Tenure-Track Assistant / Associate Professor of Animation Job at Cleveland Insti

Tenure-Track Assistant/Associate Professor of Animation

The Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor of Animation with expertise in emerging technologies such as AR/VR, immersive media, or AI. Candidates will preferably have a professional background with work in 3D modeling and/or 3D animation. Candidates should have an active practice, working to integrate with critical perspectives on art and design. This might include working in emerging practices, connecting to online worldbuilding, interface design, video production, game design, networked communities, emerging information ecologies, creative AI, or experiences including augmented, virtual, and mixed reality (AR/VR/MR).

In addition to teaching, the successful candidate will develop curriculum in immersive media, help in the success of the Interactive Media Lab (IML), and continue to develop their own personal practice.

Responsibilities

• Teach 3 courses per semester, 6 courses per year (3/3), including core studios and seminars, as well as studio electives within an area(s) of expertise.
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to maintain and evolve learning outcomes, teaching practices, and pedagogical approaches.
• Co-create cross-disciplinary opportunities for students across the curriculum, taking advantage of qualities distinctive to CIA, including the Integrated Media Lab (IML) and the Engaged Practice program, in alignment with colleague and student interests.
• Help shape the student experience. Mentor, advise, and advocate for students, in both academic and professional contexts through fostering engagement and building community.
• Actively engage in creative research and/or practice that advances the field.
• Participate in service activities within the division, institution, and broader communities, contributing to CIA's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Required Qualifications

• MFA or terminal degree in a closely related field; or a BFA and substantial professional experience in the field.
• Evidence of professional work that demonstrates a fluidity between traditional and emerging technologies.
• A record of successful teaching and mentorship experience, with a demonstrated commitment to increasing equity, inclusion, and sustainability in art and design.
• Ability to engage with diverse communities and foster an inclusive learning environment.

Preferred Qualifications

Evidence of any of the following:

• Fluency with current and emerging digital tools and expertise in areas such as: computational design, creative coding, digital experience design, generative AI, motion design and other time-based media, 3D modeling, AR/VR.
• Experience teaching and/or mentoring in 3D (Maya, Zbrush, Unity or Unreal)
• Experimental approaches to form-making, collaboration, and research that builds more inclusive community, advances non-traditional histories, and challenges the status quo.
• Evidence of teaching experience in critical media studies or visual culture.

We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized or underrepresented in art and higher education settings and who will actively contribute to the breadth and diversity of our community. The position offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits commensurate with rank and experience.

Application Requirements

Applications received by January 20, 2025 will be given full consideration. Applicants will be asked to submit:

1. CV
2. Letter of Interest - Applicants should outline their qualifications and interest in contributing teaching and service as a part of CIA's creative community of artists, designers, writers, and scholars
3. Teaching Philosophy & Diversity Statement - Applicants should comment on their ability to contribute meaningfully to our ongoing commitment to issues of diversity, equity, and individual differences and describe how they integrate a diverse range of practices and perspectives into their teaching Portfolio of Work (a link to an online portfolio and/or a PDF of 10-20 samples of creative work and 10-15 samples of student work. File size is limited to 5MB)
4. Contact information for three references.

Initial interviews will take place by video conference. Finalists will be interviewed through campus visits. Reference checks will only be conducted for finalists. Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States on or before July 1, 2025.

Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) is committed to increasing diversity in our community and actively pursues individuals from all backgrounds. Additionally, CIA complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws and provides equal opportunity in all educational programs and activities, admission of students and conditions of employment for all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, gender identity or national origin.

About CIA

The Cleveland Institute of Art is one of the nation's leading accredited independent colleges of art and design. Since 1882, the college has been an educational cornerstone in Cleveland, Ohio, producing graduates competitive as studio artists, designers, photographers, contemporary craftspeople, and educators. With approximately 600 students, CIA offers a personal educational experience with the benefits of a larger institution. Students choose from 13 majors and live and work in Cleveland's University Circle, one of the country's most unique cultural centers - recently named by USA Today as the "Best Arts District" in the country.

CIA recently launched the Jane B. Nord Center for Teaching and Learning, a testament to the institution's investment in academic excellence. A key initiative of the Nord Center is to support our faculty in their endeavors of high-impact, equitable, and innovative

teaching.

Opening in Jan 2025, CIA's Interactive Media Lab will bring new opportunities to create a groundbreaking animation in an extended reality (XR) studio, develop the next big video game and testing it in an in-house arcade, use augmented reality (AR) to create prototypes of innovative new products, or employ virtual reality (VR) to build or customize vehicle designs in a 3D environment.

The mission of CIA is to cultivate creative leaders who inspire people, strengthen communities, and contribute to a thriving and sustainable economy through an innovative education in art and design. Visit our website at: www.cia.edu.