Virginia Commonwealth University
Assistant Professor
Robertson School – Multimedia Journalism
Mission or Goal of Unit:
The mission of the College of Humanities and Sciences is to serve as the intellectual heart and soul of our institution and wider community. The College of Humanities and Sciences:
- Prepares lifelong learners to participate actively as engaged and responsible citizens
- Propels scientific research and scholarship to improve the human condition, cure and treat diseases, and promote healthy environments
- Grounds us in our history, critically examines our present human condition and empowers students to create more equitable local and global communities
- Provides communities with a passionate and creative workforce that serves as a powerful engine for economic development and innovative solutions to problems
As the intellectual lifeblood of VCU and our community, the College of Humanities and Sciences seeks to inspire our students to explore their passions and dreams as individuals and provide the context to understand their place in the world and connections with others—locally, globally and throughout time. Most importantly, our educational and research environment addresses an array of technological, health-related and societal problems, as well as providing profound insights and reflections of what it means to be human and humane.
Chief Purpose of this position: The Robertson School of Communication at Virginia Commonwealth University invites applications for a full-time, tenure-eligible faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin in Fall 2025.
This is an exciting time to be at VCU and a great opportunity to join our forward-thinking school. VCU is one of the nation’s premier urban, public research universities. With 28,594 students, it is one of the largest universities in Virginia. The Robertson School is accredited by ACEJMC and has approximately 720 students. The School’s focus is to help students get good media jobs upon graduation. It attracts a diverse student body, and about 50% of our students are racially and ethnically diverse and/or members of other diverse groups. The candidate should reflect the School’s commitment to teaching excellence, community engagement and cultural diversity.
The ideal candidate will have a PhD and an academic scholarship track record. Candidates with a master’s degree and 10+ years of experience in multimedia journalism will also be considered. The successful candidate will have a scholarship focus in AI and the media and will have demonstrated a commitment to innovative developments in the business of journalism.
Position Responsibilities: This new faculty member will primarily teach undergraduate journalism courses and may have the opportunity to teach graduate courses in our master’s program. They will work directly with Newsroom, the undergraduate journalism capstone experience, as well as work directly with the school’s Media & AI Lab. PhD candidates will have a research agenda and activities that lead to publications in refereed journals, books and conference presentations and other scholarly pursuits. Master’s candidates may engage in research scholarship and/or continue professional activities in the multimedia journalism field.
Required Qualifications: Candidates must have: (1) a PhD or a master’s degree in mass communication or in a related field; (2) an academic scholarship track record and/or professional experience in producing news content viewed on multimedia platforms; (3) a strong interest in innovative developments in the business of journalism, including AI; (4) a proven track record of inspiring, guiding and mentoring others to reach their full potential; and (5) high expectations for students. Successful college teaching experience is highly preferred.
Preferred Qualifications: Preferred candidates will have a successful record of working with diverse and underserved populations and a demonstrated potential to do so at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Please submit the following application materials: (1) A letter of application; (2) A current curriculum vitae including the names and contact information of three references; (3) A statement on Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (see https://provost.vcu.edu/faculty/prospective/ for details); and (4) One PDF file or links to three non-returnable samples of teaching materials along with your teaching evaluations from the last two years, and three non-returnable samples of scholarly and/or professional work related to AI. Review of applicants will begin mid-January. The position remains open until filled. For additional information, contact Dr. Timothy Bajkiewicz at or visit the School’s website at http://robertson.vcu.edu.
Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
