Assistant Professor of Practice, Spanish & Portuguese (CT)

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese in the College of Humanities at the University of Arizona seeks to fill a full-time in-person career-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor of Practice in Spanish. This position is set to start at the beginning of the fall semester in August 2026.

This career-track appointment is not eligible for tenure.

The successful candidate will lead the Spanish language program in different modalities, engage in data-driven strategic planning, and collaborate across programs to enhance teaching effectiveness and support student success.

Candidates should provide evidence of teaching excellence, experience with curriculum development, program administration, and ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students from a variety of backgrounds. A Ph.D. in Spanish, Second Language Acquisition, or a related field is required at the time of appointment.

Review of candidates will begin on November 1, 2025.

Alumni Jacquelynn and Bennett Dorrance have made a gift commitment of $5.4 million to endow the deanship of the University of Arizona College of Humanities to bring the humanities to the forefront of the University of Arizona's life and mission through a continuous and fearless spirit of open inquiry: https://humanities.arizona.edu/about/fearless-inquiries-project.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; sick leave and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please click here.

The successful candidate will assume a pivotal role in
promoting and enhancing Spanish language instruction, leading the
lower-division Spanish language program. Key responsibilities will include
supervising and training graduate student assistants and instructors; supervising course coordinators; collaborating with fellow program directors; and continuing to develop, implement, and assess a comprehensive language
curriculum that aligns with innovative pedagogical practices. Active
participation in recruitment, retention efforts, and community engagement is of
utmost importance at the University
of Arizona, in the College of Humanities and the Department of Spanish and
Portuguese. The successful candidate will be
expected to work on the Main Campus in Tucson, AZ.

The Department of
Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Arizona is a dynamic academic
community dedicated to innovative teaching and research that is rooted in the rich
cultural landscape of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. We pride ourselves on
intellectual rigor, interdisciplinary collaboration, community engagement, and
mentorship for students at all levels of our curriculum. Our academic programs
include BA, MA, and PhD degrees in Hispanic Linguistics and in Hispanic and
Luso-Brazilian Literatures and Cultures. We also boast nationally recognized
initiatives to enhance language learning and career readiness. Faculty have the opportunity
to lead intensive language programs abroad in Latin America and Spain. Our department
serves as a vital pillar of the College of Humanities' commitment to addressing
the significant challenges of a rapidly changing world, while fostering
engagement and collaboration among local and international communities and
promoting effective communication and work ethics among individuals from a wide
range of perspectives and experiences.

• Direct all aspects of the Lower Division
  Spanish Language Program, including curriculum alignment, scheduling, and
  program evaluation.
• Teach a
  maximum of 3 undergraduate courses per semester in Spanish. Train and supervise
  graduate teaching assistants and instructors in the Spanish Language Program,
  including leading orientation and regular meetings.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives to improve
  program operations and effectiveness using robust data analysis.
• Collaborate with faculty, leadership, and staff to develop evidence-based pedagogical innovations and
  operational pathways.
• Periodically
  review the curriculum and maintain cohesion through alignment and assessment of
  course sequences, outcomes, and objectives.
• Participate
  in initiatives of recruitment and retention of Spanish minors and majors.
• Organize
  and participate in the Department's community outreach initiatives.
• Contribute
  to University initiatives that foster excellence by mentoring students from all perspectives and experiences, supporting career readiness to prepare graduates for impactful
  careers and lives of engaged global citizenship.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Evidence of strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Proven ability to mentor and supervise instructors and teaching assistants.

• PhD in Spanish, Second Language Acquisition, or a related field in hand at time of appointment.
• Superior proficiency in Spanish and English.
• Demonstrated excellence and experience in teaching Spanish at the college level.
• A minimum of three years of experience in coordination and curriculum development in a Spanish language program.
• Demonstrated effectiveness and experience in recruiting and
  retaining undergraduate students.

• Experience applying best practices in language program direction.
• Proven excellence and experience in curricular innovation and use of technology-enhanced teaching.
• Experience analyzing programmatic data and making strategic recommendations for program development.
• Experience fostering community engagement and building partnerships beyond the university.
• Experience coordinating multi-modality instruction (in-person, hybrid, online).
• Experience supporting learners from a wide range of perspectives and experiences of a public land grant institution.

• Cover letter (CV)
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• One-page statement of language program leadership and teaching philosophy written in Spanish (combined into one attachment).
• One-page statement on the values and strategies to support recruitment and retention and highlights the candidate's experiences (combined into one attachment).
• One sample intermediate Spanish language course syllabus demonstrating a student-centered approach to Spanish instruction.
• Two recent teaching evaluations from Spanish language, culture, or methods courses (combined into one attachment).


If you are selected for an interview, you will receive an email from the TALENT System requesting the contact information for your three professional references (at least two of the references must discuss your experience with program leadership and student recruitment). Your professional references will receive a request to upload their letter of recommendation to the TALENT system. References must submit their letters within two weeks of receiving the request.