmospheric Science, Environmental Science, or a closely related discipline.
  • Evidence of robust external funding that supports an interdisciplinary research agenda.
  • Experience with machine learning algorithms, object-based image analysis, GeoAI, and/or other quantitative approaches to monitor extreme weather events utilizing remote sensing platforms.
  • This position requires the ability to maintain the security and integrity of UT San Antonio and its infrastructure.

Wildfire Scientist

College of Sciences

The College of Sciences (COS) at UT San Antonio fosters innovation and excellence through teaching rooted in research across seven departments and 30 degree programs. With more than 4,800 students and 280 faculty, COS offers a supportive environment that empowers learning, collaboration, and achievement. Research strengths range from atoms to galaxies, cellular health to planetary dynamics, and the mathematical and physical principles that connect them all. Through experiential learning and discovery, COS equips the next generation of scientific leaders.

Department Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS)

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in the COS at UT San Antonio consists of 8 tenure/tenure-tracked faculty and 7 fixed-term faculty members and offers B.S. and M.S. degrees in Geosciences, M.S. degree in Geoinformatics, and joint Ph.D. degree in Environmental Science and Engineering. The department also offers GIS certificates for undergraduate and for graduate students. Our faculty and students conduct active research in the following principal areas: geoinformatics, geology and geophysics, paleoenvironmental reconstruction, planetary geochemistry and modeling, polar and climate sciences, water, environment and public health. The department is also affiliated with multidisciplinary centers/institutes such as the Center for Advanced Measurements in Extreme Environments (CAMEE), Institute for Water Research, Sustainability and Policy (IWRSP), and the AI Consortium (Matrix).

Department of Biology, Health, and the Environment (BHE)

The Department of Biology, Health, and the Environment (BHE) in the COS at UT San Antonio consists of 13 tenure/tenure-track faculty and 46 fixed-term faculty members. The department offers undergraduate degrees in Biology (BS), Environmental Science (BS), Environmental Studies (BA), Multidisciplinary Science for Teaching (BS), with a total student enrollment of ~2800. The department also offers master’s degrees in Biology and Environmental Science, with combined enrollments of 95 students. The department participates in a joint PhD program in Environmental Science and Engineering with the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrative Design’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Current BHE faculty have active research programs in wildlife ecology, environmental microbiology, freshwater ecosystems, bioinformatics, conservation biology, and STEM education. Our faculty and students have been recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally for excellence in both research and teaching.

Application Information

We seek an innovative scientist whose research advances the physical understanding of wildfires, including their monitoring, prediction, recovery, and environmental and/or human health impacts. The scholar will have expertise in one or more aspects of wildfire science within the physical and quantitative realm, including but not limited to:

  • Wildfire behavior and dynamics
  • Fire-atmosphere interactions
  • Remote sensing and modeling of fire occurrence, spread, and intensity
  • Wildfire monitoring, early detection, or risk assessment
  • Post-fire landscape recovery and social-ecological and biogeochemical response
  • Hydrological, climate and biogeochemical impacts of fire regimes

The successful candidate is expected to:

  • Develop and sustain an externally funded, internationally recognized research program.
  • Contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching in one or more of the following areas: wildfire science, geosciences, environmental science, or geospatial science.
  • Mentor students and contribute to a collaborative research environment.
  • Engage in interdisciplinary collaborations across departments and research centers (e.g., climate science, hydrology, ecology, geospatial science, and health science).
  • The successful candidate must have the ability to work with and be sensitive to the educational needs of students.

Required Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in Earth System Science/Geoscience, Atmospheric Science, Environmental Science, Geography, or a closely related discipline.
  • Evidence of strong research productivity and potential or a record of sustained research excellence, extramural funding, and leadership (for Associate/Full Professor rank).
  • Commitment to excellence in teaching, mentoring, and research.
  • This position requires the ability to maintain the security and integrity of UT San Antonio and its infrastructure.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience integrating remote sensing, modeling, or field observations for wildfire-related research.
  • Demonstrated engagement with interdisciplinary research that connects physical wildfire science with hydrological, ecological, societal or health impacts.
  • Record of collaboration with federal, state, or local wildfire management agencies.

Weather Resilient Transportation Systems

Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design

The Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design (KCEID) is home to more than 4,300 undergraduate and graduate students in 9 undergraduate, 16 Masters, and 6 PhD degree programs. The college is supported by over 140 tenure/tenure-track and fixed-term faculty and a dedicated cadre of staff. Each of the KCEID’s five units brings unique value for advancing its mission-these include the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Mechanical, Aerospace, & Industrial Engineering as well as the Schools of Architecture & Urban Planning, Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management. KCEID is also home to 10 research institutions and centers, a student success center, a Large-scale Testing Laboratory, and a Makerspace, supporting research through research and discovery as well as educational excellence. Collectively, these students, faculty, and staff within KCEID support KCEID’s mission to identify and solve grand challenges where humanity intersects the physical world.

