Assistant/Associate Professor of Practice - Engaged Scholarship - National Ranching Heritage Center, Texas Tech University

Full-Time • Lubbock, TX

Position Description

The National Ranching Heritage Center at Texas Tech University invites applications for a full-time, 12-month Assistant/Associate Professor of Practice position focused on engaged scholarship beginning September 1, 2026. 

We seek candidates with a background or a record indicative of the ability to teach engaged scholarship and community-engagement courses at the post-secondary level and cultivate community partnerships. The successful candidate will be expected to teach graduate-level courses on community engagement. 

In addition to teaching, this position includes research and administrative responsibilities aimed at advancing the university’s outreach and engagement initiatives. The workload distribution is as follows: 

• Teaching (0.2 FTE) 

  • Spring: Foundations of Societal Impact & Engaged Scholarship 

  • Fall: Foundations of Engaged Partnerships 

• Engaged Research (0.5 FTE) 

  • Responsibilities include writing grants related to engaged scholarship at the National Ranching Heritage Center, publishing best practices in engagement, and developing evaluation metrics to assess impact on faculty, staff, students and community partners. 

  • The position also involves co-chairing graduate student research focused on engagement effects on both community partners and undergraduate students. 

• Administration (0.3 FTE) 

  • Duties include tracking program impact, especially as it relates to NRHC programmatic engagement pathways, including but not limited to Ranch Life Learning, historical park, and Red Steagall Institute for Traditional Western Arts.

Major/Essential Functions

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 dynamic student body, enable innovative research and creative activities, and transform lives and communities through outreach and engaged scholarship, applicants should have experience working with a breadth of 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 outreach and engagement 

• Liaise with departments across campus 

• Actively participate in Office of Outreach and Engagement and National Ranching Heritage Center initiatives  

• Conduct research associated with engaged scholarship 

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required or deemed appropriate to the accomplishments, responsibilities, and functions of the Office of Outreach and Engagement 

Faculty Qualifications

• An earned doctorate (Ed.D. or Ph.D.) by time of appointment  

• Record of scholarship commensurate with rank 

• Research agenda focused on a facet of community engagement 

Preferred Qualifications

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

• Three years of experience providing research-informed instruction in a post-secondary setting 

• Experience working with outreach organizations and an appreciation for traditional Western arts and stories 

• Active engagement in professional organizations in the field of engaged scholarship 

• Experience collaborating with community partners 

• Experience teaching in an online learning environment (including LMS and computer applications such as BlackBoard or Canvas) 

Learn more and apply here.