Job description

UTEP is a Carnegie R1 and Community Engaged research university at the heart of the U.S.-Mexico border region that is increasing access to excellent higher education. UTEP enrolls nearly 24,000 students – 84% of whom are Hispanic and half of whom are first generation college students.

El Paso’s border location makes it an ideal venue for academic programs and research studies on topics of national interest such as bilingual education/language acquisition, border environment and immigration, environmental sustainability and infrastructure, health disparities, and international trade and commerce. As the region’s center for intellectual capital, UTEP is one of the major economic engines in the region, adding $1.4 billion to the local economy annually. El Paso’s active arts and culture community features the state’s longest-running symphony orchestra, a nationally recognized chamber music festival, art galleries, museums, and a full schedule of seasonal events and festivals. UTEP adds to the arts and entertainment scene with an award-winning dinner theater, music and dance productions, contemporary and student art galleries, and a natural history museum. For sports fans, the UTEP Miners offer exciting Division I college athletics at several campus venues including the Sun Bowl Stadium, the Don Haskins Center, Kidd Field, University Field, and the Helen of Troy Softball Complex. A baseball stadium, located a mile away in lively downtown El Paso, is home to the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, and the El Paso Locomotive, a professional soccer team founded in 2019.

Job Description:

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) seeks to hire two full Professors and one Associate Professor who are conducting research in Artificial Intelligence (AI). The positions are part of UTEP’s newly established AI Institute for Community-Engaged Research (AI-ICER) that was created with support from the UT System Board of Regents Research Excellence Program designed to elevate and sustain research competitiveness across the UT System. Selected faculty at the rank of Professor will hold the honorary title of Regents’ Distinguished Professor. AI-ICER serves as a hub of research and innovation where affiliated faculty, students, and community members work together leveraging AI to foster discovery for public good. AI-ICER is built on three pillars: Efficient, Secure, and Responsible AI, AI for Community Impact, and AI for Education. Underlying these pillars are efforts in entrepreneurship, policy, and workforce development.

The new cohort of faculty will be members of AI-ICER’s backbone with an opportunity to take on leadership roles. They will be crucial in defining the strategic direction of the Institute to advance research and innovation and serve the local and regional community.

Requirements:

The selected candidates must have a PhD, a strong publication record that includes publication in AI venues, a commitment to provide an excellent education for all students, and other accomplishments that can support their case for tenure in their home department. The ideal candidate will have a proven record of working in interdisciplinary teams, leading AI-related research, and securing funding.

Additional Information:

Start date is negotiable, with an earliest start date of Fall 2025.

In keeping with its access, excellence, and impact mission, The University of Texas at El Paso is committed to an open, diverse, and inclusive learning and working environment that honors the talents, respects the differences, and nurtures the growth and development of all. We seek to attract faculty and staff who share our commitment.

The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity in employment or the provision of services in accordance with state and federal law. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes an employee’s or prospective employee’s right to be free from sexual harassment under Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972. Inquiries-including the filing of a Formal Complaint or reporting an incident-about the application of Title IX may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, who can be reached by phone at (915) 747-8358, by email at [email protected], or by mail at 500 W. University Ave., El Paso, TX, Kelly Hall, Room 312.

For accommodation information for employees and applicants with disabilities, please contact UTEP’s Equal Opportunity Office at [email protected].

How to apply

Review of applications will begin Wednesday, June 4, 2025, and will continue until the positions are filled.

Document requirements:

• Cover Letter (2 pages maximum): Candidates should describe their suitability for the position by addressing their qualifications. They also should indicate their top two preferred home departments, if applicable.
• Curriculum Vitae
• List of three references
• Research Statement (3 pages maximum, not including references): Candidates should summarize previous research experience and include short- and long-term research goals. They also should describe how their research plans are tied to potential funding, as well as their plans to contribute to establishing the AI Institute as a think tank dedicated to revolutionizing scientific and educational research.
• Teaching Statement (2 pages maximum): Candidates should describe their teaching experience, their teaching philosophy, and overall pedagogical strategy. In addition to specifying courses they would like to teach, they should identify other courses of interest that would contribute to the course offerings of the preferred home departments. They should also describe their experiences in mentoring and/or student professional development.

For questions about the position, contact Dr. Ann Q. Gates ([email protected]), Interim AI-ICER Director and Senior Advisor to the Provost; Dr. Salamah Salamah ([email protected]), Associate VP for Research & Innovation Scientific Computing and AI; or Dr. Thenral Mangadu ([email protected]), Associate VP Research & Innovation for Interdisciplinary Research.