KCEID educational programs are accredited by ABET, the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB), the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE), and the Council of Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). For more information about KCEID, please visit https://klesse.utsa.edu/.

School of Architecture and Planning

The School of Architecture + Planning is a laboratory for design and interdisciplinary research, with more than 900 students and 50 faculty members. SAP offers degrees in Architecture (BS and MArch), Interior Design (BS) and Urban & Regional Planning (MS), as well as graduate certificate programs in Historic Preservation (CERT), High-Performance Design & Sustainability (CERT), Urban & Regional Planning (CERT) and an undergraduate certificate in Design Communication and Fabrication (CERT). Faculty-run centers and labs offer opportunities for students to participate in design research and community engagement. We believe that, while transforming the built environment, architects, interior designers, and planning professionals should embrace preservation, conservation, and adaptive reuse as a means of reenergizing our cities.

The selected faculty will primarily teach in the Urban and Regional Planning Program, which exhibits high student success in graduation and retention. The URP program is unique as it stands as the only MS program in Southwest Texas that is accredited for 7 years by the National Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) through 2030. The MSURP program includes optional specializations in urban design and urban policy, in partnership with faculty in Architecture and Public Administration. The program is also supported by two research centers, the Center for Urban and Regional Planning Research (CURPR) and the Sustainable Pervasive Urban Resilience (SPUR) Center, which provide a platform for faculty and students to generate and disseminate new knowledge related to urban and regional planning issues.

Application Information

We seek established scholars in Urban Transportation that have dedicated their career to advancing scientific knowledge on transportation systems and cities’ readiness/preparedness to extreme weather events. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated curriculum of transdisciplinary research in urban planning and city science focused on transportation and weather resilience, including but not limited to the following sub-domains:

  • Urban transportation modeling
  • Extreme weather modeling
  • Impact analysis of transportation networks disruption
  • Digital Twins and IoT modeling
  • Urban infrastructure assessment
  • Land use modeling and policy from transportation systems
  • Urban mobility and migration patterns from extreme weather
  • Urban design research with focus on transportation and weather

Selected candidates are expected to:

  • Continue their research agendas in urban transportation and extreme weather events with an added focus to the San Antonio metro area and Texas in general.
  • Establish, develop and sustain a robust portfolio of grant funded research.
  • Mentor students and contribute to a collaborative research environment.
  • Engage in interdisciplinary collaborations across departments and research centers (e.g., architecture, planning, environmental and civil engineering).
  • The successful candidate must have the ability to work with and be sensitive to the educational needs students.

Required Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning is preferred. Candidates holding a PhD in Landscape Architecture and Architecture and related fields will also be considered.
  • Evidence of strong research productivity and potential or a record of sustained research excellence, extramural funding, and leadership (for Associate/Full Professor rank). Record trans- and inter-disciplinary research is preferred.
  • Commitment to excellence in teaching, mentoring, and research.
  • This position requires the ability to maintain the security and integrity of UT San Antonio and its infrastructure.

Preferred Qualifications

  • American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification.

Modeling and Prediction of Energy System Weather Resiliency

Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design

The Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design (KCEID) is home to more than 4,300 undergraduate and graduate students in 9 undergraduate, 16 Masters, and 6 PhD degree programs. The college is supported by over 140 tenure/tenure-track and fixed-term faculty and a dedicated cadre of staff. Each of the KCEID’s five units brings unique value for advancing its mission-these include the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Mechanical, Aerospace, & Industrial Engineering as well as the Schools of Architecture & Urban Planning, Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management. KCEID is also home to 10 research institutions and centers, a student success center, a Large-scale Testing Laboratory, and a Makerspace, supporting research through research and discovery as well as educational excellence. Collectively, these students, faculty, and staff within KCEID support KCEID’s mission to identify and solve grand challenges where humanity intersects the physical world.

KCEID educational programs are accredited by ABET, the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB), the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE), and the Council of Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). For more information about KCEID, please visit https://klesse.utsa.edu/.

Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering

The Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Industrial Engineering currently has 23 full-time tenured/tenure-track faculty (7 endowed chairs), 6 full-time non-tenure track faculty, and 900 undergraduate, 70 M.S., and 60 Ph.D. students, with the doctoral program jointly offered by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). In addition to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering, an M.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering, and an M.S. degree in Advanced Manufacturing and Enterprise Engineering, the B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering is ABET accredited. UT San Antonio is committed to growth in student opportunities, as indicated by the $95 million Science and Engineering building completed in summer 2020. Additional information about the Department can be found at https://klesse.utsa.edu/mechanical/ .

