Assistant or Associate Professor - Animation
Position Overview
The Department of Design at the University of Kansas, School of Architecture & Design is seeking a tenure-track or tenured faculty member at the Assistant or Associate Professor level for its newly established program in Animation. We offer the opportunity to work with award-winning students and nationally recognized faculty in a collegial, collaborative and energetic environment.
The candidate must have demonstrated professional level skills in either traditional, experimental or digital animation practice with a strong background in conceptually based narrative and character focused animation. Fine art and experimental approaches are also welcome. The candidate should also have a strong background in industry standard production methods and current professional practice standards, complimented by a strong historical familiarity with the medium and the ability to contextualize its multitude of approaches. The candidate should demonstrate proficiency in life drawing for animation, acting for animation, visual storytelling, storyboarding, and be conversant in and/or have an interest in the history of animation.
The candidate should have experience with the successful development, implementation and management of effective contemporary animation curriculum. The Department seeks an active and open-minded design thinker and maker who will embrace working with a team of colleagues in the development of new curriculum for a new program. Special consideration will be given to applicants who can contribute to the University’s collaborative and multidisciplinary initiatives. An active research program, teaching experience, curriculum development, and professional experience will distinguish applicants, but we also encourage applicants recently graduating with their master’s degree and interested in launching a research and teaching career.
The candidate will be teaching a cross section of design students from freshmen level courses to advanced senior level animation courses. The candidate should demonstrate an ability to direct and empower students into becoming well-rounded animation professionals in a rapidly evolving field.
About the Department of Design
The Department of Design, housed in Chalmers Hall, prepares animators, illustrators, experience designers, graphic designers, marketing creatives, motion designers, photographers, product designers, UX/UI developers, and other multidisciplinary communicators to thrive as innovative practitioners, and socially engaged leaders, in an ever-changing professional field. Design students have access to studio spaces, computer labs, a letterpress lab, a Riso lab, a robust photography area, and digital fabrication labs. Students gain insights from lectures and workshops with world-renowned designers, collaborations with industry partners, and opportunities to participate in short-term study abroad programs and semester-long internships in the US and abroad.
Students earn a BFA in Design with programs in Animation, Illustration, Industrial Design, Visual Communication Design, and Interaction Design. The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design is a four-year, 120- credit-hour degree program. All design students spend the first semester in general design foundation courses and in the second semester begin taking foundation courses in their chosen major. KU Design also offers minors in Design, Design Entrepreneurship, and Certificates in Book Arts.
Our Graduate programs offered are Design, M.A. in Interaction and User Experience Design, and M.A. in Management and Strategy. The Master of Arts in Design is 31 credit hours of coursework, a thesis that documents independent discovery and research, and an oral examination.
The candidate must have demonstrated professional level skills in either traditional, experimental or digital animation practice with a strong background in conceptually based narrative and character focused animation. Fine art and experimental approaches are also welcome. The candidate should also have a strong background in industry standard production methods and current professional practice standards, complimented by a strong historical familiarity with the medium and the ability to contextualize its multitude of approaches. The candidate should demonstrate proficiency in life drawing for animation, acting for animation, visual storytelling, storyboarding, and be conversant in and/or have an interest in the history of animation.
The candidate should have experience with the successful development, implementation and management of effective contemporary animation curriculum. The Department seeks an active and open-minded design thinker and maker who will embrace working with a team of colleagues in the development of new curriculum for a new program. Special consideration will be given to applicants who can contribute to the University’s collaborative and multidisciplinary initiatives. An active research program, teaching experience, curriculum development, and professional experience will distinguish applicants, but we also encourage applicants recently graduating with their master’s degree and interested in launching a research and teaching career.
The candidate will be teaching a cross section of design students from freshmen level courses to advanced senior level animation courses. The candidate should demonstrate an ability to direct and empower students into becoming well-rounded animation professionals in a rapidly evolving field.
About the Department of Design
The Department of Design, housed in Chalmers Hall, prepares animators, illustrators, experience designers, graphic designers, marketing creatives, motion designers, photographers, product designers, UX/UI developers, and other multidisciplinary communicators to thrive as innovative practitioners, and socially engaged leaders, in an ever-changing professional field. Design students have access to studio spaces, computer labs, a letterpress lab, a Riso lab, a robust photography area, and digital fabrication labs. Students gain insights from lectures and workshops with world-renowned designers, collaborations with industry partners, and opportunities to participate in short-term study abroad programs and semester-long internships in the US and abroad.
Students earn a BFA in Design with programs in Animation, Illustration, Industrial Design, Visual Communication Design, and Interaction Design. The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design is a four-year, 120- credit-hour degree program. All design students spend the first semester in general design foundation courses and in the second semester begin taking foundation courses in their chosen major. KU Design also offers minors in Design, Design Entrepreneurship, and Certificates in Book Arts.
Our Graduate programs offered are Design, M.A. in Interaction and User Experience Design, and M.A. in Management and Strategy. The Master of Arts in Design is 31 credit hours of coursework, a thesis that documents independent discovery and research, and an oral examination.
