Academic Fellow, School of Law

About the role

The University of Texas School of Law strives to create and promote an environment that values kindness and mutual respect and a culture that provides a deep sense of belonging for each member of our community. The Texas Law Academic Fellowships program supports individuals who are committed to obtaining an appointment as a tenure‑track member of a law faculty. Academic Fellows are in residence at the University of Texas School of Law for two years and are expected to enter the law school teaching market in the fall of their second year. They are fully integrated into the rich intellectual community at the School of Law, will have an assigned mentor, and will have many opportunities to develop their research agenda, writing projects, and teaching skills. The term of appointment is for two years, with up to two Fellows selected each year. Applications are considered on a rolling basis starting August 4, 2026. The position is located on the UT Main Campus, scheduled for 40 hours per week, exempt from FLSA, with an earliest start date immediately and expected to continue until May 15, 2029.

Responsibilities

• Working with the assigned mentor, actively participate in and contribute to the Texas Law community through research, writing, and other academic opportunities in preparation for a career in legal teaching.
• Each year the Academic Fellow will teach one upper‑level course or seminar of the Fellow’s choice or design, subject to the School of Law’s needs; the same offering may be taught in both years.

Required Qualifications

• J.D.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Productive, self‑driven, and collaborative scholar
• Proven ability to work as a member or leader of a team and to present research to professional peers
• Professional demeanor and good interpersonal skills

Benefits

• Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%; family premiums at 50%)
• Vision, dental, life, and disability insurance options
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Teachers Retirement System of Texas (a defined benefit retirement plan)
• Additional voluntary retirement programs: tax‑sheltered annuity 403(b) and deferred compensation program 457(b)
• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
• Training and conference opportunities
• Tuition assistance
• Athletic ticket discounts
• Access to UT Austin's libraries and museums
• Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Capital Metro buses with staff ID card

Pay

The annual salary for each Academic Fellow is $75,000, plus benefits (including health insurance). Each Fellow also receives a $5,000 faculty account each year for travel to conferences, research, or other academic expenses.

Schedule

Weekly scheduled hours: 40. FLSA status: Exempt. Earliest start date: Immediately. Position duration: Expected to continue until May 15, 2029.

Required Materials

• Current curriculum vitae (CV)
• Copy of law school transcript
• Contact information for 3 references (two must be academic references; for each reference include name, title, mailing address, email address, and telephone number)
• Copies of any scholarly legal articles the candidate has written and would like to have considered (published, unpublished, or in draft form)
• Research proposal (2,000 words or less)
• List of law school courses the candidate would be willing to teach (listed in order of preference)