Assistant Professor of Practice - Community-engaged Learning (CeL) chez Texas Tech University

The Office of Outreach and Engagement at Texas Tech University invites applications for a full-time, 12-month Assistant Professor of Practice position focused on community-engaged learning, beginning January 1, 2026.
We seek candidates with a strong background in teaching community-engaged learning (CEL) courses at the post-secondary level and demonstrated experience in cultivating community partnerships. The successful candidate will be expected to teach graduate-level courses and support faculty professional development in both face-to-face and online formats.
In addition to teaching, this position includes research and administrative responsibilities aimed at advancing the university’s community-engaged learning initiatives. The workload distribution is as follows:

• Teaching (0.2 FTE)
  • Spring: Processes & Structures for Collegiate Coursework
  • Fall: Strategies for Community-Engaged Learning Partnerships
• Engaged Research (0.5 FTE)
  • Responsibilities include writing grants related to engaged teaching, publishing best practices in CEL, and developing evaluation metrics to assess impact on students and community partners.
  • The position also involves co-chairing graduate student research focused on CEL’s effects on both community partners and undergraduate students.
• Administration (0.3 FTE)
  • Duties include overseeing the CEL course designation process, tracking program impact, and coordinating professional development trainings for faculty.

While appointed to this position, you will accrue vacation and will be required to report leave monthly following TTU’s Operating Policy 70.01 and TTU System Regulation 07.12. Since you will accrue vacation, you will follow a staff holiday schedule, which is available here: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/hr/empbenefits/holidayschedule.php. 
 

Up to 25%

At Texas Tech University, the Professor of Practice title is used to recruit individuals with exceptional backgrounds and achievements in academic, business, government, or other professional practice. Primary responsibilities normally will be to teach in an area of expertise, mentor students in professional and career preparation, and liaise with professional contacts and entities on behalf of the department or program. 

In line with TTU’s strategic priorities to engage and empower a diverse student body, enable innovative research and creative activities, and transform lives and communities through outreach and engaged scholarship, applicants should have experience working with diverse student populations at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels within individual or across the areas of teaching, research/creative activity, and service.  

As a professor of practice affiliated with the Office of Outreach and Engagement you will be expected to:

• Develop and teach graduate level courses in topics related to community-engaged learning
• Oversee the database for service-learning and community-engaged learning courses for the university
• Liaise with departments across campus
• Maintain records of Community-engaged Learning Faculty Affiliates
• Actively participate in Office of Outreach and Engagement initiatives
• Exhibit experience with conducting research associated with community-engaged learning
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required or deemed appropriate to the accomplishments, responsibilities, and functions of the Office of Outreach and Engagement

No

Monthly

In addition to the required qualifications, individuals with the following preferred qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply:

• Three or more years of experience teaching a service learning or community-engaged learning credit-bearing course at an institution of higher education
• Experience teaching in an online learning environment
• Active engagement in professional organizations in the field of engaged scholarship
• Experience collaborating with community partners
• Experience utilizing learning management systems (LMS) and computer applications is preferred (i.e., Blackboard, Canvas)

University Outreach and Engagement

Full Time

NonTenure track

800

No

Please include the following documents in your application:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter
• Other document(s) directly related to required qualifications
• List of references

The application deadline is November 1, 2025.

Adherence to robust safety practices and compliance with all applicable health and safety regulations are responsibilities of all TTU employees.

Compensation is commensurate upon the qualifications of the individual selected and budgetary guidelines of the hiring department, as well as the institutional pay plan. For additional information, please reference the institutional pay plan by visiting www.depts.ttu.edu/hr/payplan.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or status as a protected veteran.

About the Office of Outreach and Engagement:
The Office of Outreach and Engagement promote and supports faculty, staff, and student engagement with communities by creating connections between scholarly pursuits and community needs, fostering mutually beneficial partnerships between the university and the community, and communicating best practices in outreach and engaged scholarship. There are several divisions affiliated with the Office of Outreach and Engagement including the Texas Tech Museum, the National Ranching Heritage Museum, Lubbock Lake Landmark, Texas Tech University Press, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Texas Tech University Center at Junction, and the Natural Science Research Laboratory. In addition to these divisions, the Office of Outreach and Engagement also offer numerous opportunities for faculty, staff, students, and community members to deepen their understanding of engagement and build partnerships.

 

About the Community-engaged Learning Program:
Community-engaged learning (CeL) is a strategic initiative housed within the Office of Outreach and Engagement at Texas Tech University. The Office is currently developing structured pathways to support faculty in designing and implementing CeL courses across the university. CeL integrates academic learning with community-identified needs to foster meaningful social impact. It is grounded in sustained, collaborative, and reciprocal partnerships between the university and the community. Through this partnership-based approach, CeL encourages students to work alongside community members to address long-term social challenges and contribute to community-driven solutions.

Established in 1923, Texas Tech University is a Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) Doctoral/Research-Extensive, Hispanic Serving, and state-assisted institution. Located on a beautiful 1,850-acre campus in Lubbock, a city in West Texas with a growing metropolitan-area population of over 300,000, the university enrolls over 40,000 students with 33,000 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students. As the primary research institution in the western two-thirds of the state, Texas Tech University is home to 10 colleges, the Schools of Law and Veterinary Medicine, and the Graduate School. The flagship of the Texas Tech University System, Texas Tech is dedicated to student success by preparing learners to be ethical leaders for a diverse and globally competitive workforce. It is committed to enhancing the cultural and economic development of the state, nation, and world.
About Lubbock:Referred to as the “Hub City” because it serves as the educational, cultural, economic, and health care hub of the South Plains region, Lubbock boasts a diverse population and a strong connection to community, history, and land. With a mild climate, highly rated public schools, and a low cost of living, Lubbock is a family-friendly community that is ranked as one of the best places to live in Texas. Lubbock is home to a celebrated and ever-evolving music scene, a vibrant arts community, and is within driving distance of Dallas, Austin, Santa Fe, and other major metropolitan cities. Lubbock’s Convention & Visitors Bureau provides a comprehensive overview of the Lubbock community and its resources, programs, events, and histories.

TTU Lubbock, main campus and affiliated facilities