Job Description
About the University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a Carnegie doctoral/research-extensive university with a $1.4 billion endowment and a faculty of 2,600. Current enrollment is over 30,000 (20,600 undergraduate), with students drawn from 116 nations and all 50 states. The 1,000-acre main campus is in Lawrence, a community of 95,000 in hilly northeast Kansas that lies about 35 miles west of Kansas City. Lawrence has a lively downtown and a thriving arts and music scene, and its local government has enacted ordinances supporting equality for all members of its population. Lawrence also offers numerous sports and recreational opportunities, local shops, and a wide range of restaurants.
KU’s excellence is a result of the rich tapestry of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our faculty, staff, students, and colleagues from across our nation and the globe. At KU, we invest in continuous learning and growth by creating a climate where people engage in respectful dialogue and debate and support each other’s success. We foster a culture of care where each person is seen, heard and valued. When people feel a true sense of belonging, we believe they are better able to reach their full potential and achieve remarkable things. The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.
Responsibilities
40% - Teaching - Teach required courses in animation program, as well as animation courses open to all other majors, at the undergraduate level. Teaching expectation for tenure-track/tenured faculty is 14- 16 credit hours per year, which is equivalent to teaching 2 studio/lecture courses per semester. Candidates must participate in the planning and integration of existing and new course work & technologies in the Animation undergraduate program, including development of the senior seminar and professional practices studios. Candidates must also meet departmental expectations in terms of student advising.
40% - Research – Conduct research, creative, and/or professional work that focusses on issues of Animation. Disseminate this work through peer-reviewed publications and conferences. Seek external funding to support a focused research agenda.
20% - Service – Serve the department, university, state, and the profession. This includes attending departmental meetings, participating in committees and boards, and performing select administrative departmental functions.
The University of Kansas is a Carnegie doctoral/research-extensive university with a $1.4 billion endowment and a faculty of 2,600. Current enrollment is over 30,000 (20,600 undergraduate), with students drawn from 116 nations and all 50 states. The 1,000-acre main campus is in Lawrence, a community of 95,000 in hilly northeast Kansas that lies about 35 miles west of Kansas City. Lawrence has a lively downtown and a thriving arts and music scene, and its local government has enacted ordinances supporting equality for all members of its population. Lawrence also offers numerous sports and recreational opportunities, local shops, and a wide range of restaurants.
KU’s excellence is a result of the rich tapestry of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our faculty, staff, students, and colleagues from across our nation and the globe. At KU, we invest in continuous learning and growth by creating a climate where people engage in respectful dialogue and debate and support each other’s success. We foster a culture of care where each person is seen, heard and valued. When people feel a true sense of belonging, we believe they are better able to reach their full potential and achieve remarkable things. The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.
Responsibilities
40% - Teaching - Teach required courses in animation program, as well as animation courses open to all other majors, at the undergraduate level. Teaching expectation for tenure-track/tenured faculty is 14- 16 credit hours per year, which is equivalent to teaching 2 studio/lecture courses per semester. Candidates must participate in the planning and integration of existing and new course work & technologies in the Animation undergraduate program, including development of the senior seminar and professional practices studios. Candidates must also meet departmental expectations in terms of student advising.
40% - Research – Conduct research, creative, and/or professional work that focusses on issues of Animation. Disseminate this work through peer-reviewed publications and conferences. Seek external funding to support a focused research agenda.
20% - Service – Serve the department, university, state, and the profession. This includes attending departmental meetings, participating in committees and boards, and performing select administrative departmental functions.
Required Qualifications
Required Qualifications for all candidates:
- Master’s degree in animation or a related field and demonstrated outstanding potential in research and/or creative activity.
- A strong portfolio demonstrating the knowledge and ability to teach beginning and advanced courses in 2D and/or 3D animation and expertise in one or more of the following areas: life drawing for animation, storyboarding, visual development, character animation, fx animation, stop-motion animation, animation production, production pipeline, visual storytelling, 3D modeling, 3D rigging, 3D render pipeline.
- Ability to demonstrate a commitment to collaborate and support faculty colleagues, develop curriculum, and help expand animation studio offerings.
- Demonstrated excellent written and oral communication skills and a strong collaborative spirit for teamwork and service.
- An established record of teaching that is consistent with the department’s standards for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor.
- An established record of research/creative/professional work that is consistent with the department’s standard for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor.
Additional Candidate Instructions
A complete application packet will include the following items:
- A letter describing your qualifications and interest in the position (2 pages max)
- Curriculum vitae
- Statement of teaching philosophy (2 pages max)
- Statement of research interest(s) and/or professional practice agenda (2 pages max)
- A digital on-line portfolio of creative work and/or personal work
- A digital on-line portfolio of recent student work
- Supporting materials such as links to websites, videos, research, blogs, prints, books, etc. can be submitted as links in addition to on-line portfolios.
- A list of names, addresses and phone numbers for at least three references qualified to evaluate your professional experiences and achievements.
Contact Information to Applicants
Barry Fitzgerald
Search Committee Chair
bfitz@ku.edu
Search Committee Chair
bfitz@ku.edu
Advertised Salary Range
commensurate with experience
Application Review Begins
Monday December 2, 2024
Anticipated Start Date
Monday August 18, 2025