Assistant/Associate Professor - Visual Communication Design

Faculty Tenure-Track – 9 month

Visual Communication Design

[Job #992488]

Kent Campus – Kent, OH

The School of Visual Communication Design (https://www.kent.edu/vcd) and the School of Digital Sciences (https://www.kent.edu/dsci/) at Kent State University invite applications for a tenure-track and/or tenured position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor. We are especially interested in candidates with qualifications and interest in one or more of the following areas:

• Motion Design
• Animation and/or Illustration
• Interaction Design
• Mixed, Augmented and/or Virtual Reality

This position is one of eight new interdisciplinary faculty lines in the College of Communication and Information (CCI) and is shared between Visual Communication Design and Digital Sciences, both schools in CCI. The School of Visual Communication Design would be the tenure home. CCI is the only college in the nation that combines design, digital sciences, media, information science, and communication in one interdisciplinary college. CCI and its schools offer a supportive and collaborative environment that values both research/creative activity and teaching.

This new faculty member will teach in our undergraduate and graduate programs and conduct research and/or produce creative/professional projects. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to develop curriculum in his/her specialization area.

Candidates will possess excellent design skills, as well as experience in a variety of motion design and interactive media. Candidates will also possess the ability to adapt and embrace technological advancements in tandem with design education. This includes motion graphics, broadcast design, or animation. Preferred proficiency in one or more of the following software tools: After Effects, Nuke, MadMapper, Cinema 4D, Maya, Zbrush, Unreal UDK or Unity. Additionally, experience with agencies, working in film and/or television, projection mapping, and/or designing for mixed, augmented, and virtual reality is a plus.

QUALIFICATIONS

Candidate must possess an MFA, PhD, or another terminal degree in a related discipline, and 3-5 years of professional experience. The successful candidate will have a proven research record, a proven record of creative activity or evidence of significant professional experience; evidence of teaching excellence, if the candidate has prior university teaching experience; and a willingness and ability to advise, mentor, and teach undergraduate and graduate students.

The School of Visual Communication Design (VCD) is a rigorous and dynamic program that offers comprehensive undergraduate (BA and BFA) and graduate (MA and MFA) degree programs. Our undergraduate and graduate students have become leaders, scholars, and active participants in the national and international design community. VCD is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). In 2017, VCD moved into a newly renovated facility that provides students with an abundance of studio space, photo studios, a large computer lab, a gallery and a resource center. VCD is part of the Kent State University Design Innovation Initiative, with Fashion Design and Architecture, which is working to create a cross-disciplinary endeavor to develop novel solutions to global and everyday challenges. We are also home to the award-winning Glyphix, one of the first student-staffed design firms in the country.

The School of Digital Sciences (DSCI) is a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary school designed to train tomorrow’s digital leaders. Students learn from faculty drawn from programs across campus and receive broad foundational knowledge in digital technologies – hardware, software, web programming, emerging media and data science. Academic programs include undergraduate (BS, BA) and masters (MDS) degrees as well as the interdisciplinary PhD in Communication and Information.

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

Kent State is a comprehensive graduate and undergraduate, residential, Carnegie Doctoral Research Extensive University. Founded in 1910, the university is the third largest in Ohio, with an enrollment of approximately 39,000 students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The Chronicle of Higher Education identifies Kent State as one of the Great Colleges to Work For (2017). The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching ranks Kent State among the nation’s top 74 public high-research universities, and U.S. News & World Report ranks Kent State in the coveted top-tier of Best Colleges (2018).

Kent is a small, vibrant college-town with close proximity to the cultural, dining, and professional sports activities of several major cities, along with the recreational opportunities of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the many lakes in the region. Kent is located within the Cleveland-Akron-Canton metro area, and within 2 hours of Pittsburgh and Columbus.

To apply, visit our jobsite at https://jobs.kent.edu and upload the following items: Letter of interest, curriculum vitae, portfolio of professional/creative work, examples of student work (if candidate has prior university teaching experience), and contact information for three references. Review of applications will begin on January 15, 2019 and will continue until the position is filled. We expect an employment start date of August 2019.

For a complete description of this position and to apply online,

visit our jobsite at https://jobs.kent.edu

Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer / Disabled / Veterans