Assistant Professor of Art (Tenure Track) - REVISED 3-23-23

UMA transforms the lives of students of every age and background across the State of Maine and beyond through access to high-quality distance and on-site education, excellence in student support, civic engagement, and professional and liberal arts programs.

UMA is the third-largest public university in Maine. In addition to its main campus in the state’s capital, UMA also serves students at its campus in Bangor (UMA Bangor) and through UMA Centers around the state. With its multiple locations and long-term expertise in online and distance learning, UMA is generally considered the university of choice for Mainers of all ages who want to attend college without uprooting their lives.

The University of Maine at Augusta is seeking qualified applicants for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor of Art position with experience in Data Visualization and Representation. Teaching assignments will include two graduate-level Data Visualization classes: Visual Storytelling with Data and the Integrated Data Visualization Capstone Studio. In addition, the successful applicant will possess the ability to teach existing Art courses for both art majors and non-majors and develop new coursework in their area of studio art expertise. The successful candidate will also be committed to excellence in teaching and developing innovative curricula, studio practice, and student research experiences.

Professional and/or teaching experience in data visualization and representation in the following areas is preferred but not required: 3D modeling, projection mapping, character or game development, motion capture, web design, and/or animation. The successful candidate will have a strong visual arts practice and a profound commitment to teaching and fostering the creative growth of undergraduate students, and an enthusiasm for contributing to the University community.

Service responsibilities for this position include student advising and mentoring, taking an active role in assessment, supporting Art department initiatives, and aiding in managing classroom equipment, software, and resources. Based on the Augusta campus, the successful candidate may be expected to travel to centers and/or to the Bangor campus to teach. A full-time, twelve-credit hour teaching load will include a variety of modalities including in-person, hybrid/blended, hyflex, and online-based courses. Duties of the position may also include supporting the university's early college program.

The appointment will begin on August 28, 2023. For additional information about UMA's programs and degrees, please visit our website at https://www.uma.edu/academics/programs/.

UMA faculty are expected to be excellent teachers, responsive to changing professional needs; committed to innovative delivery of instruction resulting in improved student learning; committed to effective use of technology including distance learning; involved in scholarly activities as appropriate to the appointment; and to provide service to the community, College, and University.

UMA serves a mix of traditional and non-traditional students and offers a wide array of liberal arts and professional programs leading to certificates, associate, baccalaureate, and master's degrees. Programs are delivered on campus and using a network of University centers and sites across the state and internationally. The University offers general education and degree-specific courses using modalities including in-person, hybrid/blended, hyflex, and online-based courses. The successful candidate will be active in university service through student advising, curriculum development, committee activity, and community outreach. The duties of this position may also include supporting the university's early college programming.

Salary: A typical salary for this tenure-track, academic-year appointment is in the mid-50s and is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Benefits: The University provides a highly competitive benefits package that includes: holidays, vacation, and sick time; health, dental, and vision insurance; life insurance; short and long-term disability insurance; a tuition waiver program for employees and their eligible dependents; a 403(b) retirement plan with a 10% university contribution, and more. View our Benefits Information Summary to learn more.  Link to the appropriate Benefits Information Summary page.

Employees in the University of Maine System are required to comply with the UMS COVID protocols which currently include but are not limited to, being vaccinated, obtaining a qualified vaccination exemption, and/or participating in regular COVID testing. Further information can be found on our Together for Maine site.

Required Qualifications: 

• An MFA in Data Visualization, Animation, or a closely related degree
• An ability to teach the listed courses in Data Visualization
• The ability to design and teach studio courses to support the Art Program
• Teaching experience at the university level
• A record of recognized scholarly, creative, and/or professional work in art and/or data visualization, or a closely related field

Preferred Qualifications:

• Teaching experience in Data Visualization and Representation
• Proficiency in any of the following areas: screen-based media (especially video, web, game design, and/or AR/VR), advanced knowledge of 3D modeling and/or 3D animation software, Blender and Adobe Creative Cloud-related tools such as Unity and Unreal Engine
• Teaching and/or professional experience with current design and graphics computer applications

Materials must be submitted via "Apply for Position" below. You will need to create an applicant profile and upload:

• a cover letter that fully describes your qualifications and experiences with specific reference to the required and preferred qualifications
• a resume/curriculum vitae
• contact information for three professional references
• a statement of contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• 10 or more samples of professional work and preferably 10 additional samples of student work done under the candidate's tutelage (all samples in a single pdf or a link)

You will also need to complete the affirmative action survey, the self-identification of disability form, and the self-identification of veteran status form. Incomplete application materials cannot be considered. We are not able to consider applicants who require Visa Sponsorship support.

Review of applications will begin on April 11, 2023. Materials received after April 10, 2023, will be considered at the discretion of the university. 

The successful applicant is subject to appropriate background screening.

In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine at Augusta does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 5748 Boudreau Hall, Room 101, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207-581-1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).