Assistant Professor of AI & Political Communication

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annualsalary range: $88,000 - $92,000 Faculty employee benefits are very competitive for the highereducation sector. See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU’sexcellent benefits package.

Target Start Date: August 17, 2027

Application Deadline: October 16, 2026 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Position Description: The Department of Communication Studies at San José StateUniversity is pleased to announce a search for an Assistant Professor of Political Communication and AI beginning in August2026. We seek a teacher-scholar whose research and teachingexamines the intersections of political communication, artificialintelligence, democratic life, and public discourse through socialscientific, interpretive, rhetorical, and/or critical paradigmaticperspectives and research methods. Areas of specialization mayinclude, but are not limited to, AI and political communication, misinformation and disinformation, political polarization, platformgovernance, digital campaigning, civic engagement, algorithmicpublics, public advocacy, political rhetoric, public opinion, andthe ethical, social, and democratic implications of emergingcommunication technologies. In addition to developing and/orupdating graduate and undergraduate courses in politicalcommunication, rhetoric, and digital media, this colleague willteach courses in communication theory and research methods, as wellas general education offerings. The ideal candidate will lead thedepartment in establishing robust local and national governmental, policy, and technological partnerships, as well as internshipprograms related to civic and public sectors. The Department of Communication Studies at San José StateUniversity is a vibrant and diverse academic unit offering B.A. andM.A. degrees. We are committed to critical, innovative, andjustice-oriented approaches to teaching, scholarship, and publicengagement. The department values interdisciplinary research, inclusive teaching practices, and collaborations with Silicon Valley communities. Faculty and students actively engage inimpactful research, contributing to scholarly conversations atregional, national, and international levels. We also retain a longhistory of offering high-impact educational opportunities, including student research, community-engagedlearning/service-learning, study abroad, our robust internshipprogram, and our senior seminar (“capstone”) course. Thedepartment’s Teaching Associate (TA) program provides graduatestudents with hands-on teaching experience, preparing them forcareers in academia and beyond. All of these support our mission toeducate students to effectively participate in diverse local andglobal communities. Our faculty span a range of expertise andbenefit from access to a wide array of resources, includingresearch support, the University Grants Academy, collaborativespaces, professional development opportunities through facultylearning communities, and channels for research collaboration withstudents such as our very own COMM+ Lab and the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program. In addition, as a department we arehighly active in college and University-wide initiatives—includingthe Veterans Advisory Council; Project Rebound; the Center for Faculty Excellence and Teaching Innovation; the Humanities Program; Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; the Academic Senate, and the Trans-Teach In. Our faculty are regularly sought out forleadership roles across campus, reflecting both our commitment andinfluence in shaping the broader community. The Department of Communication Studies is part of the College ofSocial Sciences, which is committed to equitable and inclusiveteaching and learning. The College sees faculty and student successas inextricably linked, and strives to provideculturally-sustaining, and academically-affirming approaches tosupporting and engaging students and faculty. We provideopportunities for faculty development around asset-based, holisticstudent success, and support scholarship of engagement thataddresses issues that affect our campus and community. In all ofour endeavors, we strive to build leadership capacity and foster aculture of support and belonging for faculty, staff, andstudents. The Department of Communication Studies and San José StateUniversity value institutional excellence and are committed toadvancing equity through research, teaching, and service. We enrollmore than 40,000 students, many of whom are historicallyunderserved; approximately 45% of our undergraduate students arefirst-generation college students and 38% are Pell Grantrecipients. In addition, we are both a Hispanic Serving Institution(HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI). SJSU aspires to create holisticlearning environments that facilitate both individual andcollective transformation. We seek teacher-scholars who cultivateinclusive, empowering spaces for mutual learning, skill-building, and knowledge exchange for all students. Our commitment to lifelonglearning supports meaningful connections among faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the broader communities we serve. We invite all applicants to include a Statement of Institutional Excellence (or incorporate it into your cover letter) to share howyour lived and professional experiences will contribute to the SJSUcommunity—particularly in relation to student success. A guide towriting this statement can be found at SJSU Institutional Excellence Statement Guidelines.

Required Qualifications: Ph.D. in Communication Studies, or a closely related field(completed by time of appointment) Evidence of a well-defined, active and on-going research agendademonstrated through peer-reviewed publications andpresentations Demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching, includinginclusive and equity-minded pedagogy Ability to teach existing courses in the department and developnew courses in the candidate’s areas of expertise Applicants should demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivityto the educational goals of a socially and economically diversestudent population as might have been gained in cross-culturalstudy, training, teaching, and other comparable experience.

