Assistant Professor
The College of Communication and Information at the University of Kentucky invites applications for the position of assistant professor. This is a regular title series position reporting directly to the School Director with appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor. The anticipated start date is August 16, 2024.
Qualification and Responsibilities:
Teaching responsibilities for this nine-month appointment include topics primarily in library and information science. This could include, but is not limited to, digital curation, archives, health information, data science, information literacy, or knowledge organization. Candidates are expected to hold an earned Ph.D. or be in ABD status in information science, library science, or a related field at the time of the interview. The Ph.D. is required by August 2024, for the successful candidate to hold the rank of assistant professor and begin the probationary period toward tenure.
Candidates will be expected to teach a 2-2 teaching load at the graduate or undergraduate level in library and information science with opportunities to teach across the School’s programs. This position will have an expected distribution of effort of 50% research, 45% teaching, and 5% service. Faculty are expected to teach, advise students, maintain a personal research program, participate in professional activities, and serve on university committees. Opportunities exist to work with doctoral students in the College’s interdisciplinary Ph.D. program.
Our Commitment to Diversity:
Experiencing a record high enrollment growth in students classified as first-generation and underrepresented minorities, the University of Kentucky is committed to creating a diverse, multicultural community of scholars and learners. It strives to be a model for the Commonwealth of Kentucky of a truly diverse society that celebrates human differences, promotes fairness and equity in policies and practices, and upholds basic principles of social justice. It is within this framework that the School of Information Science strives to make diversity central to its curriculum, activities, and staffing. It is also committed to educating its students about the value of diversity to them, the university, and greater society.
As such, we are committed to recruitment, retention, and representation strategies and practices to increase the presence of underrepresented individuals, including ongoing investment and responsive support to ensure that our employees can grow and succeed in their careers. Our commitment applies to all candidates inclusive of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
About the School:
The University of Kentucky’s School of Information Science, an interdisciplinary community of scholars and professionals, brings together communication, information, instruction, and technology. Students learn to leverage knowledge and skills to become critical and informed members of diverse communities. We model and foster equitable and human-centered approaches to problem solving, innovative research, information access and synthesis, and responsible leadership.
The School of Information Science offers two online master’s degrees (library science and information communication technology), an undergraduate major in information communication technology (including an online degree completion component), and an online minor in information studies. Additionally, the School of Information Science includes the Instructional Communication and Research group, which teaches university core courses in multi-modal communication to incoming students. The School boasts an impressive cadre of internationally recognized faculty who are recipients of multiple prestigious awards and fellowships.
About the College:
The College of Communication and Information is composed of two schools (School of Information Science and School of Journalism and Media), two departments (Department of Communication and Department of Integrated Strategic Communication), and interdisciplinary master’s and PhD programs. More than 80 full-time faculty lead over 2,000 undergraduate majors and 350 graduate students while also teaching in the university’s core curriculum and serving students pursuing minors and certificates in the college. The college also houses University of Kentucky’s independent student newspaper, The Kentucky Kernel, and the championship winning Intercollegiate Debate Team.
About the University:
Located in the vibrant city of Lexington, the University of Kentucky is a public, land-grant institution that plays a critical leadership role in promoting diversity, inclusion, economic development, and human well-being. The campus is home to more than 31,000 students, more than 2,500 faculty members, and nearly 14,000 staff members. The university is one of just eight in the country with a major academic health center and a full spectrum of academic colleges and professional schools on one contiguous campus. As such, the University of Kentucky is an incubator for interdisciplinary research. These collaborations allow researchers to address the rapidly changing needs of a global society.
According to Forbes magazine’s 2022 America’s Best-in-State Employers list, the University of Kentucky is the top ranked education employer in the state. In addition, for a fifth straight year, the University of Kentucky has appeared on ModernThink’s list of Great Colleges to Work For. As a leader among employers, the University of Kentucky offers a comprehensive benefits package. For more details, please visit
www.uky.edu/HR/benefits.
About Lexington:
Featured on the U.S. News & World Report’s list of best places to live in 2022, the City of Lexington is a great place to not only live, but also work and study. With a population of roughly 320,000, Lexington offers both the warmth and lower cost of living of a small city and the amenities you would enjoy in a larger city, including the arts, cultural events, and a thriving dining scene.
https://www.visitlex.com/Application materials should include: (1) a letter of application that briefly summarizes background, qualifications, and interest in the position; (2) a curriculum vita; and (3) contact information for three references when prompted in the application.
Application review will begin January 1, 2024, and continue until the position is filled. Questions regarding the position may be directed to the Search Committee Chair: Dr. Sean Burns via email at
sean.burns@uky.edu.
The University of Kentucky is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from veterans, individuals with disabilities, women, African Americans, and all minorities.
