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Associate Director - Texas Center for Disability Studies

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Associate Director - Texas Center for Disability Studies

The University of Texas at Austin logoThe University of Texas at Austin
PICKLE RESEARCH CAMPUS, USA
Posted: Oct 5, 2026

NL Highlights

Provide strategic, administrative, academic, and programmatic leadership for the Center’s UCEDD and LEND programs.
Generate external funding and manage project budgets as PI or director.
Supervise staff, coordinate activities, and manage relationships with community partners and advisory committees.

Details

Salary & Funding

$75,000 - $115,000 - depending on qualifications

Duration

Expected to Continue Until Jan 31, 2028

Eligibility

Master’s Degree in social work, education, psychology, public health or other field related to disability or human service programs with at least 5 years of management experience.
Demonstrated knowledge of lived disability experiences, disability culture, disability studies, and inclusive design.
Experience in the field of intellectual, developmental, neurodevelopmental, or related disabilities.
Experience with public speaking and group facilitation.

Next Steps

1
Submit Resume/CV
2
Submit 3 work references with their contact information (at least one from a supervisor)
3
Submit Letter of interest
4
For non-current employees: upload resume first, then other materials in Application Questions.

Opportunity Overview

Job Posting Title:

Associate Director - Texas Center for Disability Studies

Hiring Department:

School of Social Work

Position Open To:

All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA

Earliest Start Date:

Jan 11, 2027

Position Duration:

Expected to Continue Until Jan 31, 2028

Location:

PICKLE RESEARCH CAMPUS

Job Details:

General Notes

This is a grant-funded position and reassignment will be based upon performance, progress toward research goals and continuation of funding. Must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis for any employer without sponsorship.

Purpose

The Texas Center for Disability Studies (TCDS) at The University of Texas at Austin invites applications for the position of Associate Director for our University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) and Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) programs.

The Associate Director will serve as a senior member of the Center s leadership team and work closely with the Executive Director, faculty, staff, university administrators, community partners, people with disabilities, including family members to advance the Center s mission. The Associate Director will provide strategic, administrative, academic, and programmatic leadership for the Center s federally designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) and Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) programs.

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with local and national partners on project and funding initiatives. Generate external funding through federal, state, local, and non-profit sources. Serve as Principal Investigator (PI) or other support roles on projects where appropriate. Manage budget expenditures and allocations on projects in which this position serves as PI or director, in collaboration with Texas Center for Disability Studies (TCDS) financial administrator. Assist Director with budget management and grant continuation as needed.
  • Provide oversight to staff and coordinate activities. Supervise staff members including time sheet approvals, annual evaluations, and mentoring. Supervise student interns.
  • Coordinate regular meetings with the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) in coordination with Director. Maintain communication with CAC members and recruit new members when needed. Coordinate with TCDS administrator on logistics and TCDS staff as needed.
  • Assist Director in overseeing annual evaluation of TCDS and Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) programs in coordination with data and LEND Coordinators, using structures and platforms provided by federal agencies.
  • Assist Director in overseeing information dissemination and communication for TCDS monthly newsletter, social media and website in coordination with Communication Specialist. Represent TCDS and Director by serving on local and national committees, and councils as needed. Attend relevant meetings and events. Inform director and staff of relevant meeting outcomes.
  • Assist Director in management of the Pickle Research Center space for TCDS in coordination with TCDS administrator. Work with the School of Social Work Facilities Manager on TCDS space and furniture needs. Assist with onboarding of new staff.

Required Qualifications

  • Master s Degree in social work, education, psychology, public health or other field related to disability or human service programs with at least 5 years of management experience.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of lived disability experiences, disability culture, disability studies, and inclusive design.
  • Experience in the field of intellectual, developmental, neurodevelopmental, or related disabilities.
  • Experience with public speaking and group facilitation.
  • Experience serving as a Principal Investigator (PI) or Project Director.
  • Experience supervising staff and resolving conflicts.
  • Knowledge of reasonable accommodations in academic and work settings.
  • Knowledge of, experience with, or collaboration with University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) and/or the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD).
  • Experience with Microsoft Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
  • Excellent attention to detail. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Strong interpersonal skills.
  • Values the contributions of others in the work environment.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Doctoral degree in social work, education, psychology, public health or other field related to disability or human service programs with more than the required years of experience.
  • Experience serving as a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) or Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) program administrator, associate director, assistant director, training director, Principal Investigator (PI), or Project Director.
  • Experience with mental health counseling with an appropriate professional license.
  • Experience supervising student interns.
  • At least 5 years of successful grant funding as a Principal Investigator (PI), Co-Principal Investigator, Project Director, or key personnel.
  • Experience working with postsecondary programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Salary Range

$75,000 - $115,000 - depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

  • May work around standard office conditions
  • Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation

Work Shift

M-F, Flexible between 8am-6pm

Required Materials

  • Resume/CV
  • 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
  • Letter of interest

Important

for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers:

You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers:

As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor s legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF] Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF] Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.