Assistant Professor in Digital Illustration / 2D Animation

SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY, a Jesuit, Catholic university located in the Silicon Valley area of California, seeks candidates to fill the position of Assistant Professor, a tenure-track faculty position in Digital Illustration. The Department of Art and Art History has a commitment to recruit faculty from under-represented groups, contributing to our continuation to meet our diversity and inclusion goals and actions, both in the classroom and in the larger Department community. The Department is situated in a recently-built facility, equipped with two computer labs, and custom designed studio classroom/labs. The Department offers majors and minors in Studio Art as part of well-rounded liberal arts education. We are seeking teaching scholars who will create and present their digital illustration creative scholarship at a regional, national and international level while maintaining a successful learning environment for students. We seek a balanced candidate with both sophisticated digital illustration skills and a demonstrated respect for traditional analog media and fine arts skills. This is an opportunity to help design/assemble a digital curriculum that will invigorate our current majors and minors.

Santa Clara University is an educational institution that highly values ethics, social justice, and global engagement. The ability to involve undergraduate students in your creative scholarship is strongly desirable, as well as the potential for engagement with one of our three Centers of Distinction (Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education, and the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics). Salary and benefits are highly competitive. Benefits package includes registered domestic partners, housing subsidy program, pre-tenure research leave, and internal grant program.

Minimum Qualifications: MFA in Digital Illustration  or similar area of study and a minimum of two years (full time or equivalent) of teaching digital illustration at the college level are required. Candidate must demonstrate a record of exceptional teaching, creative work, and professional achievements. Ability to teach in two or more key areas as listed: digital illustration, 2-D animation (vector/raster), photo-based digital imaging, storyboarding, and technical illustration. Additional areas of expertise we will consider include 2-D design, 3-D modeling/animation, and related disciplines that combine digital with analog learning experiences. Complementary industry experience and/or contacts relevant to students is desirable. Ability to teach and work effectively in a liberal arts institution, in a joint Art and Art History department that serves many non-studio art majors, required. Excellent oral and written communication skills and demonstrated ability to provide valuable service to the department and greater institution required, as commensurate with position.

In addition to the ability to perform the above duties, the new hire must demonstrate a commitment to contributing to and/or promoting an inclusive learning environment. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and we seek candidates whose research, teaching, life experience, and/or service have prepared them to help us fulfill these commitments. The Department is therefore committed to recruit faculty from under-represented groups, contributing to our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and initiatives. We especially encourage applicants whose goals, teaching, or life experience enriches the diversity within the Department and academic community.

A successful candidate will also demonstrate a commitment to collaboration with undergraduates, an understanding of the Jesuit educational mission, and an appreciation for an institution of higher learning that centrally values ethics, social justice, and global engagement.

Position begins September 2022. Duties will include but are not limited to: developing and teaching courses in the area of specialization and for the University Core Curriculum, creating and exhibiting/publishing/screening work, conducting appropriate research, advising/mentoring undergraduate students, and performing departmental and university service as appropriate to rank and seniority. Normal course load is 7 courses, with an annual one-course reduction for active scholarship (i.e., typical tenure-track faculty teach 6 courses/year on the quarter system). SCU offers one course reduction in the first quarter, and a junior faculty development leave (fourth year) upon successful completion of the mid-probationary review. The Department offers studio space to tenure-stream faculty.

Hiring Range:

Competitive salary and benefits package; housing assistance program.

Application Process: Interested applicants should submit via online at https://www.scu.edu/hr/careers/ a letter of application, C.V., teaching portfolio (that includes statement of teaching philosophy, representative examples of undergraduate student work [20 samples, ideally from both beginning and advanced students], and samples of teaching materials, such as syllabi and assignments), professional artist/designer portfolio [20 samples or project links], three letters of recommendation with contact information, and research plans. Images may be submitted via a PDF, list of online links on PDF, or mailed USB stick. Additional support materials that enhance our understanding of the applicant’s teaching abilities are welcome. Cover letter (or a separate statement) should include a description of the applicant’s experiences working and/or living with people of diverse cultures and identities and how such experiences enhance their teaching and/or scholarship. Please apply via https://www.scu.edu/hr/careers/  Preliminary interviews will be conducted via Zoom or telephone in late fall of 2021. On campus interviews tentatively scheduled for January 2022.

Application deadline: November 7, 2021

Santa Clara is a Jesuit and Catholic university and is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action employer, committed to excellence through diversity, and, in this spirit, particularly welcomes applications from women, persons of color, and members of historically under-represented groups. The University will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with a disability. Also, Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. To view the Santa Clara University report, please go to the Campus Safety Services website at www.scu.edu/cs/. The report includes the type of crime, venue, and number of occurrences.

The successful candidate must be able to provide evidence of identity and legal authorization to work in the United States. SCU provides sponsorship to foreign nationals in certain circumstances, see https://www.scu.edu/provost/policies-and-procedures/faculty-handbook-and-other-guidelines-policies--procedures/  for more information.