Clinical Assistant Professor for Student Recruitment and Retention

University of Houston System; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Houston System seeks a Clinical Assistant Professor in Urban Education to lead recruitment and retention initiatives, building robust educator pipelines and partnerships with local districts and colleges.

The role combines administrative leadership in student success with teaching two courses per semester, plus summer coordination of recruitment cycles and onboarding programs.

Qualifications

• Earned Master’s or Doctoral degree in Teacher Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership, or a closely related field.
• 3–5 years of certified teaching and/or leadership experience in K-12 urban settings.
• Demonstrated track record or strong capacity for student mentoring, recruitment, or retention initiatives.
• Availability and commitment to fulfill operational recruitment objectives during summer terms.

Responsibilities

• Lead and expand UHD's Grow Your Own (GYO) educator pipelines with external partners.
• Formulate strategic outreach plans to establish new GYO partnerships with Houston-area ISDs for teacher pipelines.
• Cultivate and maintain partnerships with community colleges to create seamless transfer pathways.
• Maintain recruitment operations during summer to execute peak enrollment campaigns and district contracts.
• Teach two undergraduate/graduate courses per semester and supervise teacher candidates in field experiences.

Skills

Autonomy and Initiative

Collaboration and Teamwork

Education

Master’s or Doctoral degree in Teacher Education/related

Job description

Department: Urban Education Salary:

Description

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

The Department of Urban Education at the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) invites applications for a full-time, 9-month non-tenure track Clinical Assistant Professor specializing in Recruitment and Retention. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in driving enrollment initiatives, expanding outreach to diverse communities, and implementing proactive candidate support structures. A major focus of this position is the development and execution of strategic educator pipelines. This includes spearheading existing and establishing new "Grow Your Own" (GYO) district programs, as well as building robust institutional partnerships with community colleges to streamline pathways for transfer students.

Because this is a highly autonomous role requiring the management of multiple complex pipelines, the ideal candidate must be an entrepreneurial self-starter capable of working independently to build programs from the ground up, while remaining a highly collaborative team player who integrates seamlessly with department faculty, staff, and external district leaders. While structured as a 9-month faculty contract, this position carries an expectation of summer engagement (supported via separate summer funding or stipend, as applicable) to coordinate peak recruitment cycles, manage summer intake pipelines, and support onboarding programs. This hybrid role balances administrative leadership in student success with teaching two (2) courses each semester, alongside field-based supervision of teacher candidates based on the needs of the department.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Educator Pipelines & Community Recruitment (60%)

• Spearhead and expand UHD's existing "Grow Your Own" (GYO) initiatives, serving as the primary point of contact for external partners and participants.
• Formulate strategic outreach plans to establish new GYO partnerships with Houston-area independent school districts (ISDs) to cultivate local talent pipelines into teaching.
• Cultivate, formalize, and maintain high-impact partnerships with local community colleges (e.g., Lone Star College, Houston Community College, San Jacinto College) to create seamless transfer pathways and articulation agreements for education majors.
• Maintain consistent, continuous recruitment operations throughout the summer months to execute peak student enrollment campaigns, deliver orientations, and finalize district pipeline contracts for the upcoming academic year.
• Work collaboratively with the Certification Officer, Director of Field Experience, and Student Success Coordinator to align pipeline recruitment with institutional onboarding, state certification benchmarks, and field placement requirements.
• Design, execute, and monitor aggressive recruitment strategies to attract diverse, high-caliber candidates into undergraduate, transfer, post-baccalaureate, and Alternative Certification Program (ACP).
• Coordinate and host targeted recruitment events, transfer information sessions, open houses, job fairs, and community events representing the UHD Department of Urban Education.
• Serve on departmental, college, and university committees focused on student enrollment, transfer student success, continuous improvement, and accreditation.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of Texas State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) guidelines, Texas Education Agency (TEA) compliance protocols, and state transfer field of study curricula.

Student Retention, Advising, & GYO Support (20%)

• Provide holistic, high-touch academic and professional support tailored to the unique needs of transfer students and GYO teacher candidates to ensure smooth transition and high program completion rates.
• Develop and manage data-driven tracking mechanisms to monitor teacher candidate progress, identifying benchmarks or students at risk of leaving the program.
• Provide proactive academic, professional, and career advising to maximize persistence and ensure high graduation rates.
• Design targeted intervention plans, mentoring opportunities, and professional development sessions for candidates facing challenges in academic work or field placements.

Clinical Teaching and Supervision (20%)

• Teach two (2) undergraduate and/or graduate-level courses each semester (Fall and Spring) across multiple formats, including face-to‑face, hybrid, and online environments.
• Supervise and evaluate teacher candidates during field experiences, residency, or clinical teaching semesters within Houston-area partner schools.
• Partner closely with cooperating K-12 teachers and campus leadership to support student success in clinical environments.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Autonomy and Initiative: Must be a proactive self-starter with a high level of intellectual independence, strong time-management skills, and the capability to execute administrative projects with minimal supervision.

Collaboration and Teamwork: Proven ability to build consensus and collaborate productively with a diverse team of internal faculty, staff, academic advisors, and external K-12 school district stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications

• Earned Master’s or Doctoral degree in Teacher Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership, or a closely related field from an accredited institution.
• Minimum of 3–5 years of successful, certified teaching and/or leadership experience in K-12 urban school settings.
• Demonstrated track record or strong capacity for student mentoring, program recruitment, or retention initiatives.
• Availability and commitment to fulfill operational recruitment objectives during summer terms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Earned Doctorate in Education or a related discipline.
• Proven experience developing, managing, or supporting "Grow Your Own" (GYO) teacher pipeline programs.
• Demonstrated success in building collaborative partnerships with community colleges or managing academic pathways for transfer students.
• Familiarity with Texas Education Agency (TEA) GYO grant guidelines and Texas higher education transfer policies.
• Previous experience teaching, advising, or supervising clinical teacher candidates at the university level.

All positions at the University of Houston-System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.

The University of Houston System and its universities are Equal Opportunity Institutions. Everyone is encouraged to apply.