Assistant Professor-Tenure System

Position Summary

The Michigan State University School of Journalism seeks an assistant professor in environmental journalism. The faculty member would work with the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism as the Center develops and executes a global research agenda, designs innovative pedagogical tools, and leads public engagement initiatives.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead and support interdisciplinary research on topics such as constructive journalism, solutions journalism, solidarity journalism, decolonial journalism, ethnographic journalism, Indigenous and community media, ethics of care, inclusive science communication, and other transformative approaches to environmental storytelling.
• Collaborate with local and international news organizations to co-develop and implement evidence-based practices.
• Design and deliver programs that incorporate emerging formats and platforms (e.g., games, virtual reality, humor, theater, documentary).
• Explore how journalistic innovations can lead to reestablishing trust with communities and simultaneously prepare them to resist fake news, disinformation, and misinformation.
• Teach core and specialized courses such as Environmental Reporting and topics like AI in environmental and science journalism.
• Produce public-facing outputs including policy briefs, reports, and communication products for diverse audiences.
• Build and maintain partnerships with donors, foundations, and peer institutions.
• Support grant writing and revenue-generating initiatives such as online training programs.

Please note that this is a union position represented by the Union of Tenure System Faculty (UTSF). The university is working with the union to establish a collective bargaining agreement.

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

Doctorate -Journalism or media-related

Minimum Requirements

• A terminal degree in Journalism or media related field. 
• A record of scholarship, publication, and professional engagement in environmental journalism or related fields.
• Demonstrated international or cross-cultural experience.
• Interest in interdisciplinary and experimental approaches to environmental storytelling.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in grant writing and partnership development is highly desirable.

Required Application Materials

• CV
• Letter of application
• Names and contact information of three professional references

Special Instructions

Applications must be submitted through careers.msu.edu. Review of Applications Begins on November 15, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis 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 information, including any information provided by the candidate, in determining whether the candidate is fit for 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

11/15/2025

Website

HTTPS://COMARTSCI.MSU.EDU/DEPARTMENTS/SCHOOL-JOURNALISM

Department Statement

The School of Journalism at Michigan State University is more than a century old but has crafted a reputation for innovation and creativity. Our ACEJMC-accredited program has two undergraduate majors (Journalism and Digital Storytelling, each with multiple concentrations and minors), a masters program, and a shared doctoral program. More than 30 award-winning faculty serve nearly 700 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. The J-School houses a state-of-the-art newsroom, the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism and the new Center for Journalism Studies.

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.