Northwestern University Department of Communication Studies

Platforms, Identity & Culture

The Department of Communication Studies at Northwestern University seeks to hire an assistant professor specializing in new technological platforms. The appointment will begin on September 1, 2020. Successful candidates will be expected to develop a strong program of scholarly research; contribute directly to undergraduate and graduate instruction in the department; and perform service. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Communication or a related field. Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Ideal candidates will research how platforms affect or relate to culture from humanistic or social science perspectives. We are open to the study of a variety of platforms, including social media, television/film, tech, AR/VR, gaming, music, radio/podcast, art, fashion, news/journalism or community-driven platforms. We are particularly interested in candidates whose work engages cultural identity (e.g. race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, citizenship status and class) and whose work will complement the department’s existing expertise in community-based or creative approaches to understanding, critiquing, or experimenting with platforms.

In addition to research, teaching and service expectations stated above, the successful candidate will also be expected to contribute to the Masters in Leadership for Creative Enterprises program.

For full consideration, applications should be received by November 15, but review will continue until the position is filled. Candidates should submit a letter of application, CV, publication samples, evidence of teaching effectiveness, and contact information for three references via the link below. Search Chair: Jeremy Birnholtz, Department of Communication Studies, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.

The Department of Communication Studies offers a popular undergraduate major, and graduate programs in Media, Technology, and Society, and Rhetoric and Public Culture, as well as an interdisciplinary graduate program in Technology and Social Behavior. Through special resources for research support and scholarly event programming, the department is able to offer rich opportunities for scholarly development. School of Communication faculty also can have opportunities during their career at Northwestern to teach and conduct research at the Northwestern University campus in Doha, Qatar.

Northwestern University Northwestern is a top-tier, private research university with three campuses: Evanston, Chicago, and Doha. The Evanston campus, located just north of Chicago and on Lake Michigan, houses the six schools that offer undergraduate instruction (music, education and social policy, journalism, engineering and applied science, arts and sciences, and communication), the Graduate School, and the Kellogg School of Management. The Chicago campus is home to the schools of medicine and law. The new Doha campus, in Qatar, offers an undergraduate program in journalism and communication.

The School of Communication The School of Communication has five departments and offers a suite of interdisciplinary undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs. The departments span the communication arts and sciences and include the Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the Department of Communication Studies, the Department of Radio-Television-Film, the Department of Performance Studies, and the Department of Theatre (which includes music theatre and dance). The faculty of 150 includes 105 tenure-track faculty. The school offers instruction to roughly 1200 undergraduate majors and 700 graduate and professional students. Founded over 135 years ago, the School has been a leader in developing the communication disciplines and professions, and continues to be a center of excellence in the communication arts and sciences. The current Dean of the School is Barbara J. O’Keefe.

Department: SoC Communication Studies

Please read ALL instructions and make preparations before proceeding to the application page:

• Applications will only be accepted via online submission (see link below).
• Please prepare all documents in advance as Adobe PDF files, and please be sure all information is entered correctly and accurately (especially names and email addresses), as there will be no opportunity for online revision after your application has been submitted.
• Please also prepare a list of names and email addresses for your external academic references; your references will be contacted directly by the online system and invited to upload their letters on your behalf.
• All required fields in the application form are marked with an asterisk and must be filled before clicking the “Submit” button.
• Be aware that incomplete applications cannot be saved.

Applications accepted here: Apply for Job


Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States.