Assistant Professor, Illustration

The University of Arizona School of Art is seeking a full-time Assistant Professor (tenure-eligible) to join the Illustration, Design, and Animation (IDA) program beginning August 2023. The ideal candidate will demonstrate an active professional practice with an emphasis in illustration as a tool for visual storytelling. They will also have an established track record effectively working with and supporting diverse populations.

The IDA program within the School of Art fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration beyond the walls of the classroom and encourages the development of diverse methodologies as part of the student experience. The successful candidate will be expected to teach undergraduate and graduate courses that would include both traditional and digital media. Applicants with expertise in authorship of graphic novels, comics, book arts or zines will be highly considered. Character development, and editorial illustration experience is also highly valued. The new faculty member will work to continue the evolution of our Illustration, Design, and Animation curriculum that positions storytelling and visual communication as an integral focus for the future of illustrators, designers, animators and their collaborative partners.

This position will be part of a cluster hire of at least 3 faculty lines within the School of Art focused on community engaged practices. We use this term broadly to include practices which may deal with one or more of the following: social practice, public pedagogy, public scholarship, community-based art, community arts organizations, arts activism, engagement with place, concept and theory of borderlands or other similar themes. This cluster of new hires will act as the nucleus for a growing community of faculty interested in these themes within the School of Art and elsewhere on campus at the University of Arizona. We ask that your application speak to this cluster hiring initiative, and how you would contribute to and support this emergent community of practice. The University of Arizona is a Hispanic Serving Institution and includes an increasingly diverse student population and workforce. It is expected that the successful candidate will effectively demonstrate an ability to contribute to an inclusive workplace and equitable learning environment through curriculum development, teaching, mentorship and student recruitment.

The successful candidate can expect to teach a 2/2-course load per calendar year.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; sick leave and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; state and optional retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please visit talent.arizona.edu.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES

● Proficiency in sequential narratives, combining text and image, hand lettering, editorial illustration, storyboarding, character/concept development

● Proficiency in both digital and analog illustration techniques

● Ability to teach various illustration courses from beginning to graduate level

● Interest in community engaged practices

● Meaningful integration of text and image in practice and teaching

● Knowledge of the history of Illustration and Design, including traditional canonical histories and revisionist histories

● Demonstrated ability to contribute to an inclusive workplace and equitable learning environment through curriculum development, teaching, mentorship and recruitment.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

● Contribute to community engaged practices in professional illustration/design/animation fields at the national level in pursuit of promotion and tenure.

● Contribute to and support the community engaged faculty cluster.

● Teach two 3-credit courses per semester

● Contribute to an ever-evolving illustration and design program curriculum in order to address professional developments in the field as well as the needs and interests of a diverse student body.

● Contribute to service at the division, school, college, university and professional levels

● Participate in school and faculty governance and activities, student advisement, recruitment and outreach

● Serve on review and thesis committees for graduate students

● Mentor graduate students

● Supervise graduate teaching assistants and technicians

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

● MFA in Illustration, Design, Writing, or related area.

● Evidence of a community-engaged professional illustration/writing practice

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

● Cross-cultural communication skills and experience

● Ability to teach and mentor students in a variety of narrative or sequential formats, including but not limited to:

○ Graphic Novels, Comics, Picture Books, Artists’ Books, Visual Poetry, Zines

○ Animation, Motion Graphics, Film/Video

● Teaching experience beyond graduate teaching assistantships

APPLICATION

Review of candidates begins January 31, 2023. Priority consideration will be given to candidates who submit materials by this date, but the position will remain open until filled. To view the full listing and apply for the position, please visit: https://arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/12971?c=arizona