Job Description

The Department of Communication [communication.udel.edu] in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Delaware invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Strategic Communication, beginning August 2025. We seek candidates with a focused research agenda and teaching experience in health communication, public relations, political communication, persuasion, media effects, computational methods, and/or advertising.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated potential for securing extramural grant funding and have a strong commitment to teaching and mentoring. Research, teaching, and service are workload requirements.

QUALIFICATIONS: We are seeking an exceptional candidate with a strong research program and the potential to secure external funding as well as experience teaching large undergraduate courses. Candidates must have earned a PhD in Communication, Public Relations, or a closely related field before the start of the position in August 2025.

TO APPLY: Review of applications will begin on November 15th and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants should upload a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references.

For inquiries, contact Dr. Amy Bleakley, search committee chair, at [email protected].

UD DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION: The Department of Communication at the University of Delaware (communication.udel.edu) is within the College of Arts and Sciences and was ranked as one of the top five majors at UD. The Department has 20 full-time and jointly appointed faculty members and has grown significantly in recent years to more than 900 undergraduate majors, 21 graduate students in our Communication PhD/MA program, and almost 100 students enrolled in our online Strategic Communication MA program. With a focus on Social-Behavioral Science, the Department offers three concentrations within the undergraduate major (interpersonal, media, and public relations), and is centrally involved in several interdisciplinary minors, including Journalism, Advertising, Interactive Media, and Political Communication. A collegial and highly accomplished group of faculty, the Communication Department has expertise in health, interpersonal, journalism, media, public relations, and political communication. Our two centers (Center for Health Communication and Center for Political Communication) provide hubs for research and interdisciplinary collaboration. And our state-of-the-art research lab enables faculty and students to run a wide variety of observational and experimental studies and includes a naturalistic living room, cubicles with high-powered computers with modern gaming capabilities, a focus group space, and a room dedicated to the collection of biological specimens.

The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Delaware offers exceptional educational experiences including integrated instruction, research and public engagement. With 24 academic departments and more than 30 centers, programs and institutes, the College serves over 7,000 undergraduate students and 1,000 graduate students with CAS majors, but also every single University student through foundational course work. The College’s 580 faculty members emphasize the enduring value of an arts and science education and share a deep commitment to excellence in scholarship and all forms of creative and intellectual expression. The College has departments in the arts, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, and features outstanding research and teaching facilities. Faculty and staff encourage and support innovative interdisciplinary collaborations and students engage local, national and global audiences through research and creative activity. With annual research expenditures of approximately $30 million and growing, the College currently houses several large, interdisciplinary grants with significant funding from the NIH and NSF.

The University of Delaware (www.udel.edu) is one of the nation’s oldest institutions of higher education, combining tradition and innovation. The university recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the experience of its employees and in supporting its academic mission. We are committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds, and we strongly encourage applications from educators from under-represented groups. UD provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.