Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Public Relations & Digital Content Creation

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Public Relations &
Digital Content Creation

Wayne State University is searching for an experienced
Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Public Relations &
Digital Content Creation at its Detroit campus location.

Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located
in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all
backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our
deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity,
diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational
opportunities which prepare students for success in a global
society.

Essential functions (job duties):

Wayne State University is seeking a full-time, Tenure Track
Assistant Professor with an emphasis in Public Relations and
Digital Content Creation to join the Department of Communication
starting August 18, 2027.

The ideal candidate will have (a) teaching and research expertise
in public relations and strategic communication, and (b) experience
creating digital content for multimedia communication, such as
brand storytelling. Preference will be given to individuals who
have additional professional experience in public relations and
strategic communication.

The successful candidate will demonstrate an active and strong
research agenda centered on digital public relations, marketing
communication, social media, organizational communication, and/or
measurement and analytic techniques.

Responsibilities include teaching core courses within our new
undergraduate Digital Content Production major, including COM 1610
(Fundamentals of New Media Production), COM 2260 (Digital Writing
and Research Methods), COM 2280 (Visual Communication & Content
Creation), COM 4210 (Data Analysis and Research), COM 5140 (Social
Media for Strategic Communication), and graduate level courses such
as COM 6140 (PR Theory), and COM 6250 (Organizational
Communication), COM 7140 (PR Campaigns and Issues
Management).

Responsibilities also include mentoring and advising graduate and
undergraduate students pursuing careers in public relations and
strategic communication, mass communication, journalism, digital
media and content creation. The candidate will also have the
opportunity to contribute to curriculum development initiatives at
undergraduate and graduate levels.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION: With approximately 350 undergraduate
majors and 60 graduate students, the Department of Communication is
diverse and dynamic, featuring programs in communication studies,
media arts and studies, film, journalism, and public relations. The
Department’s facilities include a broadcast-quality video studio,
specialized student computer labs, and digital film/video editing
suites. For more information, please visit
http://www.comm.wayne.

Our students experience the benefit of a world-class education in
an applied context. The department has 26 full-time faculty and
more than 20 part-time faculty with strong backgrounds in both
scholarly and professional approaches to communication. We offer 24
graduate assistantships and 3 fellowships each year.

THE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY: As a university, we have a
responsibility to uphold diversity as a value, and demonstrate
commitment, through our policies and actions. Through our everyday
activities and interactions, creative and scholarly practices,
curricular design and teaching, and service and community
engagement, we seek to create an inclusive institutional atmosphere
that recognizes and celebrates the inherent value of a diverse
campus community.

We are a university of access and opportunity, and we have a
responsibility to demonstrate a commitment to our mission of
providing access to an excellent and affordable college education.
We are here to make our students’ lives and futures better.
Financial aid avenues that help support this commitment are the
Michigan Achievement Scholarship and Wayne State Guarantee (a
tuition-free program open to all Pell Grant-eligible Michigan
residents, as well as most families who earn less than $70,000) for
first time students, and Michigan Reconnect for transfer pathways.
In addition, the Detroit Promise award ensures any eligible
Detroit-resident student graduating from a high school in the city
will have a tuition-free path to a bachelor's degree.

The Department of Communication is one of four departments in the
College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts; the other
constituent units are the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art,
Art History, and Design, the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre
and Dance, and the Department of Music. It is home to today’s
aspiring artists, performers, scholars, dancers, debaters,
entrepreneurs and communication professionals who all represent the
college’s legacy of excellence in our respective fields. From
debate to dance, jazz to journalism, and fashion design to center
stage, our students create captivating performances, inspire
artistic and academic excellence, and conduct innovative research
on behalf of our Detroit community.

Wayne State University is a Carnegie Tier 1 Research (R1)
university enrolling more than 24,000 students in 350 undergraduate
and graduate programs offered through the University’s 13 schools
and colleges. Wayne State’s immediate neighbors in our Midtown
Cultural Center include the Detroit Public Library, Detroit
Institute of Arts, Michigan Science Center, Charles H. Wright
Museum of African American History, Detroit Historical Museum,
Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Detroit Opera Theatre. The vibrant
Midtown and Downtown areas are also home to active theatres,
galleries, professional sports stadiums, and entertainment venues
ranging from Detroit Artist Market and the Fox and Fisher
Theatres.

Qualifications:

A terminal degree (PhD) in Communication, Public Relations,
Marketing, or related discipline is required.

Experience with visual content creation, audio podcasting,
broadcasting, and post-production is also required.

Candidates should be able to engage students in the technical use
of multimedia tools and guide them through all aspects of content
production from pre-production through
post-production/editing.

At least two years of university teaching experience is required as
is an active record of research at the national level.

Candidates should demonstrate clear evidence of the potential for
establishing a national reputation through an active program of
peer-reviewed scholarship and interest in applying for extramural
funds. They should also possess an interest in working with
students from diverse backgrounds and a willingness to mentor
graduate students.

APPLICATIONS: A letter of application, curriculum vitae, teaching
philosophy and evidence of teaching effectiveness, one
representative research publication, portfolio or links to
professional work samples, and a list of five references (including
names, addresses and contact information) must be submitted through
Wayne Talent.

Applications will be accepted until December 31, 2026. The search
committee will begin reviewing applications on January 2,
2027.

Inquiries about the position may be directed to search committee
chair:

Stephanie Tong, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Communication

stephanie.tong@wayne.edu

Preferred qualifications:

Professional experience producing strategic communication video,
audio, or social media content is preferred. Experience of research
collaboration across disciplines or with community/external
partners is also desirable.

School/College/Division:

H04 - Fine & Performing Arts

Primary department:

H0406 - Communication

Employment type:

• Regular Employee
• Job type: Full Time
• Job category: Academic/Faculty

Funding/salary information:

• Compensation type: Annual Salary

Working conditions:

This position must be filled pursuant to the provisions of a
collective bargaining agreement, and as such may be filled by a
qualified bargaining unit member, should one apply.

Job openings:

• Number of openings: 1

Background check requirements:

University policy requires certain persons who are offered
employment to undergo a background check, including a criminal
history check, before starting work. If you are offered employment,
the university will inform you if a background check is
required.