Assistant Professor of Graphic Design

Position Summary

The College of the Arts (COTA) and the School of Art and Design (A+D), at Portland State University invite applications for the position of Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, commencing Fall 2023. This is a tenure track, 1.0 FTE, 9-month position.

We seek an individual whose research, teaching, and collaboration skills will add a complementary perspective to a strong and growing faculty. We are one of the biggest Graphic Design programs on the West Coast, and seeking candidates who are excited to work in our highly ranked program.

A successful candidate is an engaged maker with a strong record of professional practice/research, who demonstrates an expansive view of the field of graphic design, a connection to contemporary and emerging practices, and the ability to stay current in the latest technologies and ideas. In addition to teaching, the position entails participating in curricular development, playing a leadership role in the Graphic Design program, supporting the program’s events, activities, and administration, and imagining multidisciplinary collaborations with other departments.

In keeping with the university’s commitment to diversity and community engagement, we seek candidates who cultivate a diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Teach 28 credits per year as determined by Director. A typical teaching load will be 7 4-credit courses in the graphic design area.
• Professional activities of a scholarly nature are expected.
• Advising students.
• Departmental, university and community service.
• Working with other design faculty on program and curricular development.
• Create an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates differences.
• Function and communicate effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities, and cultural backgrounds.
• Seeks opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive setting with a willingness to change for continual improvement.
• Adhere to all of PSU’s policies including the policies on Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment and the Professional Standards of Conduct.

Required / Minimum Qualifications

• MFA/MA or other graduate degree.
• Teaching experience at the university level.
• High-level and up-to-date skills in design software/tools and creative technologies.
• A proficiency in graphic design concepts and practice, including typography, conceptual problem solving, etc.
• Ability to work collaboratively with immediate colleagues and beyond.
• A “successful completion of a background check.

Preferred Qualifications

Helpful Qualifications (one or, ideally, more of the following):

• Interest/experience in diversity and equity design.
• Interaction: UI and/or UX; UX prototyping tools.
• Interest/experience in event planning.
• Technology: 3-D modeling/printing, microcontrollers, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, AR, VR, extended reality, mixed reality, and/or coding.
• Motion graphics.
• Typeface design.
• Social Justice and Co-Design.
• Environmental/Experiential Design (space).
• Transition Design (sustainability). Multidisciplinary experience (ability to work/interface with Art Practice and other disciplines).
• Grant-writing experience for external funding resources.

To Apply
Please submit the following:

• Cover letter that addresses relevant teaching experience, areas of teaching interest and availability.
• Curriculum Vitae/Resume.
• Names, emails, and phone numbers for three Professional References.
• Statement of Teaching Philosophy. Please include how your commitment to diversity and inclusion informs your teaching.
• Statement of Research Interest.
• Link to Website or Design Portfolio.
• 10-15 images of recent student work with descriptions (Multi-page PDF. Upload PDF with student images in “other 2”).
• If you do not maintain a website, please upload 10-15 images of your professional work with descriptions (Multi-page PDF. Upload images in “work samples”).

Visual samples should be combined into a single, multi-page PDF and include a URL to a single website.

Review of applications will begin on January 23, 2023, and will continue until the finalists are identified. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

For further information, please contact Professor Briar Levit at blevit@pdx.edu

For additional information about this position and/or to apply please view the job posting at:

https://jobs.hrc.pdx.edu/postings/40346