Description

The Department of Communication at Fairfield University’s John Charles Meditz College of Arts and Sciences is seeking an Assistant Professor of Communication with a specific focus on Family and Health Communication. Potential areas of specialization include health risk communication, social support, work-life issues, mental health, substance use, disclosure, and other topics generally relevant to Family/Health Communication. The start date for this position is September 1st, 2026, pending final budget approval. Applicants are required to hold a Ph.D. in Communication or a closely related field by the position start date. 

Requirements

The ideal candidate would be able to teach courses where needed, such as: Family Communication; Family Crisis Communication; Alcohol Addiction & Culture; Human Communication Theories, and Public Speaking. Candidates who can contribute to our Organizational Communication curriculum are particularly welcome. We also invite applicants to contribute to our curriculum based on their own expertise area. Ideal candidates should also have a developed or emerging research agenda that investigates issues in Interpersonal/Health Communication, as evidenced by publication in peer-reviewed journals. In line with our mission, translational efforts in the form of community partnerships and/or media are appreciated/welcome. 

The Department of Communication offers degrees in Communication, Public Relations, and Sports Media. Communication is one of the largest departments/majors on campus and contributes widely to the university’s core curriculum. The Department has 9 tenure-track/tenured faculty and three Professors of Practice. We offer an online, 36-hour MA designed for working adults in the New York City metropolitan area.

Fairfield University has three campuses: the main campus in Fairfield, a two-year program on our Bellarmine campus in Bridgeport, Ct., and a nursing campus in Austin, TX. The University is located roughly 50 miles from New York City, making it an ideal scholarly environment to blend theory, research, and application. We continue to face remarkable growth, breaking enrollment records annually while also decreasing our acceptance rate. 

Fairfield University is a co-educational, comprehensive Jesuit university with a 200-acre campus located in the scenic shoreline community of Fairfield, Connecticut. The University is comprised of approximately 3,500 undergraduate and 1,200 graduate students pursuing degrees within five schools: The John Charles Meditz College of Arts and Sciences, The Charles F. Dolan School of Business, The School of Engineering, The Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, and The School of Education and Human Development. As an expression of our Jesuit, Catholic mission and identity, Fairfield embraces a liberal humanistic approach to education, encouraging critical thinking, cultivating free and open inquiry, and fostering ethical and religious values.

Application Instructions: 

Review of applications will begin after October 17th. For full consideration, please click “https://ffd.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EmploymentOpportunities/details/Assistant-Professor--Communication_JR0002974” and upload the following materials:

*A curriculum vitae

 *A letter of application 

 *Three letters of recommendation

*Evidence of teaching effectiveness (e.g., evaluations; syllabi)

*Research sample(s)

Please ask your references to send letters of recommendation to the following email address: Communicationsearch@fairfield.edu.

Questions should be directed to Adam Rugg, Interim Chair of the Department of Communication: arugg@fairfield.edu. 

Fairfield University provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and

applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type

without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status,

genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression,

or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies

to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement,

promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and

training.