Assistant or Associate Professor - Animation - The University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
About the Job
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.
Source : The University of Kansas