Application Information

We seek established or emerging scholars in Systems/Industrial Engineering, Data Science and Operations Research who have dedicated their research to advancing the scientific understanding of how energy infrastructures can anticipate, adapt to, and recover from extreme weather events. The successful candidate will demonstrate a record of transdisciplinary research that integrates data-driven modeling, artificial intelligence, and systems optimization to improve energy resilience and sustainability in the face of climate variability.

Candidates with experience in the following sub-domains are particularly encouraged to apply:

  • AI and machine learning for energy systems modeling.
  • Forecasting and predictive analytics for extreme weather and energy demand (including data centers).
  • Resilience optimization and decision support systems for critical infrastructure.
  • Digital Twins and IoT integration for real-time system monitoring.
  • Energy policy modeling and climate adaptation strategies.
  • Distributed energy systems and grid reliability under stress conditions.
  • Big data analytics for climate-energy interaction.
  • Uncertainty quantification and risk-informed design of energy systems.

Selected candidates are expected to:

  • Advance their research agendas in AI-driven energy systems modeling and weather resilience, with an added focus on the Texas energy ecosystem and the Central/South Texas region.
  • Establish and sustain a robust, externally funded research portfolio through competitive grants and interdisciplinary collaboration.
  • Mentor undergraduate and graduate students, while fostering collaborative research.
  • Engage with UT San Antonio’s Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute (TSERI) and other research entities (City of San Antonio, CPS Energy, among others) to strengthen regional and national leadership in climate resilience.

Required Qualifications

  • Candidates should have a conferred Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related discipline by the time of appointment.
  • Demonstrated scholarly productivity in energy systems modeling, AI-driven prediction, or data analytics for weather resilience.
  • Evidence of strong research productivity and potential or a record of sustained research excellence, extramural funding, and leadership (for Associate/Full Professor rank). Record trans- and inter-disciplinary research is preferred.
  • Commitment to excellence in teaching, mentoring, and research.
  • Ability to teach and mentor students at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
  • Evidence of service to the university, field, or profession through leadership in the climate-informed energy systems field.
  • The successful candidate must have the ability to work with and be sensitive to the educational needs students.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate in interdisciplinary research clusters, especially those related to sustainability, climate adaptation, and systems engineering.
  • Experience integrating emerging technologies into instruction and research.

Finance and Weather Resilience

Alvarez College of Business

With over 5,000 students and about 115 full-time faculty, the Carlos Alvarez College of Business at UT San Antonio is AACSB accredited and offers a variety of bachelor’s and master’s programs as well as Ph.D. programs in four areas. Additional information about the Carlos Alvarez College of Business can be found at the following website: https://business.utsa.edu/.

Department of Finance

The department of finance offers B.B.A., Masters of Science, and PhD. degrees in Finance. Additional information about the Department of Finance can be found at the following website: https://business.utsa.edu/finance.

Application Information

This scholar will conduct empirical research on how extreme weather affects market outcomes, investor preferences, and firm behavior. This research may be related to risk management, insurance, actuarial science, or other pricing behaviors and strategies which could further enhance weather resiliency.

Required Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in Finance or related field.
  • Strong evidence of scholarly research, i.e., a portfolio of research papers that are published or with evidence of potential for publication in top-tier finance journals.
  • This position requires the ability to maintain the security and integrity of UT San Antonio and its infrastructure.

To apply, applicants must upload the following in a single PDF document:

  • A current curriculum vitae.
  • Complete contact information for at least three professional references.
  • A research statement (2-page limit).
  • A teaching statement (2-page limit).
  • A statement highlighting potential areas for transdisciplinary collaboration (1-page limit).

Tenure is contingent upon Board of Regents approval, and applicants must show a demonstrated commitment. This position requires the ability to maintain the security and integrity of UT San Antonio and its infrastructure.

The positions are open until filled but preference will be given to applications received by December 1, 2025.

Cluster Hiring Interview Process

UT at San Antonio aims to bring transdisciplinary and collaborative groups of faculty researchers to the university through its CCP program. As such, the on-campus interview for these positions will be conducted as a collaborative group interview, during which all on-campus candidates for a position will meet with university faculty and staff simultaneously. This collaborative process allows candidates to discuss potential research collaborations with fellow candidates and current faculty. Additionally, each candidate will be given the chance to present their job talk and engage the faculty, staff, and students from their discipline’s home department.

This position will work primarily on campus. Travel and parking expenses are the employee’s responsibility.

This position is contingent upon a successful background check. Verification of a valid driver’s license and Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) may be completed as applicable. Applicants selected must be able to show proof of eligibility to work in the United States by time of hire.

Equal Employment Opportunity

As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, it is the policy of The University of Texas at San Antonio to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or genetic information, and veteran status. The University is committed to the Affirmative Action Program in compliance with all government requirements to ensure nondiscrimination.

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