Associate Professor Clinical Science - School of Optometry

Posting Details

Title Information

Faculty Title
Associate Professor

Job Class Code
10021

FLSA
Exempt

Position Information

Posting Number
FRGV1922

Working Title
Associate Professor Clinical Science - School of Optometry

Number of Vacancies
1

Location
McAllen, Texas

Division/Organization
Division of Health Affairs

Appointment Period for Non-Tenure Position
1 year

Tenure Status
Non Tenure Track

FTE
1.0

Scope of Job

We seek applicants who are dedicated to serving The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Optometry's student body as an Associate Professor beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

The non-tenured faculty member will have teaching duties in both the didactic and clinical components of the curriculum. Responsibilities include teaching in the preclinic and clinical areas within the School of Optometry and developing an Optometry teaching clinic within the UT Health RGV community health network. This role involved close collaboration with the Division of Health Affairs and Community Health Partnership Programs. The faculty member will serve as the point of contact at the school of optometry for student community health education, working with the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to support a clinical presence within the community. Providing students with clinical education to the community and underserved populations of the Rio Grande Valley. The faculty member will serve as a a point of contact for referrals from alumni and optometric practitioners, bridging communication with the Division of Institutional Advancement, Division of Governmental Relations, and UT Health RGV. This individual will have an essential role on the UTRGV School of Optometry clinical team.

This position will have teaching duties within the academic program, to include clinical science. The faculty member will provide input and oversight into the curricular clinical development within the School of Optometry and will work closely with the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Dean to construct a forward-thinking clinical curriculum. Periodic clinic duties in the Vision Center may also be assigned prior to matriculating the first student cohort.

The position will report directly to the Dean of the School of Optometry.

Minimum Qualifications

a) must be qualified to an hold Associate Professor faculty appointment,
b) evidence of work in community health and associated scholarly activity,
c) demonstrated success in securing funding, mentoring professional students, and engaging in service.

Discipline Specific Required Qualifications

a) The applicant must possess an Optometric Degree (OD) and residency certification in a subspecialty of Optometry.
b) Licensed or eligible for optometry licensure in the state of Texas.

Preferred Qualifications

Previous experience in community health networks and optometric education is preferred.

License or Certification Required?
Yes

Salary
Commensurate with Qualifications and Experience

Desired Start Date
03/01/2026

Posting Detail Information

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
11/12/2025

Close Date
07/31/2026

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.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Dear Applicant, Human Resources will not be held responsible for redacting any confidential information from the documents you attach with your application. The confidential information includes the following: *Date of Birth *Social Security Number *Gender *Ethnicity/Race Please make sure that you omit this information prior to submission. We are advising that Human Resources will be forwarding your application to the department as per your submission. Please upload proof of optometry licensure in the state of Texas in the document upload section.

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.

Quick Link
https://careers.utrgv.edu/postings/49336