Description

The Department of Communication at Villanova University seeks applicants for a tenure-track position in Computational Communication at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin Fall 2027.

With one of the largest undergraduate majors in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the Department of Communication offers courses leading to the B.A. in Communication with opportunities to specialize in eight different areas of the discipline. The Department offers both a M.A. in Communication and a graduate certificate in Strategic Communication. Our faculty value excellence in teaching and research and seek applicants who can contribute to our supportive, collegial work environment.

Villanova University, a Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian order, is located in the ethnically, racially, and culturally diverse Philadelphia metropolitan region. Diversity and inclusion are essential hallmarks of the Department and form the spiritual core of Villanova University’s mission. Candidates must be willing, therefore, to support the University’s Strategic Plan of Inclusive Community. An AA/EEO employer, the Department of Communication values dynamic and diverse faculty members who can contribute to the University’s conversation regarding truth, community, values, and social justice.  

Requirements

The teaching load is 2-2 the first year of the appointment and 3-2 beginning in the second year, with a focus on quantitative communication research methods and specialized electives. Candidates will be expected to pursue an active program of research in one or more of the areas indicated above. In support of this, Villanova offers the opportunity to apply for a semester-long sabbatical in the fourth year. Service responsibilities include student advising and mentoring, curriculum development and assessment, and other service meaningfully related to the candidate’s specialization and research interests.

Minimum Qualifications:
Successful applicants will have a terminal degree in Communication (Ph.D.), or allied discipline. ABD will be considered with degree completion by August 2027. They should demonstrate an active, theoretically grounded research agenda utilizing quantitative computational social science and big data analytics to investigate human communication processes, media ecosystems, and/or message dynamics. We welcome candidates working across core, applied, or interdisciplinary fields of communication and associated areas of inquiry, such as health, environment, and sports.

Applicants must possess demonstrated technical expertise in one or more of the following areas:
Computational Text Analysis & NLP in Communication
Network Science & Digital-Trace Communication Data
Algorithmic & Machine Learning Approaches
Human-AI & Algorithmic Interaction
Emerging Computational Methods: Other advanced data science, artificial intelligence, or quantitative methodologies applied to communication phenomena not listed above

All application materials will be collected online at https://jobs.villanova.edu. We will begin reviewing and will favor completed applications received on or before November 15, 2026.
Required materials include a cover letter, CV, 3 letters of recommendation, graduate school transcripts, sample publication(s), research statement, teaching philosophy, and summary of teaching evaluations.

Finalists will be asked to submit a statement on their contribution to Villanova’s mission, reflecting on how their teaching, research, and service contributes to the University’s value orientation as discussed in the University’s statement on its mission and enduring commitments, found here: https://www1.villanova.edu/university/president/about-university.html

For more details about the Communication Department’s undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as our faculty and staff, please consult our department webpage. Please direct all questions regarding the position to Dr. Qi Schlupp: qi.schlupp@villanova.edu.