Communication - Assistant Professor (Organizational, Public Communication)

Position: Assistant professor; higher ranks may be considered under exceptional circumstances
Tenure-track position in organizational communication with a specialization in public communication

The Department of Communication at the University of Ottawa invites applications for a tenure-stream position at the rank of Assistant Professor in Organizational Communication. The start date is expected to be July 1, 2025.

This position is structured around various aspects of public communications, including (but not limited to) the elaboration, development, and implementation of public action and strategic communications plans; the design and implementation of communications initiatives and campaigns for governmental and non-governmental organizations; risk and crisis management and communication affecting both the public domain and the broader organizational domain; inclusion, participation, and public engagement of different types of citizens and stakeholders; and public relations in institutions such as state departments and agencies, courts, and local authorities.

The Department of Communication is seeking candidates who can conduct empirical studies using a variety of methods and approaches.

Duties: The functions of a member of the academic staff include, in varying proportions: a) teaching activities; b) scholarly activities and research through research and peer-reviewed sc

• The successful candidate will be expected to teach a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in organizational communication, in French and/or English. The selection committee also values a strong ability to teach and mentor students doing internships and graduate students.
• The successful candidate will be expected to implement a program of research in organizational communication that results in peer-reviewed scholarly publications and has the capacity to attract, develop, supervise, train, and retain excellent trainees, students and future researchers, including the ability to secure funding to support student research.
• The successful candidate will demonstrate a sustained commitment to active participation in the administrative activities of the department.
• The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate leadership by establishing research collaborations and contributing to the creation of new courses in collaboration with department members, focusing on issues related to organizational communication.

Terms: Tenure-track position
Wage: Salary scale for an assistant professor rank starts at $94,588 (as of May 1, 2023).
Benefits Package: The University of Ottawa provides a comprehensive benefits package which includes long-term disability, basic group life insurance, supplementary health insurance, University of Ottawa Pension Plan and optional life insurance, as well as relocation expenses.
Location of Work:  Department of Communication, University of Ottawa, 55 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5

Contact Information:
Dr. Frédérik Matte, Vice Chair, Department of Communication, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, K1N 6N5.
E-mail: [email protected]

Required Skills:
The successful candidate will be a scholar in Organizational Communication with the following qualifications:

• A doctorate (Ph.D.) in Communication studies or a related field in the humanities and social sciences, by July 1, 2025;
• Evidence of successful teaching at a post-secondary institution;
• Evidence of an established and innovative research program and a record of refereed publications and scholarly conferences;
• An ability to attract external funding;
• Active bilingualism in French and English will be required to receive tenure (courses and individual tutoring available for professors). Preference will be given to people who can teach in both official languages at time of hire;
• The candidate's areas of scholarly expertise should include public communication broadly, such as the study of institutions, public and non-governmental organizations and their relationships with different types of public and stakeholders; communication and public relations strategies and practices in federal, territorial and international institutions; the engagement and participation of citizens in the development and maintenance of public action plans and messages
• Evidence of a commitment to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion within research and teaching.

Application Deadline: Applications received by January 15, 2025 will receive full consideration, but the position will remain open until filled.

More information on university careers is available online. Applications must be submitted via the University of Ottawa career portal.

A complete application includes a cover letter (2 pages), a curriculum vitae, copies of recent peer reviewed publications, a statement of teaching philosophy (1 page) and a statement of research interests (2 pages).

Two confidential letters of recommendation, sent under separate cover, should be addressed to:
Frédérik Matte, Vice Chair
Departement of Communication
University of Ottawa
Email: [email protected]

Short-listed candidates will be invited to present their research to professors and students of the department.

For more detail about the Department of Communication, please visit: https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-arts/communication

The University of Ottawa is a dynamic community of students, researchers, professionals, and academics in pursuit of great things. Our vision for the university of tomorrow is one that reflects the diversity of its people, their ideas, and their identities. We believe in the power of representation, and that increasing the diversity of our faculty and staff supports this objective.

One way in which we are starting to effect change, is by promoting more inclusive practices for staff and faculty recruitment. This includes more diversified and cross-functional selection committees, the use of self-representation surveys and equity data, guarding against biases through education, policies and procedures, as well as broadening our candidate searches through agencies and community partners.

Our goal is to provide the best student experience, sustained by a campus community they can identify with. To achieve this, we are seeking academic candidates that can best represent a broad intersection of equity-deserving communities, as well as their lived experiences.

According to government policy, all qualified candidates are invited to apply; however, preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The University of Ottawa is an equal opportunity employer. If you are invited to continue the selection process, please notify us of any particular adaptive measures you might require by contacting the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Faculty Affairs at [email protected]. Any information you send us will be handled respectfully and in complete confidence.

The University of Ottawa is proud of its more than 160-year tradition of bilingualism. Through its Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute, the University provides training to staff members and to their spouses in their second official language. At the time of tenure, professors are expected to have the ability to function in a bilingual setting and to teach in both official languages. English-French bilingualism is thus an asset.