Assistant Professor of Communication

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Health Communication

The Department of Communication in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the area of Health Communication to start in August 2027. This is a standard nine-month faculty appointment. In addition to having a research and teaching focus in areas pertaining to Health Communication, the ideal candidate should exhibit strengths in qualitative, quantitative, and/or mixed methods. The ideal candidate will demonstrate evidence of community-engaged and applied scholarship. This faculty position is part of the Arkansas Health Research and Solutions cluster hire at the University of Arkansas. Driven by three Fortune 500 companies, booming steel and lithium sectors, world-class museums, and rich natural beauty, Arkansas is transforming into a vibrant hub of opportunity and innovation. Yet Arkansas also faces significant health challenges. Too many Arkansans experience chronic disease, high rates of infant and maternal mortality, mental health crises, and limited healthcare access. Through this cluster hire initiative, the University will advance its land-grant mission by expanding capacity to address our state's most pressing challenges. Building on existing campus expertise, these new faculty members will advance their research agendas through collaborative research—both with other scholars and with communities in the state—that results in peer-reviewed publications, external funding, and new approaches to healthcare. The successful candidate for this position will join a multidisciplinary community of scholars committed to confronting major issues, generating new knowledge, and providing research-based solutions that improve health outcomes for people living in Arkansas and beyond.

Competitive applicants will also demonstrate an ability to provide strategic direction and collaboration with our Center for Communication Research, as well as success in working with interdisciplinary research teams, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, and engaging regional, state, and national funding agencies. Duties will include developing classes and teaching effectively at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and providing service to the Department, University, and discipline. This is an in-person position. Most university classes are offered face-to-face, and extensive in-person engagement in such activities as office hours, student advising, and departmental, college, and university committee meetings is essential to advancing student success and departmental effectiveness. Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

About the Department: The Department of Communication is committed to excellence in scholarship, instruction, and expression of human communication. We nurture a thriving intellectual community by bridging the humanities and social sciences. Discovery, learning, diversity, and engagement are the hallmarks of this community. Visit Department hosts the Center for Communication Research (CCR) which facilitates collaborative, interdisciplinary social research within the University of Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas region, and broader intellectual community. The CCR seeks to stimulate and support interdisciplinary collaborations; provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate participation; engage regional, state, and national funding agencies; and acquire and maintain the equipment necessary to support research endeavors. The CCR manages a research lab space that includes state-of-the-art technology for studying all facets of communication.

Duties will include:

• 40% Teaching or Professional Performance
• 40% Research/Scholarly and/or Creative Activities
• 20% Academic Service Activities

Minimum Qualifications:

• A terminal degree in Communication from an accredited institution of higher education conferred by the date of initial appointment
• Evidence of an active research program in health communication
• Demonstrated experience and competency in the classroom related to coursework in health communication, as evidenced in the CV and evidence of teaching effectiveness

Preferred Qualifications:

• Research commensurate with institutions holding the highest Carnegie classification and with the level of appointment
• Evidence of an interdisciplinary research program
• Evidence of potential to work in a lab-based setting, collaborative research teams, and/or with community stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to conduct externally funded research
• Experience publishing in top peer reviewed outlets
• Experience teaching lower and upper-level courses in health communication
• Experience with service at the departmental, university, or disciplinary level

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

• An ability to publish in top peer reviewed outlets
• Strong evidence of the ability to be an active, involved, and collegial member of a collaborative team both on campus and in relevant national service organizations

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Required Documents to Apply:

• Cover Letter/Letter of Application
• Curriculum Vitae
• List of three Professional References (name, email, business title)

Optional Documents:

• Proof of Veteran Status

All application materials must be uploaded to the University of Arkansas System Career Site

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Completed applications received by October 15, 2026, will be assured full consideration. Late applications will be reviewed as necessary to fill the position. For additional inquiries, please contact the search committee chair, Dr. Amnee Elkhalid, at View email address on click.appcast.io.

Applicants must provide:

• A curriculum vitae
• A cover letter/letter of application which addresses research program highlights and future prospects as well as evidence of teaching effectiveness
• A list of courses taught and up to three years of quantitative and qualitative evidence of teaching effectiveness
• A list of three professional references (name, title, email address, and phone number) willing to provide letters of recommendation if requested during the application process.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

The University of Arkansas is committed to providing a safe campus community. We conduct background checks for applicants being considered for employment. Background checks include a criminal background check and a sex offender registry check. For certain positions, there may also be a financial (credit) background check, a Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) check, and/or drug screening. Required checks are identified in the position listing. A criminal conviction or arrest pending adjudication or adverse financial history information alone shall not disqualify an applicant in the absence of a relationship to the requirements of the position. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.

The University of Arkansas seeks to attract, develop and retain high quality faculty, staff and administrators that consistently display practices and behaviors to advance a culture that embeds equal opportunity, educational excellence and unparalleled access for all.

The University of Arkansas is an equal opportunity institution. The University does not discriminate in its education programs or activities (including in admission and employment) on the basis of any category or status protected by law, including age, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, protected veteran status, military service, genetic information, sex, sexual preference, or pregnancy. Questions or concerns about the application of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, may be sent to the University's Title IX Coordinator and to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

Persons must have proof of legal authority to work in the United States on the first day of employment.

All Application information is subject to public disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.