Open Rank Professor of Professional Practice, Journalism

OPEN RANK PROFESSOR OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE – Journalism

USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

The University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Journalism seeks applicants for an Assistant, Associate or Full Professor of Professional Practice in Journalism faculty appointment. We seek a dynamic, forward-looking professional from a journalism background who will join our faculty to help support our undergraduate and graduate journalism programs, specifically working with students to produce audio content, which includes a 4-day per week news show and regular podcasts.

The successful candidate will become part of a faculty community that seeks to teach across a broad array of platforms, modalities, and genres. In addition to the teaching expected of all faculty, this position would include specific responsibilities for working within the Annenberg Media Center, which is a multiplatform newsroom that serves as a classroom learning laboratory and an incubator for ideas. In this space students develop news judgment and critical thinking skills, practice reporting and writing, meet deadlines, and work alongside faculty, staff and students with varied backgrounds and viewpoints.

Annenberg is training the next generation of storytellers using a hands-on learning model. The school reflects the diversity of creative and cultural expression in the city’s changing communities, as well as in our changing world.

The faculty member would work to build a culture of collaboration with students who are just beginning to build their journalism skills through experiential learning. A practitioner background in production — especially day-of-air audio work in radio or podcasting — would well prepare the candidate for this role. Documentary or video production experience would also be welcomed.

Candidates should have a deep understanding of current trends in the field of journalism and a fluency in contemporary reporting and storytelling skills, deadline multimedia production and a strong interest in working with students in a co-curricular production program.

Candidates should demonstrate an aptitude for leadership, including supporting curriculum development, program evaluation and industry partnerships.

Candidates should also possess a strong commitment to promoting a diverse and inclusive environment for faculty, staff, and students. Candidates with a demonstrated commitment to equity and improving opportunity and outcomes for historically underserved groups are especially desired.

This faculty member would be expected to balance production and teaching with committee service and professional practice activities as defined by the School.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:

• A track record of teaching and/or training experience is preferred; however, journalists with minimal teaching experience but a distinguished track record in the field are also encouraged to apply. Ideally, candidates have guest lectured in academic settings, presented on panels targeted to students, conducted workshops or done public speaking.
• A record of strong leadership, including evidence of mentoring or managing individuals and teams.
• A background in audio reporting and production or podcasting on deadline. Video reporting and production would be a plus.
• A commitment to the training and development of new and diverse voices as well as a record of work serving diverse communities.
• Intellectual leadership through superlative work with recognition of their achievements by industry or professional organizations.
• Enthusiasm about teaching, and interest in developing new curriculum at all levels of study.

The criteria for the appointment of full-time RTPC faculty members in the School of Journalism will be excellence in all the categories of performance that are deemed essential for the appointment under consideration.

Minimum Qualifications:  Master’s degree in Journalism (or related field) is preferred. Bachelor’s degree (coupled with longer professional career/experience) is acceptable. 

Applicants are asked to submit their credentials including a letter describing their background, interests and areas of expertise, their curriculum vita or resume, three letters of reference, and samples of their recent scholarly or professional work through USC’s job site.

The annual base salary range in this position is $105,000 – $160,000.

When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope of responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.  

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

The University of Southern California was founded in 1870 and is today home to more than 40,000 students and nearly 3,600 full-time faculty. An anchor institution in Los Angeles, and the city’s largest private employer, USC is a leader among US institutions of higher education in the enrollment of international students. USC has an endowment of $4.5 billion and substantial federal research funding, placing it in the top tier of US research universities.

USC is an equal-opportunity educator and employer, proudly pluralistic and firmly committed to providing equal opportunity for outstanding persons of every race, gender, creed and background. The university particularly encourages members of underrepresented groups, veterans and individuals with disabilities to apply. USC will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. Further information is available by contacting [email protected] .