Assistant Professor of Practice in Emerging Creative Media Technologies

Assistant Professor of Practice in Emerging Creative Media Technologies 

Department of Journalism & Creative Media Industries 

 The Department of Journalism & Creative Media Industries within the College of Media & Communication at Texas Tech University seeks a creative professional and teacher with experience in emerging media technology to join our faculty at the rank of Assistant Professor of Practice.  Successful candidates will have a professional specialization in one or more of the following areas of emerging media technology: VR/AR, mixed reality, virtual film/TV production, digital world-building for gaming, interactive media, human-computer interaction, motion graphics, VFX, and/or similar related practices.

 This is a full-time, year-to-year, non-tenure track position with the possibility for continuing appointment and promotion in the sixth year. Anticipated start date is September 1, 2023, with faculty on-duty in mid-August, 2023.

This position’s overall duties are comprised of 60% teaching, 20% professional practice/currency/excellence, and 20% service to the college. This equates to a teaching load of six courses (3/3) per 9-month academic year, with the opportunity to teach additional courses during summer or intersessions for additional compensation. Teaching assignments may include both face-to-face and online courses.  

Required Qualifications: 

• 5 years combined professional and/or teaching experience in media production, with demonstrated experience in the above areas. Experience may be from a variety of areas, including but not limited to film/video production or post-production; game design and development; interaction and experience design; or other creative media platforms. 
• A completed Master’s degree (MA/MS/MFA) or PhD at the time of appointment. 
• A strong professional portfolio and active connections to creative media industry practitioners. 
• Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment. 
• Candidates should also provide evidence of commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• In addition to the above required qualifications, candidates with evidence of excellence in teaching and/or creative/commercial production (honors, awards, etc.) are preferred. 
• Experience working with diverse student populations and first-generation students is highly desirable. 
• Experience with mentorship of students is highly desirable. 

Candidates must be able to teach a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in the Department of Journalism & Creative Media Industries related to their professional expertise. Successful candidates will advise and mentor highly motivated undergraduate and master’s-level students, engage in governance, and perform service at the department, college, university, and professional levels. Service duties include program-building, as well as commitment to engaged scholarship.  Service to the department, college, and university is expected. 

Applicants should be able to develop and teach classes in the areas of their professional specialization and support the department’s educational needs with experience using tools including Adobe CC (in particular, After Effects, Premiere, Substance, and/or XD), web technologies, Unreal Engine, Unity, Vuforia, Aero, LED wall displays, and industry standard cinema cameras from manufacturers such as RED, Canon, or Blackmagic.

DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM & CREATIVE MEDIA INDUSTRIES

The Department of Journalism & Creative Media Industries (JCMI) emphasizes experiential education opportunities that provide immersive learning environments, leading its approximately 600 students to produce a robust portfolio of content with support from peer, faculty, alumni, and industry mentors. In producing their work, JCMI students are encouraged from their first day in our degree programs to take advantage of opportunities to get busy writing and producing, and plug in to our robust, collaborative content culture.

Made up of sixteen full-time faculty, supported by graduate student and part-time faculty from a variety of backgrounds, JCMI offers new faculty and students a diverse slate of teachers, mentors, and collaborators. JCMI faculty are leaders in their respective areas, scholars and practitioners of international stature. 

JCMI faculty serve as faculty advisors to a number of student organizations and production opportunities, including the Society for Professional Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, The Daily Toreador, The Hub@TTU, Tech Creative Media Association, KTXT-FM 88.1 The Raider, and Tech Esports, among others. JCMI also fosters close relationships with on-campus partners, such as KTTZ-TV Channel 5 (PBS), KTTZ-FM 89.1 (NPR), and Tech Athletics, as well as four local broadcast news outlets and Lubbock’s daily newspaper, the Avalanche-Journal. 

COLLEGE OF MEDIA & COMMUNICATION 

 The College of Media & Communication (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/comc/) at Texas Tech University serves approximately 2500 students across its undergraduate majors and graduate programs. The college’s enrollment and credit hours have grown consistently for the last seven years; the number of full-time faculty has almost tripled; and the area for facilities has increased more than 40%. CoMC is the #1 rated research unit in the TTU System per the 2020 Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking). Its private and state grants initiatives have skyrocketed in recent years, achieving its 2025 grants goals in fall 2020. It maintains high standards for teaching, even as its reputation as a media research center expands. CoMC metrics for student retention and graduation rates are near the top at Texas Tech in many categories. The college is proud that Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine recently ranked it 19th nationally for graduating Hispanic/Latino students, and individuals and teams in the college have won awards for their dedication to diversity and inclusion (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/comc/diversity/). 

 Research strengths among college faculty include Hispanic and international, strategic, science/health, gaming/AI, leadership, interpersonal/organizational, and political communication, as well as social scientific research methods. The Thomas Jay Harris Institute for Hispanic and International Communication studies and offers programs in Hispanic and international/intercultural communication (comc.ttu.edu/research/hihic). 

 TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY 

 Texas Tech University is a public research university with an enrollment of more than 40,000 students. It offers over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 100 master’s and 50 doctoral degree programs. Texas Tech is the largest comprehensive higher education institution in the western two-thirds of Texas and is the state’s only campus with an adjoining research university, law school, and medical school. Texas Tech students come from almost every county in Texas, all 50 states, and more than 100 countries. TTU is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), and the university’s current Quality Enhancement Plan is “Bear Our Banners Far and Wide: Communication in a Global Society” (www.depts.ttu.edu/globalcommunications). Texas Tech University is recognized as a Carnegie Tier 1 Research University and is a member of the Big 12 Athletic Conference. The university is located in Lubbock, Texas, a vibrant, diverse city of almost 300,000 residents. 

Application Procedure

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Candidates must apply online at www.texastech.edu/careers, referencing the Requisition Number 31321BR.

Applicants are required to submit a CV, personal statement, teaching statement, a link to portfolio work, and names and contact information for three professional references. Further, applicants should submit a statement on any demonstrable actions/training/outreach of theirs that equate to tangible support for DEI-related outcomes.

Application deadline: Dec. 1, 2022.

Any questions can be directed to the search chair, Dr. Cam Stone cam.stone@ttu.edu. 

EEO Statement

As an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, Texas Tech University is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse faculty committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. We actively encourage applications from all those who can contribute, through their practice, teaching, and/or service, to the diversity and excellence of the academic community at Texas Tech University. The university welcomes applications from minoritized applicants, women, protected veterans, persons with disabilities, and dual-career couples.