Working/Functional Title
Ast Inst/Inst/Ast Prof Fixed Term
Position Summary
This is a fixed-term, nine-month academic year appointment. Rank (Assistant Instructor/Instructor/Assistant Professor) and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience, consistent with university guidelines for fixed-term faculty appointments. The position includes standard university benefits.
We seek a dynamic educator and experienced industry professional prepared to teach undergraduate courses in advertising and/or public relations and help prepare students for successful entry into a rapidly evolving communications industry.
We welcome applications from candidates with established academic experience as well as accomplished professionals who are interested in transitioning from industry into a teaching-focused role.
Instructional needs may include:
- Project management.
- Advertising technology (including programmatic systems, AI applications, and emerging platforms).
- Strategic marketing communication.
- Social media strategy and management.
- Writing and content strategy for public relations.
We are particularly interested in candidates who can translate current industry practices into applied classroom learning and who are committed to supporting students’ professional growth and career readiness.
All assigned courses will be delivered in person on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing, Michigan. Beginning Fall Semester 2026, the standard instructional load for fixed-term faculty in the department will typically be three courses in one semester and four courses in the other (3/4 or 4/3) across the academic year. Salary and rank are commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree
Terminal -Advertising, marketing, strategic communications, public relations, or a closely related field.
Minimum Requirements
The selected individual will be hired at the rank that aligns with their highest degree.
A bachelor’s degree in the discipline or a closely related field is required for appointment at the rank of Assistant Instructor. A master’s degree in the discipline or a closely related field is required for appointment at the rank of Instructor. A PhD in the discipline or a closely related field is required for appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor.
Desired Qualifications
We welcome applications from experienced communications professionals interested in contributing to an applied, industry-engaged undergraduate program. Candidates must demonstrate the following qualifications:
Professional Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of full-time professional experience in advertising, marketing, strategic communications, public relations, or a closely related field.
Professional Engagement: Strong familiarity with current industry practices, tools, and trends and the ability to integrate those perspectives into undergraduate instruction.
Applied Instruction: Ability to incorporate professional skills, practices, and current industry tools into one or more of the instructional areas described in the position summary.
Professional Guidance & Development: Experience mentoring, coaching, or developing interns, emerging professionals, or early-career colleagues in professional settings.
Teaching & Instruction: Demonstrated interest in undergraduate teaching and the ability to translate professional experience into engaging classroom instruction and applied learning activities.
Learning Environment: Commitment to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and supportive learning environment that values diverse perspectives and experiences among students.
Required Application Materials
- Curriculum vitae.
- Cover letter (2–3 pages recommended) describing:
- Your professional background and areas of expertise in advertising, public relations, or strategic communications.
- Your interest in teaching and how you would bring industry. experience and current professional practices into the classroom.
- Your approach to working with undergraduate students and helping them connect classroom learning to professional practice and career pathways.
- Any experience mentoring, coaching, or supporting emerging professionals or students from varied backgrounds.
Special Instructions
Review of applications will begin March 31, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.
As an institution of higher learning, Michigan State University is committed to providing a safe environment for its students, faculty, and staff in support of its educational mission. With this commitment, the University conducts criminal background checks and professional misconduct reviews of all applicants for employment in faculty, academic staff, and executive management searches.
Professional Misconduct Review
A professional misconduct review is a prerequisite for a candidate to be selected for this position. Applicants will be asked to disclose whether they are subject to any pending investigation, findings or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Professional misconduct includes misconduct related to a person’s employment, including, but not limited to, theft, embezzlement, research integrity, discrimination, or harassment under civil rights laws and policies, including protected identity harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct (sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, etc.), and retaliation. All applicants will be asked to sign an authorization and release, which authorizes the University to contact the candidate’s current and former employers, for a period of 7 years prior to the date of application, related to any pending investigations, findings of responsibility and/or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Nothing will be sent to current or former employers unless the candidate reaches the semi-finalist stage.
The existence of professional misconduct history does not automatically exclude a candidate from employment. The University will assess the history, including any information provided by the candidate, in determining whether it is compatible with the position. The University may decline to hire a candidate based on the professional misconduct review. All records obtained from external employers will be kept in a secure location, separate from personnel files. If an applicant fails to sign the authorization and release, the application will be deemed incomplete and will be withdrawn.
Review of Applications Begins On
03/31/2026
Remote Work Statement
MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.
Website
https://comartsci.msu.edu/departments/advertising-public-relations
Department Statement
The Department of Advertising + Public Relations is part of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University, one of the nation’s leading public research universities. For more than 60 years, the department has been recognized and awarded for excellence in education, research, and professional engagement in the fields of advertising and public relations. Our faculty advance scholarship and practice across digital strategy, analytics, health and science communication, media psychology, political communication, and social impact.
We prepare students to think critically, act ethically, and lead strategically in a rapidly changing communications landscape. Industry engagement, applied learning, and professional credibility are central to our instructional mission.
MSU Statement
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
