What will I do in this position if hired?

In this Local Hire (Media Relations Specialist) position, you will work in the cadre to assist local communities in recovery efforts and serve as a spokesperson to deliver disaster information to media outlets.

Typical assignments include:

• Creating media lists and facilitating contact with media representatives.
• Delivering disaster information including: press releases, fact sheets, background papers, and public service announcements.
• Serving as a FEMA spokesperson for field radio, TV, and print interviews.
• Responding to media inquiries and reporting potential media issues including inaccuracy, rumor control, and trending topics.

What else do I need to know?

This announcement is for a position as a FEMA Local Hire. Local Hire employees help FEMA respond to, recover from and mitigate hazards by performing a variety of emergency management functions which are not limited to disaster survivor assistance, conducting and verifying damage assessments, and providing administrative, financial and logistical support.

Local Hires are Temporary Positions. The Local Hire Program is an appointment type granted under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Section 306 (b), which authorizes FEMA to appoint such temporary employees as necessary to accomplish work authorized under the Act. Appointments under this authority within FEMA are made to the excepted service and are nonpermanent in nature. A local hire's term of employment is 120 days. Local Hire appointments may be extended, in 120-day increments, based on the needs of the disaster.

FEMA is committed to ensuring that its workforce reflect the diversity of the nation. At FEMA, our workforce includes the many identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, ages, cultures, and beliefs of the people it serves. To learn about the ongoing diversity and inclusion efforts, reasonable accommodation process, and the FEMA Core Values, please visit www.fema.gov.

Job Description

The College of Arts & Sciences (COAS) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University–Worldwide Campus (ERAU-W) seeks a tenure-track assistant professor with a Ph.D. in English, Communication, Rhetoric & Composition, Media Studies, Humanities, or a related field with a specialization in digital humanities and/or digital communication studies and a demonstrated competency in artificial intelligence studies and practices. Applicants who are ABD with dissertations near completion and who are scheduled to graduate before August 1, 2024 will also be considered.

The Department of Humanities and Communication houses the first-year writing program; general education courses in speech, business and technical communication, literature, and humanities; as well as a Bachelor of Science in Communication and minors in Communication and Humanistic STEM.

The ideal candidate will possess a strong teaching record and will be able to help the department create new course offerings that investigate social, cultural, and ethical questions surrounding artificial intelligence as well as courses related to the practical utilization of artificial intelligence tools in research, media creation, and other creative and professional contexts.

Teaching duties will also include general education courses in first-year writing, communication, humanities, and/or literature. The typical teaching load for tenure-track faculty at ERAU-Worldwide is seven courses per year, distributed across four nine-week terms. Teaching modalities primarily include asynchronous and synchronous online delivery. A limited number of face-to-face offerings may be available based on faculty location. Course-releases are available to support significant research and institutional service contributions.

The successful candidate will maintain an exemplary level of research and scholarly activity. ERAU offers a variety of internal research support programs, including college- and university-level funding opportunities. Service responsibilities for this candidate are likely to include a leadership role helping to develop a minor and/or major in artificial intelligence and the liberal arts as well as participation on departmental, college, and/or university committees.

This is a fully remote online position with no relocation required; faculty travel at least once per year to attend commencement and mandatory college meetings and events.

Embry-Riddle is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity. We continually strive to recognize, respect, and celebrate differences and cultural identities among individuals as we recruit, support, and embrace our diverse community. We work to provide a safe and inclusive environment and to create a climate free of discrimination where cultural competency is fostered through leadership, integrity, care, and respect. Candidates who embrace and embody these values are especially encouraged to apply. 

About the College of Arts & Sciences: 
 
The College of Arts & Sciences at ERAU-Worldwide develops and supports career-ready graduates and advances all students to be lifelong learners and leaders in their professional disciplines. The college’s vision is to be a destination for multidisciplinary studies and collaborative research as well as to continue to be a national leader in general education, developing opportunities for our diverse student population to fulfill their educational goals and become responsive, responsible global citizens. 

The college comprises four departments: Behavioral and Social Sciences; Humanities and Communication; Mathematics, Science, and Technology; and Security and Emergency Services. The college delivers courses online as well as on several sites across the United States and around the world. Currently, four graduate and five undergraduate programs are offered, as well as several undergraduate minors.  

The college also delivers the general education program to all Worldwide Campus students, providing over 2,000 sections annually, with a focus on developing students’ capacity in critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, information literacy, communication, scientific literacy, cultural literacy, technological literacy, and collaboration. The Worldwide Campus has an enrollment of more than 23,000 students, delivering courses globally online via Canvas, synchronously via EagleVision to both homes and classrooms, face-to-face at over 130 locations, and in a blended format. About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University:    

Join our global community and embark on a journey of academic excellence and limitless possibilities. Employees working more than 30 hours a week can enjoy medical, dental and vision benefits, an amazing retirement plan with immediate vesting that includes a 6% gift and up to 4% match and free tuition for employees and their immediate family members. To find out more about our benefits and why ERAU has been named a “Great College to Work For” for 13 consecutive years, visit our careers page.

Qualifications

Required education:

• Ph.D. in English, Communication, Rhetoric & Composition, Media Studies, Humanities, or a related field with a specialization in digital humanities and/or digital communication studies and a demonstrated competency in artificial intelligence studies and practices.
• Applicants who are ABD with dissertations near completion and who are scheduled to graduate before August 1, 2024 will also be considered.

Application requirements:

Candidates must submit a cover letter, CV, unofficial graduate transcripts, and a list of three references. In their application letter, applicants should note their teaching experience, previous scholarly productivity, plans for further development of their scholarship, and a vision for helping the college to develop a program in artificial intelligence and the liberal arts. Additional materials, such as a teaching portfolio and/or research statement, may be requested from qualified applicants as the search progresses. 

The review of candidates will begin March 15 and the position will remain open until filled. For priority consideration, apply before 15 March 2024.

Questions can be directed via email to Dr. Meghan Velez, Search Committee Chair, at dykemam@erau.edu.