Assistant Teaching Professor in Communication

Job Summary

The Department of Communication in the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information (CMDI) at the University of Colorado (CU) Boulder invites applications for a non-tenure-track position as an assistant teaching professor. This position will begin in August 2027 (fall semester).

We are seeking a versatile and dynamic teaching professor capable of teaching across department course offerings from introductory-and-large-lecture courses to more intensive capstones and senior seminars. The successful candidate will have demonstrated teaching excellence pertaining to department course offerings, potentially supplementing the Department’s strengths in its three core areas: Community & Social Interaction, Organizational Communication, and Rhetoric & Culture.

The position is 75% teaching and 25% service and involves a 3-3 teaching load. Classes you may have the opportunity to teach include, but are not limited to the following (divided into required and elective courses):

• Major Requirements: COMM 1210 Perspectives on Human Communication / COMM 2600 Group Interaction / COMM 3210 Communication Theory / COMM 3770 Research and Reasoning / Communication Capstone / Communication Senior Seminar
• Elective Courses: COMM 2410 & 3410 (Intercultural, various levels) / COMM 2500 & 3510 (Interpersonal and Family, various levels) / COMM 2650 Business and Professional Communication / COMM 3340 Political Communication / COMM 3620 Advanced Teams

The Department’s course offerings can be found here.

Preferred candidates will demonstrate interest and experience in large-lecture and/or small seminar classroom settings. We will strongly prefer candidates invested in inclusive pedagogy and mentoring graduate students. Service needs within the department may involve serving on the undergraduate curriculum committee, assuming a course directorship role, supporting the Josephine Jones Speaking Lab, and mentoring graduate students in teaching roles, including supervising TAs in large-lecture recitations and mentoring GPTIs. The Department also regularly offers opportunities for summer teaching appointments, which function separately from, and as optional additions to, the 9-month contract. Teaching faculty can apply for college-wide grants and are given yearly travel and teaching development stipends.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The Department of Communication has a long tradition of highly valued and long- serving Teaching Professors (i.e., instructors). Teaching Professors are fully involved members of the faculty, serving in roles associated with the undergraduate program and participating in the department’s governance. We are also a vibrant intellectual community committed to the critical, humanistic, and social scientific study of Communication.

Established in 2015, the University of Colorado Boulder College of Communication, Media, Design and Information (CMDI) is at the forefront of the revolution in communication, digital technology and design. CMDI prides itself on offering students an interdisciplinary education with a focus on innovation and creativity. Our students and faculty from six departments, an independent PhD program and the recently integrated program in environmental design think across boundaries, innovate around emerging problems and create culture that transcends convention. Additionally, CMDI is focused on providing high-impact learning experiences for students.

Both the Department and CMDI strive to be communities whose excellence is premised on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Department in particular has made a commitment to developing an actively anti-racist climate. We seek candidates whose past work experiences, teaching, research, or service activities demonstrate their work towards an inclusive environment or an understanding of the experiences of those historically underrepresented in higher education. We encourage applications from all candidates including those who have knowledge, skills, and abilities working with and among historically minoritized communities such as those within minoritized racial and ethnic communities, ciswomen, non-normative genders and sexualities, persons with disabilities, and others who have encountered legacies of marginalization.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

The position is 75% teaching and 25% service and involves a 3-3 teaching load (3 courses in fall semester; 3 courses in spring semester).

What You Should Know

This position does not offer visa sponsorship.

What We Can Offer

The annual salary range for this full-time position is $68,000 - $74,000. Salary commensurate with experience.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of Forbes' America's Best Large Employers, ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be authentic. Be impactful. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• A PhD in communication at the time of appointment.
• Three (3) years of teaching experience in the field of communication.

What You Will Need

• Ability to teach across the department’s curriculum.
• Experience with or interests in mentoring graduate students as TAs and GPTIs.
• Willingness to engage in upper level course design and curriculum development.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials as individual PDF files:

1. Cover letter that details how your experience matches the needs outlined in the job description, particularly experience with large lectures and graduate student mentorship.
2. Current resume/CV.
3. Statement of Teaching Philosophy that includes your pedagogical philosophy and approach to inclusive pedagogy.
4. Evidence of Teaching Success that includes example syllabi and course evaluations.
5. Names and contact information for three references. Please note: you will separately be asked to provide contact information for three (3) references during the application process, from whom we may request letters of recommendation later in the search process. The individuals on your contact document may be the same or different than those you submit as potential letter providers.

During the application process, you will need to enter contact information for three (3) letter providers. We may request confidential letters of recommendation later in the search process. This information will be kept confidential and viewable only by the search committee.

This position will begin in August 2027. For full consideration, please apply by November 5, 2026. The search will continue until the position is filled.

For more information, please email Cody Walizer, Search Committee Chair, at cody.walizer@colorado.edu.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email; applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.