Assistant Professor of Teaching in Video Production & Digital Content Creation
Wayne State University is searching for an experienced Assistant Professor of Teaching in Video Production & Digital Content Creation at its Detroit campus location.
Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society.
Essential functions (job duties):
Located in the heart of Detroit’s Cultural Center, Wayne State University is seeking a full-time non-tenure-track Assistant Professor of Teaching with a teaching emphasis in Video Production & Digital Content Creation in the Department of Communication.
We are seeking an industry-experienced video producer and narrative storyteller to join our faculty for a two-year non-tenure-track appointment starting August 18, 2026. This position supports the department’s curricular evolution from traditional film production toward digital content creation, brand storytelling, and multimedia communication across disciplines, including public relations and journalism. We welcome candidates with professional experience producing high-quality video for documentary, branded, or promotional contexts who will teach foundational and advanced production courses.
The successful candidate will teach up to four courses per semester in areas such as Digital and field video production; Lighting, sound, and set logistics; Editing and post-production workflows; Digital media production; Strategic communication and brand storytelling; Content creation and emerging media practices; and as needed in other areas of the department that connect to the candidate’s expertise. The candidate will teach courses during the fall and winter terms and participate in department committees and activities. The candidate will also:
Mentor undergraduate students pursuing careers in media arts, digital media, journalism, strategic communication, and content creation
Contribute to curriculum development aligned with program competencies and industry trends
Support the department’s transition toward multimedia production and strategic communication and journalistic storytelling
Participate in departmental and university service
Deliver instruction in face-to-face, online, and hybrid formats
Assess student performance, monitor progress using Canvas, and maintain current course materials
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION: With approximately 375 undergraduate majors and 80 graduate students, the Department of Communication is diverse and dynamic, featuring programs in communication studies, media arts and studies, film, journalism, and public relations.
Our students experience the benefit of a world-class education in an applied context. The department is composed of 26 tenured and tenure-track faculty and more than 20 part-time faculty with strong backgrounds in both scholarly and professional approaches to communication. We offer 25 graduate assistantships and fellowships each year.
THE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY: As a university, we have a responsibility to uphold diversity as a value, and demonstrate commitment, through our policies and actions. Through our everyday activities and interactions, creative and scholarly practices, curricular design and teaching, and service and community engagement, we seek to create an inclusive institutional atmosphere that recognizes and celebrates the inherent value of a diverse campus community.
We are a university of access and opportunity, and we have a responsibility to demonstrate a commitment to our mission of providing access to an excellent and affordable college education. We are here to make our students’ lives and futures better. Financial aid avenues that help support this commitment are the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and Wayne State Guarantee (a tuition-free program open to all Pell Grant-eligible Michigan residents, as well as most families who earn less than $70,000) for first time students, and Michigan Reconnect for transfer pathways. In addition, the Detroit Promise award ensures any eligible Detroit-resident student graduating from a high school in the city will have a tuition-free path to a bachelor's degree.
The Department of Communication is one of four departments in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts; the other constituent units are the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History, and Design, the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance, and the Department of Music. The college offers 17 undergraduate programs, 10 graduate programs and three graduate certificate programs. It is home to today’s aspiring artists, performers, scholars, dancers, debaters, entrepreneurs and communication professionals who all represent the college’s legacy of excellence in our respective fields.
From debate to dance, jazz to journalism, and fashion design to center stage, our students create captivating performances, inspire artistic and academic excellence, and conduct innovative research on behalf of our Detroit community. The college’s alumni include a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and winners of and nominees for the Grammy, Emmy, Tony, Golden Globe, Obie, Screen Actors Guild and Caldecott awards.
Wayne State University is a Carnegie Tier 1 Research (R1) university enrolling more than 24,000 students in 350 undergraduate and graduate programs offered through the University’s 13 schools and colleges. Wayne State’s immediate neighbors in our Midtown Cultural Center include the Detroit Public Library, Detroit Institute of Arts, Michigan Science Center, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit Historical Museum, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Detroit Opera Theatre. The vibrant Midtown and Downtown areas are also home to active theatres, galleries, professional sports stadiums, and entertainment venues ranging from Detroit Artist Market and the Fox and Fisher Theatres.
Qualifications:
We are seeking an exceptional teacher in Film Production, Media Arts, Digital Media, Advertising, Communication, or a closely related field. We require an MFA or PhD in Film Production, Media Arts, Digital Media, Advertising, Communication, or a closely related field with evidence of teaching excellence. Other qualifications:
Demonstrated professional experience producing video content
Proficiency with industry-standard video production and editing tools
Ability to teach both introductory and advanced production courses
A portfolio demonstrating strong non-fiction narrative storytelling skills
APPLICATIONS: A letter of application, curriculum vitae, portfolio or links to professional work samples, and a list of five references (including names, addresses and contract information) must be submitted through Wayne Talent at https://jobs.wayne.edu
The search committee will begin reviewing applications on April 1, 2026. Position remains open until filled. The position begins August 18, 2026; salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.
Inquiries about the position may be directed to:
Karen McDevitt, Ph.D.
Search Committee Chair
Department of Communication
[email protected]
Preferred qualifications:
Professional experience producing branded or strategic communication video content Experience producing journalism and documentary formats Evidence of teaching effectiveness or training experience Experience collaborating across disciplines or with external partners
School/College/Division:
H04 - Fine & Performing Arts
Primary department:
H0406 - Communication
Employment type:
- Regular Employee
- Job type: Full Time
- Job category: Academic/Faculty
Funding/salary information:
- Compensation type: Annual Salary
Working conditions:
This position must be filled pursuant to the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement, and as such may be filled by a qualified bargaining unit member, should one apply.
Job openings:
Background check requirements:
University policy requires certain persons who are offered employment to undergo a background check, including a criminal history check, before starting work. If you are offered employment, the university will inform you if a background check is required.
