Assistant Professor of Public Relations

Opt For Healthy Living; Fullerton (CA); On-site; USD 76,457 - 77,952; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health/vision/dental benefits

Tuition fee waiver for dependents

Access to campus childcare

Defined-benefit retirement plan

Job summary

Opt For Healthy Living in California is seeking a tenured/tenure-track instructional faculty member in public relations. The successful candidate will teach undergraduate courses, mentor students, and maintain an active research agenda in communications. The position requires a Ph.D. in a relevant field and professional experience in public relations or a closely related area.

Responsibilities also include advising students on career paths and contributing to curriculum development within the department. The role offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or equivalent in mass communications, strategic communications, or related field.
• Professional experience in public relations, including agency or corporate experience.
• Ability to teach a wide range of public relations classes.

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate courses in public relations.
• Maintain an active research agenda.
• Mentor students and advise on career paths.

Skills

Public relations expertise

Teaching skills

Oral and written communication

Curriculum development

Education

Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree

Job description

Apply now Job no: 559323
Work type: Instructional Faculty – Tenured/Tenure-Track
Location: Fullerton
Categories: Unit 3 - CFA - California Faculty Association, Tenured/Tenure-Track, Full Time, Faculty - Communications/Journalism

Position

At CSUF, our communications faculty are passionate teacher‑scholars who bring creative discovery to life in our classrooms, labs, and studios. We’re looking for a collaborative colleague to teach a variety of public relations courses—from PR writing and ethics to our senior capstones—and potentially co‑lead PRactical ADvantage, our student‑run agency. In this role, you will mentor students, advise them on their career paths, and help shape the future of our department and university communities.

As a tenured/tenure‑track faculty member, you will maintain an active research agenda, producing impactful scholarship or creative work in public relations, strategic communications, or related mass communication disciplines aligned with tenure requirements. You will also mentor students, serve on committees, and collaborate within the broader university and professional communities. Candidates should be willing to teach evening and graduate‑level courses occasionally.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree in mass communications, strategic communications, communications, or a related field.
• Professional experience in public relations or a closely related field, including experience in an agency, corporate, in‑house, nonprofit, or similar capacity.
• Demonstrated potential for excellence in undergraduate teaching.
• Ability to balance teaching, conducting scholarship and/or creative activities, and working collaboratively with colleagues on department and university service activities.
• Ability to successfully teach a wide range of public relations classes, including but not limited to PR writing, corporate and nonprofit PR, principles and ethics of PR, and capstone courses.
• Ability to interact effectively orally and in writing with a wide and culturally diverse range of students and colleagues.

Preferred Qualifications

• Evidence of successful scholarly research or creative accomplishments in public relations, strategic communications, mass communications, or related fields.
• Experience with and ability to incorporate digital communications strategy, social media analytics, content creation, and/or emerging communications technologies into teaching, scholarship and/or creative activities.
• Membership and active involvement in PRSA, or its international equivalents, and/or APR accreditation.
• Ability to contribute to accreditation self‑study, curriculum development, and assessment of student learning.
• Ability to lead high‑impact programs emphasizing student mentoring and professional engagement.
• Evidence of a professional network, including contact with industry leaders.

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

This position is open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. CSUF complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209, other applicable state and federal anti‑discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

Compensation

The Assistant Professor (Academic Year) classification salary range is $6,221 to $13,224 monthly (12 monthly payments per academic year). The anticipated hiring range is $6,851 to $6,985 per month. Salary offered is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

CSUF Benefits

An excellent comprehensive benefits package includes health/vision/dental plans; spouse, domestic partner, and dependent fee‑waiver; access to campus child‑care; and a defined‑benefit retirement through the state system and optional tax‑shielding opportunities. For a detailed description of benefits, visit https://hr.fullerton.edu/total-wellness/. New employees hired by the CSU for the first time who first become CalPERS members on or after July 1, 2017, are subject to a 10‑year vesting period for retiree health and dental benefits.

Application Deadline

To be assured full consideration, all application materials must be received by October 1, 2026. The anticipated appointment date is August 16, 2027.

Additional Information

At the time of appointment, the successful candidate, if not a U.S. citizen, must have authorization from the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to work in the United States. For information on the University policy on support for non‑immigrant probationary faculty visa acquisition, please visit https://hr.fullerton.edu/risk-management/faculty-staff-visas-permanent-residency/default.php. Multiple positions may be hired from this recruitment based on the strength of the applicant pool.

CSU Policies

The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and must comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083, revised July 21, 2017, as a condition of employment. A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be formally offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or the continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self‑disclose.

Please direct all questions about the position to the search committee chair, Frank Russell, at [e-mail] or call 657‑278‑1066.