Professor in Social Consequences of AI in Organizational Communication

The UCSB Department of Communication is recruiting for a tenure-track/tenured open rank faculty position.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally transforming how humans communicate, coordinate, and organize across workplaces, institutions, and society. AI increasingly shapes organizational decision-making, collaboration, knowledge production, expertise, and identity while reconfiguring power, authority, accountability, and the boundaries between human and machine agency. These developments create new opportunities to revisit foundational organizational communication theories while also demanding new theoretical and empirical approaches to understanding AI as a sociotechnical actor embedded within organizational and institutional systems. We seek a scholar who conducts innovative, theoretically grounded, and empirically rigorous research using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method approaches that addresses the social consequences of AI from an organizational communication perspective. This could include, but is not limited to, topics such as human-AI collaboration; algorithmic decision-making and governance; sustainability; visibility and surveillance; ethics and corporate social responsibility; power and inequality; and (dis)empowerment of underrepresented groups. We are particularly interested in scholarship that advances organizational communication theory by examining how algorithms or algorithmic systems reshape communication processes, organizing practices, and institutional change, rather than only treating AI as a methodological or analytical tool. We anticipate that the faculty hire will make meaningful connections and engage in multidisciplinary endeavors across campus such as the Mellichamp Initiative in Mind & Machine Intelligence, the Department of Technology Management, the Center for Information Technology & Society's research foci in AI, the Pahl Center for the Study of Critical Social Issues, and campus-wide initiatives in AI and related communities of practice.

UCSB is ranked among the top public universities in the United States, and the Department of Communication is also highly ranked in worldwide comparisons. UCSB is a designated Hispanic Serving Institution, and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution. It offers several programs to support incoming faculty, including housing assistance (Faculty Housing | Campus Housing) and various grant support programs.

Completed all requirements for a Ph.D. (or equivalent) in a Communication or related field except dissertation by the time of application.

A Ph.D. (or equivalent) in communication or a related field by the time of appointment, with a desired start date of July 1, 2027 or later.

1. Demonstrated research excellence relevant to the job call in the form of research quality, productivity, and a unique scholarly contribution to the area of the social consequences of AI in organizational communication as well as to the communication discipline.
2. Potential or demonstrated ability to contribute to the department's organizational communication area.
3. Potential or demonstrated ability to attract and supervise graduate students interested in organizational communication.
4. Potential or demonstrated ability to teach organizational communication and potentially other coursework to undergraduate and graduate students.
5. Potential or demonstrated commitments to student success and inclusive pedagogy.
6. Potential or demonstrated ability to be a conscientious member of the department and university community member.

• 3-5 letters of reference required

Applicants should provide the names and contact information for at least 3 references and must request letters of reference within the system in order to complete application requirements.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, students and third parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

Additionally, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.