Unleash Your Potential With Us

As a next-generation public research institution, we are an inclusive community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to shape the future and solve the world’s most challenging problems. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you become an integral part of our mission to become a university for the future. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with uniquely talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses and regional locations. That means greater challenges to tackle, more meaningful opportunities to grow, and rewarding experiences that go beyond a paycheck.

The Opportunity

The Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM) in the College of Sciences at the University of Central Florida (UCF) invites applications for a full-time, nine-month, tenure-earning assistant professor with an emphasis in Strategic Communication.  This position is anticipated to begin in August 2023.

The successful candidate will contribute to the mission of the Communication program by teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels and providing service in one or more of NSCM’s undergraduate programs in Human Communication and/or Advertising/Public Relations.  Based on the current workload policy, the teaching load will be two courses per semester. The successful candidate is also expected to participate in school and university service, including committee work.

NSCM is especially interested in hiring faculty members who can contribute to its climate of diversity and inclusion.  NSCM is a student-centered school with a collegial and friendly faculty and staff.  NSCM strives to be a premier academic program known for excellence in research, teaching, and service to students and the community.  Students are active in internships and organizations on and off campus.  The curriculum emphasizes the theoretical and applied aspects of the field and encourages diversity in all aspects of communication.  NSCM currently offers eight baccalaureates, four master’s degree programs, and a Ph.D. program in strategic communication.  For more information about the school and its programs, visit https://communication.ucf.edu/ .

The College of Sciences (COS) houses most of the university’s natural, computational, and social sciences in eight departments, two schools, and several centers.  The college’s programs play a key role in advancing UCF as a national research university that is determined to help students from all backgrounds achieve success.  For more information, visit https://sciences.ucf.edu/ .

The University of Central Florida, located in Orlando, is a public research university invested in unleashing the potential within every individual; enriching the human experience through inclusion, discovery, and innovation; and propelling broad-based prosperity for the many communities we serve.  UCF is classified as a Very High Research Activity university by the Carnegie Foundation.  At UCF, we solve tomorrow’s greatest challenges through a commitment to academic, inclusive, and operational excellence.  Leveraging innovative learning, discovery, and partnerships, we foster social mobility while developing the skilled talent needed to advance industry for our region, state and beyond.  A Hispanic Serving Institution, UCF is home to a diverse student population of over 70,000 students, almost 2,000 faculty, and more than 4,700 staff.  UCF is invested in identifying candidates who will contribute to its mission through equity-minded practice and culturally responsive pedagogy.  For more information, visit https://www.ucf.edu .

Minimum Qualifications:

A doctorate in communication, mass communication, public relations, or another relevant field from an accredited institution by the start of employment; an active program of social scientific scholarship appropriate for a research university; and possess the capacity to teach at the doctoral and master’s levels, especially courses such as crisis communication, strategic communication, risk communication, and other courses relevant to our doctoral program in Strategic Communication.

Preferred Qualifications:

Preferred qualifications include a record of commitment to enhancing diversity and inclusion, demonstrated motivation and strategies for pursuing external research funding, experience in doctoral-level instruction, and successful service on doctoral dissertation committees.  Preference will also be given to candidates with proven experience and/or strong interest in building collaborative research teams and developing relationships with partners in the greater downtown Orlando area.

Additional Application Materials Required:

UCF requires all applications and supporting documents to be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, https://www.ucf.edu/jobs/ .  In addition to the online application, interested candidates should upload the following:

• A letter of application outlining how you are prepared to join the faculty at UCF, highlighting teaching experience and other qualifications of the position.
• A curriculum vitae.
• A two-page statement outlining your research interest and addressing how you are prepared to instruct and mentor students in one of the most diverse universities in Florida and the U.S.
• A list of three academic or professional references with names and contact information, not reference letters.

NOTE: Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be attached at that time.  Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

Review of applications will begin 01/19/2023, and continue until the position is filled.

Questions regarding the position should be directed to Dr. Harry Weger, professor and assistant director of Communication, at harry.weger@ucf.edu .

Job Close Date:

01/19/2023.

Are Benefits Important to You?

Working at UCF has its perks!  In addition to helping drive change and having a positive impact by supporting our students, staff, and faculty, UCF offers:

• Benefit packages including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, healthcare flexible spending accounts, and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Paid time off, including annual and sick leave and paid holidays.
• Retirement savings options.
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando area attractions.
• Education assistance.
• Flexible work environment.

And more…For more benefits information, go to ‘Prospective Employees’ on the UCF Human Resources website (https://hr.ucf.edu/ )

Who Are We?

Founded in 1963 to fuel the region’s talent pipeline and support the growing U.S. space program, UCF is built to make a better future for our students and society. It’s one of the reasons U.S. News & World Report ranks UCF among the nation’s top 20 most innovative colleges, while Forbes, Kiplinger , and The Princeton Review rank us a best-value university. UCF is one of 14 universities nationwide designated as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and a Research 1 university. With 13 colleges, including a fully accredited College of Medicine, UCF offers more than 220-degree programs between its main campus, downtown campus, hospitality campus, academic health sciences campus, and 11 UCF Connect centers located throughout the region. In addition, UCF extends its reach to communities in and beyond Central Florida by offering complete online programs leading to bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, Ph.D.'s., certificates, and more.

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer. Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of higher education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to employment in research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty positions (including employed visiting positions), graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, postdoctoral scholar positions, and undergraduate positions.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

As an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, UCF encourages all qualified applicants to apply, including women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of traditionally underrepresented populations. UCF's Equal Opportunity Statement can be viewed at  http://www.oie.ucf.edu/documents/PresidentsStatement.pdf.

As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.