Assistant/Associate Professor

Job Summary

The Department of Communication Studies and Storytelling at East Tennessee State University seeks an Assistant or Associate Professor of Communication Studies. This position carries full-time, tenure-track status beginning August 15, 2027, as an academic year appointment pending continued availability of funds.

We seek a Communication Studies generalist who can also serve as course director of a general education course (either Fundamentals of Communication [which includes oral presentations] or Public Speaking). Our preference is for a colleague with experience as a full-time university instructor post graduate school (e.g., experience as a full-time Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Post Doc, or other). Our new colleague must demonstrate respect and value for the use of narrative and storytelling in teaching and scholarship, although their research may or may not incorporate narrative.

As a generalist, the successful candidate will offer at least some of the following courses: at least one of four general education courses (Fundamentals of Communication, Public Speaking, Argumentation & Debate, and Interpersonal Communication), Advanced Public Speaking, Communication Theory, Professional Communication & Technology, Speaking for Social Change, and/or Communication Ethics. Our new colleague will also have the opportunity to teach and develop other courses according to any specialty they might have. Ideally, the successful candidate will offer a complement to the department’s existing specializations in interpersonal, family, health, rhetoric, performance studies, narrative, and organizations. For instance, we would be eager to hear from applicants with a background in political communication, crisis and risk communication, social media and digital communication, and/or applied communication. We are open to candidates who use any Communication Studies research methodology.

Teaching (60%)—The expected teaching load is a 3/3. This faculty member will primarily teach in our undergraduate Communication Studies major and minor programs but may have opportunities to teach graduate courses for our Graduate Certificate in Storytelling. They will be expected to teach existing undergraduate courses listed above. Our new colleague will serve on undergraduate honors thesis committees and hold regular office hours for students. Teaching formats may include in-person, hybrid, and online teaching. Summer and winter teaching opportunities are optional and available depending on need.

Service (20%)—The successful candidate will be expected to perform service at the departmental and college level. Service duties will include serving as a course director for a general education course (either Fundamentals of Communication or Public Speaking) and potentially growing and supporting our undergraduate Communication Studies Association. All faculty advise undergraduate students on their program of study. We are particularly interested in candidates who have strong organizational skills, demonstrated ability to work in collegial and collaborative environments, and experience in community-engaged work.

Research & Creative Activity (20%)—Tenure-track faculty contribute to the mission of the Department of Communication Studies & Storytelling through a program of research and/or creative activity that leads to publication, peer-reviewed performances, and/or competitively selected performances.

The Department of Communication Studies & Storytelling serves just over 90 majors and minors as well as over two thousand students annually enrolled in our general education

courses. The award-winning ETSU Speech & Debate Team and the Storyteller Collective are also housed within the department. The department currently has 12 full-time faculty members with areas of expertise across communication and storytelling fields.

Required Qualifications

• Candidates must have a Ph.D. or terminal degree in communication studies or other related field before August 15, 2027 (Applicants who are ABD will be considered, but the successful candidate must have completed all requirements for an earned doctorate prior to the start date; those who are ABD should make a case in their cover letter that all degree requirements for the Ph.D. will be satisfied before the start date)
  • Experience in higher education teaching
  • Preferred Qualifications
  • Specialization or interest in one or more of the following:
  • Crisis and risk communication
  • Social Media and Digital Communication
  • Applied Communication
  • Political Communication
• Previous full-time employment in higher education teaching
• Experience as a course director or assuming a leadership role among colleagues
• Record of peer-reviewed research publication and presentation, and/or juried performances

Interest or experience in community-engaged work and/or teaching

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary - $61,000 or higher based on experience as a full-time educator in higher education (e.g., full-time Lecturer, Post Doc, Assistant Professor, etc.)
• For information on benefits please visit www.etsu.edu/human-resources/benefits/.

Application Instructions

• Exempt positions are only required to be posted for a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days. The closing date for this posting is subject to change without notice to applicants.
• Applicant review will be rolling and will be accepting applications until January 8, 2027.
• Please include the following items in your application:
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Cover letter that specifically addresses the job summary and the required and preferred qualifications listed in this posting
  • Evidence of teaching excellence and demonstration of breadth of teaching experience (e.g., type of course, level of instruction, and frequency)
  • 1–2-page research and/or creative activity agenda
  • Minimum 3 professional references on your CV
  • Transcripts must be submitted to be considered for review; unofficial transcripts or a copy of the transcript is acceptable for application purposes. Official transcripts may be required upon hire.

University Overview

East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is an institution with over 14,000 diverse students highly ranked graduate and undergraduate programs. Located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee, ETSU serves as a hub for community, discovery, and service. Aligned with the institution's mission, we value efforts to engage in teaching, scholarship, creative activities, and service that involve community partners and address significant societal needs in our region and beyond. Recognized in 2024 as a Great College to Work For, recent strategic initiatives prioritize the institution’s focus on community engagement

Disclaimer: The Job Summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work individuals perform in this classification. It is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to revise the job or require different tasks to be performed as assigned to reflect changes in the position. Employees must be able to perform the position's essential functions satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations.