Assistant Professor of Information Studies; Tenure-Track), Specializing in Media Archival Studies

Position overview

Position title: Assistant Professor

Salary range: The posted UC salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and/or step  Table #1 for the salary range. "Off-scale salaries" and other components of pay, i.e. a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions. A reasonable estimated salary range for this position is $90,000-$164,900, inclusive of the salary scale and off-scale salary components.

Applications will be accepted via the UC Recruit website beginning September 2026. Review of applications will begin December 1, 2026. To ensure full consideration, all application materials should be submitted and letters of recommendation received by December 1, 2026. The position will remain open until filled, but no later than June 30, 2027.

Open date: September 10, 2026

Next review date: Monday, Nov 30, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Final date: Wednesday, Mar 31, 2027 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

The Department of Information Studies seeks a scholar specializing in Media Archival Studies whose research and teaching address historical and contemporary media-making contexts, media formats, and the information systems that support their preservation, management, and use. The successful candidate will contribute to the Department's interdisciplinary strengths in information studies through research on media archives, cultural heritage, information technologies, and archival practices across analog and digital environments.

Areas of expertise may include, but are not limited to:

• Media archives, collections, and cultural heritage institutions
• Preservation, conservation, restoration, and curation of audiovisual and multimedia materials
• Metadata, digital asset management, and information systems for media collections
• Community, ethnic, and Indigenous archives and memory practices
• Access, equity, and public engagement in media archives
• Media production, transmission, storage, discovery, and retrieval technologies
• Information policy, legal, social, and ethical issues related to media collections
• International collaboration and standards development for media archives

The Department values interdisciplinary scholarship and seeks a colleague who will strengthen collaborations across UCLA, including partnerships with the UCLA Film & Television Archive, UCLA Library Special Collections, DataX, the Center for Digital Humanities, and related campus units. Candidates whose work advances research and teaching related to diverse communities and public engagement are especially encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct an active program of research, scholarship, and/or creative activity.
• Teach four four-unit courses (or equivalent) annually in accordance with departmental workload policies.
• Teach graduate courses in the MLIS and Ph.D. programs, including core courses within the Media Archival Studies specialization.
• Advise and mentor master's and doctoral students.
• Seek and obtain extramural funding to support research and scholarly activities.
• Participate in departmental, school, university, and professional service and governance.
• Contribute to the continued development of the Department's graduate and undergraduate academic programs.

For more info, contact:
Professor Melissa Villa Nicholas, Search Committee Chair,

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and…