Department/Organization
207401 - School of Library and Info Studies

Rank
Assistant Professor

Position Summary
The University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) seeks a student-focused faculty member for a nine-month, non-tenure-track, renewable contract as an assistant professor in Applied Informatics, particularly analytics and design to begin August 16, 2026.

Detailed Position Information
Position Summary & Responsibilities:
This position provides an exciting opportunity for a passionate scholar and educator to teach in our growing Bachelor of Science in Informatics program and contribute to our online Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) curriculum. We are at a thrilling juncture with a new facility, growing student body and faculty at all ranks, and supportive administration dedicated to social aspects of information.
We are particularly interested in candidates who can maintain an agenda of research and scholarly publication relevant to their area of expertise and are passionate about developing and teaching courses that address the technical and applied dimensions of informatics and information science, with emphasis on one or more of the following areas:
• Data Analytics and Visualization
• Web and Mobile System Design and Development
• Ethical and Responsible Data Science
• Applied Machine Learning and AI
The candidate will contribute to the ongoing development and refinement of the Informatics curriculum, and may assist in the design of new undergraduate offerings, including potential tracks or majors in data science and applied computing. All candidates are expected to engage in service to the School, College of Communication and Information Sciences, the University, and relevant professional communities.

This teaching-focused position is based on a 3-year renewable contract cycle with opportunities for promotion. Successful applicants will display the ability to be an active and involved member of a highly collaborative faculty team. The standard teaching load for renewable contract faculty members is four courses per semester, with the option to teach during the summer for additional pay.
Review of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Questions regarding the search should be directed to the search chair, Dr. Laurie Bonnici at lbonnici@ua.edu.

Special Instructions to Applicants: Prior to hiring, the final candidate must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and submit “official” university transcript(s) of all graduate-level coursework.

About the School
The School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) offers an ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) program, an Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program in the book arts, an undergraduate major (BS) in informatics, undergraduate minor in informatics, undergraduate minor in book arts, educational specialist degree (in collaboration with the College of Education) in school library media, and doctoral courses that contribute to a multidisciplinary doctorate in Communication and Information Sciences.

Minimum Qualifications
• Earned doctorate in Informatics, Data Science, HCI, Computer Science, Information Science or a closely related field (must be earned by the appointment start date).
• Evidence of successful instruction at the undergraduate, graduate, or professional development levels.
• Commitment to work with students, colleagues, and partners with a range of backgrounds, perspectives, and levels of experience

Preferred Qualifications
• Evidence of successful undergraduate course development in technology areas, including system design and development, especially Web/mobile system design and development • Student mentorship experience. • Three (3) years of professional and/or teaching experience. • Experience in delivering courses through various modalities including online/face-to-face • Involvement in relevant professional associations.

Instructions and Required Materials for Application
Applicants must apply online at https://careers.ua.edu/jobs/search/college-of-communication-information-sciences and submit the following required materials. 1. Cover letter highlighting your overall match for the position 2. Curriculum vitae 3. Names and contact information for three references 4. Statement of Teaching Philosophy

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