Department/Organization
207101 - Dean's Office-CCIS
Rank
Assistant Professor
Position Summary
The College of Communication & Information Sciences (CCIS) at The University of Alabama, invites applications for nine-month tenure-track Assistant faculty positions with STEM foci, to begin August 16th 2026.
Detailed Position Information
This area has been identified as a high-impact, strategically relevant domain with significant potential to enhance the national and international reputation of the college via cutting-edge research, external funding, and high-demand courses, engaging with and leveraging existing faculty expertise across these contributions. The ideal candidate is an interdisciplinary scholar who applies STEM knowledge and training to communication and/or information issues. This could include, but is not limited to, topics such as the following:
● Accessibility and Computing
● Artificial Intelligence
● Biomedical and Health Informatics
● Computational Social Science
● Ethics and Social Responsibility in STEM
● Human-Computer Interaction
● Predictive Analytics and Data Science
● Environmental/Health/Risk/Science Communication
Applicants must display an ability to be an active and involved member of a highly collaborative faculty team. The successful candidate will participate in interdisciplinary, collaborative, externally funded research efforts and have opportunities to teach at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The successful hire will be appointed to a department in CCIS that aligns with their research areas, with the potential for a joint appointment in a secondary unit, if appropriate.
Applications submitted by November 30th will receive full consideration, and review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Questions regarding the search should be directed to the search chair, Dr. Miriam E. Sweeney (mesweeney1@ua.edu).
About Tuscaloosa, Alabama
The city of Tuscaloosa has a diverse metropolitan population of more than 110,000 and offers an excellent quality of life and various multicultural resources and opportunities. The walkable downtown offers many cultural and outdoor activities, a wide variety of local restaurants spanning a broad range of cuisines, monthly art walks, a 7,470-seat outdoor amphitheater, and a very reasonable cost of living. Tuscaloosa is a morning's drive from the Smoky Mountains, Gulf Coast beaches, New Orleans, Nashville, Memphis, and Atlanta.
Minimum Qualifications
Has a Ph.D. in STEM, Communication, Information, or related fields by time of appointment.
● Has a developing program of interdisciplinary scholarly research in recognized STEM venues and outlets.
● Record of teaching effectiveness, including courses with interdisciplinary students or courses covering STEM-related subjects.
Preferred Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications (considered after all minimum qualifications are met) ● Demonstrated success in pursuing external funding. ● Desire to pursue leadership in transformation, innovation, and/or entrepreneurship. ● Recognized scholarly achievements, with evidence of developing a national or international reputation in their field. Desired candidates will meet Preferred Qualifications (considered after all minimum qualifications are met).
Instructions and Required Materials for Application
To apply, provide the following: 1. Cover letter highlighting the candidate’s overall match for the position. Please include a research statement, teaching philosophy, and evidence of teaching effectiveness. 2. Current curriculum vitae. 3. Names and contact information for three references.
About the Division/College/School
The College of Communication & Information Sciences has four academic units, approximately 110 full-time faculty members, and serves approximately 3,500 students across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs, including approximately 95 students in the college-wide Ph.D. program. The college’s Institute for Communication & Information Research (ICIR) is a premier research institute dedicated to addressing societal and cultural issues related to communication and information research. The ICIR collaborates with businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, foundations, and other entities to produce high-impact research that informs and improves our evolving communication and information landscape. The College is also home to the Public Opinion Lab, equipped with the Sprinklr data warehouse and custom data collection and management resources; a biometrics lab outfitted with state-of-the-art iMotions software and associated hardware; and the near-term development of an interactive VR/theater lab, among others. The college is also home to the Holle Center for Communication Arts, whose mission is guided by a commitment to advance narrative justice through innovative and arts-informed research, community engagement, and creative co-operation. The college also maintains the 40,000 square-foot Digital Media Center, which is home to Alabama Public Radio and WVUA 23, a full-power commercial television station serving a top-50 television market.
About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure’s 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation’s premier universities, UA offers bachelor’s, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.
In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.
UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.
For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine’s list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review’s list of Top Value Colleges.
UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.
Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., “The Alabama Research Institutes”), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.
The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation’s most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.
Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants to and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. Follow the link below to find out more. "EEO is the Law" https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf
