Assistant Professor of Latino/Latin American Studies and Digital Humanities

Position Overview

The Department of Chicano Studies, Languages, and Linguistics at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Latino and/or Latin American Studies with a focus on Digital Humanities. We seek an innovative scholar whose research bridges the dynamic fields of Latino and Latin American Studies through the use of digital methodologies and who incorporate these methodologies into their research and teaching. We are particularly interested in candidates who adopt transnational perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches in their research scholarly work.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct and publish research in Latine and/or Latin American Studies using digital humanities tools and techniques, including data mining, analytics, and other digital methods; help shape UTEP’s new Borderlands Digital Humanities Center.
• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Latino and/or Latin American Studies and Digital Humanities, in both English and Spanish; contribute to the creation of innovative courses and programs that incorporate digital tools to explore Latine and/or Latin American studies.
• Provide academic mentorship to graduate and undergraduate students, many of whom are first-generation Hispanic college students, and support their research and professional development in both academic and community contexts.
• Lead public-facing community engagement projects that apply digital humanities to local, regional, and transnational issues, fostering connections between scholarship and the broader community.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Latino Studies, Latin American Studies, Spanish, or a related field.
• Native or near-native fluency in Spanish (proficiency to be assessed during the interview process).
• A strong research agenda, with demonstrated ability to apply digital humanities methods to Latino and/or Latin American Studies, along with a record of (or potential for) publishing in peer-reviewed outlets.
• Active interest in securing external funding for research.
• Ability to teach in both English and Spanish, and to mentor students from Hispanic and first-generation college backgrounds.
• Collaborative spirit and the ability to engage in transnational and interdisciplinary research and teaching, both within the department and across the College of Liberal Arts.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Additional expertise or interest in language studies, Indigenous studies, environmental humanities, medical humanities, gender and sexuality studies, and/or film studies.
• Experience in securing external funding for research
• Experience in public scholarship or projects that have a transnational or cross-border focus, particularly those linking Latino and Latin American communities.

Application Procedure:

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. Cover Letter
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Philosophy of Teaching and Mentorship
4. A three-year research plan that includes a current or future submission prospect (for recent graduates) to secure extramural funding
5. A writing sample or digital project
6. Contact information for three professional references

Application Deadline:

Review of applications will begin December 15, 2024, and will continue until the position is filled. Please apply via the UTEP employment portal at: www.utep.edu/employment.

For inquiries, please contact:

• Dr. Elisabet Takehana ([email protected])

 Salary and Benefits:

Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications. The successful candidate will receive a comprehensive benefits package, as well as start-up funds to support their research.

About the Department:

As part of an R1 research university with open access, the Department of Chicano Studies, Languages, and Linguistics is committed to a 21st-century vision that promotes excellent higher education while positively impacting the health, culture, education, and economy of the region and the distance learning communities it serves. The overarching mission of the Department is to promote multiculturalism, multiliteracy, and multilingualism. Through cutting-edge interdisciplinary research on cultural diversity, literacy, and language processing, the Department aims to create and disseminate knowledge about cultural identity, linguistic, psychological, and social processes that influence language attainment, language use, and language maintenance. We offer undergraduate degrees and minors in Chicano Studies, Spanish, Linguistics and Bilingualism, and Master's degrees in Bilingualism and Applied Linguistics and in Spanish. We also have minors in French and Translation & Interpreting as well as a graduate certificate in TESOL.

About The Borderlands Digital Humanities Center:

The Borderlands Digital Humanities Center opened in the Fall of 2024 following several years of externally funded collaborative digital and public humanities projects in the College of Liberal Arts. The Center advances humanistic inquiry across disciplines and national borders to engage with communities in the spirit of culturally contextualized collaboration. The Center pursues and supports multi-national, multicultural projects on digital platforms that honor the peoples, environments, and experiences of the Borderlands and reaffirm the role of human interpretation. 

About The University of Texas at El Paso:

The University of Texas at El Paso is a leading Hispanic-serving R1 university in the United States. Located at the westernmost tip of Texas, where three states and two countries converge along the Rio Grande, UTEP is a comprehensive public research university with open access to excellent higher education. Eighty-four percent of UTEP students are Hispanic, and half of undergraduates are the first in their families to attend college. Deeply woven into the University’s character are the distinctive strengths of the people whom we serve. UTEP’s 25,000+ students have access to 169 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. UTEP is recognized as one of the best research universities in the country for connecting students with the community around them. El Paso’s location on the U.S.-Mexico border makes it an ideal venue for research on Latine and Latin American Studies.

Additional Information:

Hiring decisions are contingent on budget approval.

In keeping with its Access and Excellence mission, The University of Texas at El Paso is committed to an open, diverse, and inclusive learning 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 this commitment.

The University of Texas at El Paso is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. 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.