Dual-Career Program

Recognizing dual-career partner assistance is a crucial element in recruiting and retaining excellent faculty, the University of Houston has established a program that offers assistance to qualified couples. The UH Dual-Career Program is a partnership between the departments, deans, the Provost’s Office and the broader community. The program is administered by the Office of Faculty Recruitment and Retention.

Although there is no guarantee of job placement, we will help facilitate the job search process at UH and in the local community. Career searches are most successful when the partner takes a great deal of initiative. Spouses/domestic partners are urged to conduct an active job search, using the Dual-Career Program.

The Dual-Career Program applies to the spouse/domestic partner of an individual who has either accepted a Tenure/Tenure-track faculty position or who is selected to receive an offer for a Tenure/Tenure-track faculty employment. Due to resource constraints, dual-career support can only be provided for spouses/domestic partners of individuals who are selected to receive an offer or who have accepted an offer, but not for individuals who are among multiple finalists.

UH commits to making every effort to assist with the employment search for spouses/domestic partners of recruited candidates.

• We encourage spouses/domestic partners to be open to a host of employment settings and locations across the Houston area to enhance the likelihood of a successful placement.
• The program does not create any entitlement or contractual rights to employment or to a particular type of position on campus or off campus.
• Career searches are most successful when the spouse/domestic partner takes an active role in the job search both with the assistance offered by UH and independently.

Basic Principles:

• Must be an appropriate fit between spouse/domestic partner's qualifications and position.
• Academic positions offers for spouses/domestic partners are only extended if strong support exists in target unit or department.
• In the case of internal hires, the spouse/domestic partner hire must comply with UH policies and receive all appropriate approvals.
• UH will provide search support, but is unable to guarantee placement.

Process:

• Departments encourage candidates to disclose whether their spouse/domestic partners will be in need of dual career support. Without this disclosure the process cannot be activated.

Partner Seeking Faculty/Academic Positions:

• Once a candidate is selected as the finalist for a position and extended an offer, the department chair is responsible for contacting the Office of Faculty Recruitment and Retention, with any questions and to initiate the search at 713-743-6268 or fac-rred@uh.edu.    
• The spouse/domestic partner will provide information regarding their academic background and job experience utilizing the online Dual Career Program Request form
• The Office for Recruitment and Retention reviews the completed form and contacts the spouse/domestic partner to schedule a consultation session.
• Under circumstances defined by the Provost, the Provost will provide funding on a case by case basis for a spousal/domestic partner hire in a Tenure/Tenure-track position, if the hire meets the receiving unit criteria, and if funds are available and the unit faculty are in agreement with the hire.
• 'Bridge' funding of a position for a preliminary period may be possible if relevant Deans provide necessary support.
• The Greater Houston area has 14 major institutions of higher learning. UH has partnerships with many of these institutions and will continue to expand on these partnerships. The Assistant Provost for Recruitment and Retention will assist with disseminating the spouses/domestic partners’ credentials to partner institutions.
• This policy only applies during twelve month period after a new faculty member is offered a position.   

Partner Seeking Staff Positions On-Campus:

• Spouses/domestic partners seeking a staff position on-campus are encouraged to explore and apply for on-campus staff positions that match their skill set utilizing UH’s job web portal.
• Once a candidate is selected as the finalist for a position and extended an offer, the department chair is responsible for contacting the Office of Faculty Recruitment and Retention with any questions and to initiate the search at 713-743-6268 or fac-rred@uh.edu.
• The spouse/domestic partner will provide information regarding their academic background and job experience utilizing the online Dual Career Program Request form
• The Office for Faculty Recruitment and Retention reviews the completed form and resume and contacts the spouse/domestic partner to schedule a consultation session. 

Partner Seeking Positions Off-Campus:

• Once a candidate is selected as the finalist for a position and extended an offer, the department chair is responsible for contacting the Office of Faculty Recruitment and Retention with any questions and to initiate the search at 713-743-6268 or fac-rred@uh.edu.
• The spouse/domestic partner will provide information regarding their academic background and job experience utilizing the online Dual Career Program Request form
• The Office for Faculty Recruitment and Retention reviews the completed form and resume and contacts the spouse/domestic partner to schedule a consultation session.

The University of Houston is a member of the South-Central-Gulf Texas Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC), which is a non-profit consortium of colleges and universities. One of HERC’s primary goals is to help the spouses/domestic partners of faculty and staff members to secure employment. They have a web-based search engine that is free and includes faculty and staff job listings at all 19 Greater Houston member institutions.

For additional information, please contact the Office of Faculty Recruitment and Retention at 713-743-6268 or fac-rred@uh.edu.