Assistant Professor in Analytical Chemistry

About The University of Texas at El Paso:

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is a Carnegie R1 and community engaged university at the heart of the U.S.-Mexico border region that is increasing access to excellent higher education. We advance discovery of public value and positively impact the health, culture, education, and economy of the community we serve. UTEP enrolls 25,000 students - 84% of whom are Hispanic and half of whom are the first in their families to attend college. UTEP offers 171 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs at the only open-access, top-tier research university in America.

The city'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, Hispanic health disparities, border environment and immigration, environmental sustainability and infrastructure, and international trade and commerce.

El Paso's active arts and culture community features the state's longest-running symphony orchestra, a nationally recognized chamber music festival, a vibrant street art and mural scene, art galleries, museums, and a full schedule of seasonal events and festivals. UTEP adds to the arts and entertainment scene with concerts and live events at the city's largest indoor and outdoor venues; theater, music and dance productions; contemporary and student art galleries; and a natural history museum and desert gardens. El Paso residents can also easily travel to our sister city of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, to enjoy great food, markets and cultural events.

El Paso is also an ideal location for people who love the outdoors, as home to one of the nation's largest urban parks - Franklin Mountains State Park - and many options for year-round hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing, with accessible alpine camping in other regional parks.

For sports fans, the UTEP Miners offer exciting Division I college athletics at several campus venues including Sun Bowl Stadium - where one of the oldest football bowl games takes place annually - and the Don Haskins Center arena. Southwest University Park, located a mile away in lively downtown El Paso, is home to the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Triple-A baseball affiliate of the San Diego Padres, and the El Paso Locomotive FC, a professional soccer team founded in 2019.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UTEP is a dynamic and research-active department housed in a state-of-the-art facility equipped with major instrumentation including NMR, X-ray diffraction (single crystal and powder), EPR, SQUID magnetometry, mass spectrometers, and XPS. The department offers ACS-certified B.S. degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry, as well as M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. The Ph.D. program emphasizes high-impact research and strong mentorship, with a commitment to student success in STEM.

Job Description:

The Department of Chemistry at UTEP invites nominations and applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Analytical Chemistry. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain a nationally visible research program, pursue external funding, and teach undergraduate and graduate courses in analytical chemistry. Teaching responsibilities include analytical and instrumental analytical chemistry and their associated labs at the undergraduate level, along with two graduate-level courses.

We seek a candidate whose expertise complements and enhances current departmental strengths, particularly in environmental analytical chemistry, spectroscopy, separations, nanotechnology (including water treatment and agriculture), materials, energy, and catalysis. Candidates who can foster collaborative research within and beyond the department are highly encouraged to apply, as current funding opportunity trends favor interdisciplinary projects.

PRIORITY FOCUS AREAS

 We seek candidates advancing measurement science in the areas of separations and mass spectrometry, electroanalytical chemistry, or spectroscopic imaging. While application areas are broadly defined, primary consideration will be given to work related to water and air quality, border-health analytics, and energy/materials characterization. We also welcome candidates with expertise in chemometrics and data-centric analytics, micro-/nanofabricated sensing platforms, catalysis-focused measurement science (e.g., in situ or operando reaction analytics), and synchrotron-based analytical techniques.

The successful candidate will actively contribute to our PhD program in Chemistry, which has been well-established for over a decade. The new faculty will also support affiliated doctoral programs in Environmental Science & Engineering (ESE) and Materials Science & Engineering (MaSE). Our analytical chemistry faculty have a strong track record of mentoring PhD students across these interdisciplinary programs, where cross-program collaboration is common and students benefit from shared research environments that foster interdisciplinary learning.

Requirements:

Required:

• PhD in Analytical Chemistry or a closely related field
• Postdoctoral research experience
• Demonstrated record of research excellence and recognition in the field
• Ability to teach analytical and instrumental chemistry at the graduate and undergraduate levels
• Strong commitment to mentoring graduate and undergraduate students

Preferred:

• Demonstrated expertise in method development in new separations techniques, quantitative mass spectrometry workflows, and/or electroanalytical platforms
• Evidence of external funding (e.g., fellowships, co-PI roles)
• Experience in interdisciplinary collaboration across college or departmental boundaries

Additional Information:

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 of Texas at El Paso is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or sexual orientation and gender 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 titleix@utep.edu , 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 eoaa@utep.edu .

To the extent that this position involves research, work, or access to critical infrastructure as referenced in Executive Order GA-48, being hired for and continuing to be employed in this position requires the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure.

Application Instructions:

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants must submit the following:

• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Research statement (please include 3-4 fundable Specific Aims for the first 3-5 years; core measurement innovations; planned instrument usage/development; first equipment priorities for start-up; targeted agencies/calls.)
• Statement of teaching philosophy
• Contact information for at least three professional references

For inquiries about the position, contact the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Jorge Gardea-Torresdey, at jgardea@utep.edu .