Preferred Qualifications: Priority will be given to candidates who possess one or more of thefollowing: Strong record of teaching excellence, teaching experience, anda record of service. Research and/or community engagement addressing the impacts ofAI on historically marginalized communities in politicalcontexts. Scholarly and/or teaching engagement with the intersections ofpolitical communication, rhetoric, technology, race, gender, andpower. Background in decolonial, feminist, queer, or critical racetheories as they relate to political communication andtechnology. Experience in political and/or technological activism. Experience or interest in developing curriculum related topolitical communication, AI and ethics.

Key Responsibilities: Teach and develop undergraduate and graduate courses incommunication studies, including core and elective offerings. Maintain an active research agenda leading to peer-reviewedpublications and public scholarship. Engage in service to the department, college, university, andthe broader community. Advise and mentor students, including supervising graduatetheses or projects. The candidate will participate in shared governance, usually indepartment, college, and university committees and other serviceassignments. Faculty shall organize all their classes within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS). The candidate must demonstrate awareness and experience inunderstanding the needs of a student population of great diversity– in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, genderidentity, and academic preparation – through inclusive coursematerials, teaching strategies, and advisement. Other Duties Note that all San José State University employees are consideredmandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements setforth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policyand Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwidepolicy, some faculty duties may lead to designation as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). CSAs are required to complete Clery Acttraining and to immediately report Clery incidents to theinstitution. Faculty employees must complete CSU employee training as assignedand required based on their role (e.g., Data Security, FERPA, Preventing Discrimination and Harassment, Title IX, Health andSafety). The President may recommend or require compliance withsafety measures that decrease the likelihood of COVID-19transmission or illness and allows the core mission and activitiesof the campus to continue. Application Procedure Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Applicationand attach the following documents [ departments may specifylength of items below (e.g. 2 pages) ]: letter of interest curriculum vitae institutional excellence statement (dedicated statement oraddressed in letter of interest) statement of teaching interests/philosophy research plans three reference letters Inquiries may be directed to the Department Chair: Deanna L.Fassett Pursuant to California Education Code 89521, applicants will berequired to disclose whether they have received a finaladministrative decision or final judicial decision determining thatthey have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years onlyafter a determination is made that they meet the minimumqualifications for the position, and before an offer of employmentis extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of theapplication process must also sign a release form that authorizesthe release of information by the applicant’s current and/or formeremployers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations ofmisconduct. Conditional Offer The work for this faculty position may only be performed in the State of California and requires establishing an on-campuspresence. Employment is contingent upon US residence and proof ofeligibility to work in the United States. Satisfactory completionof background and reference checks (including criminal records andprior employment) are required. SJSU will make a conditional offerof employment, which may be rescinded if the background andreference checks reveal disqualifying information, and/or it isdiscovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsifiedinformation. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background andreference checks may affect the continued employment of a currentemployee who was conditionally offered the position. San José State University: Silicon Valley's Public University Located in the heart of Silicon Valley — one of the most innovativeregions in the world — San José State University is the founding campus of the 23-campus California State University(CSU) system and the first public university in the West. Recognized as a leading transformative educational institution, SanJosé State is an essential partner in the technological, economic, cultural, and social development of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, and California. SJSU is a top-200 school nationally in researchfunding and second highest in research productivity in the CSUsystem. Cutting-edge research, world-class scholarship, student-centered learning, diverse communities, and commitment tosocial justice, allow SJSU to provide life-changing opportunitiesand advance the public good locally and globally. Equal Employment Statement San José State University prohibits discrimination on the basis ofAge, Ancestry, Caste, Color, Disability, Ethnicity, Gender, Gender Expression, Gender Identity, Genetic Information, Marital Status, Medical Condition, Military Status, Nationality, Race, Religion, Religious Creed, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Sex Stereotype, and Veteran Status. This policy applies to all San José StateUniversity students, faculty, and staff as well as Universityprograms and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made forapplicants with disabilities who self-disclose. Campus Security and Fire Safety Notification Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policyand Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR)is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policystatements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, andinformation about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASRalso contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José StateUniversity locations for the three most recent calendar years. Apaper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by emailat clerycompliance@sjsu.edu. Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual FireSafety Report (AFSR) is available at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for firesthat occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for thethree most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safetypolicies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. Apaper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email atuhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu. Advertised: August 04, 2026 (9:00 AM) Pacific Daylight Time Applications close: