The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Department of Visual Arts seeks applications from creative, actively practicing animators/artists with expertise in 3D computer, virtual/augmented reality, interactive, alternative, and/or hybrid forms of animation. Applicants must possess a terminal degree in animation or related art field and have the ability to teach a range of courses within an innovative curriculum that merges traditional approaches with new technologies. The course content should instill strong conceptual, theoretical, and historical background to the subject.
Animation has a central position in a premier, research-intensive department with 350 undergraduate and 16 graduate students and 23 full-time faculty. We offer B.F.A. and B.A. degrees in: Animation, Cinematic Arts, Graphic Design, Intermedia, Photography, and Print Media, a B.A. in Art History and Museum Studies, and an M.F.A. in Intermedia and Digital Arts. Research and creative endeavors of Animation faculty center on interdisciplinary aspects of digital and time-based art forms, incorporating these evolving technologies into the educational process for realizing creative applications, ideas, and concepts. Both the department and UMBC are committed to, and supportive of, quality faculty research and creative activities.
Our faculty play a major role in preparing the next generation of diverse, professional workforce in the field of animation. The successful candidate must be committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service. The applicant must demonstrate: (1) an established record of scholarly and/or artistic achievement in animation relative to rank; (2) previous university-level teaching experience; (3) the ability to teach all levels of 3D computer animation; (4) experience in 2D computer animation, gaming, and/or hybrid forms is a plus; (5) an interest in mentoring and/ or teaching M.F.A. graduate students in the department’s Intermedia & Digital Arts program. The course load assignment is four courses per year.
Diversity is a core value of the university and of our department. We believe that innovation and creativity are enhanced when diverse groups of people come together to learn. UMBC is committed to inclusive excellence and is especially proud of the diversity of its 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students. We are equally committed to increasing faculty diversity by attracting a diverse applicant pool for this position. Information on faculty diversity initiatives is available at http://facultydiversity.umbc.edu.We encourage applications from women, minority group members, veterans and individuals with disabilities. Resources to help balance work and personal priorities are available at http://hr.umbc.edu/work-life-balance/. Candidates that possess experience in, or a potential for, working with, teaching, or mentoring diverse students and/ or underserved populations are particularly encouraged to apply. Candidates are required to include a statement in the application packet on how meeting the learning needs of a diverse student population might alter course content of animation classes in pedagogically productive ways. Candidates will be selected on the basis of scholarly promise and the potential for building an equitable and diverse scholarly environment in teaching, mentoring, research and service.
UMBC is a fast-growing public research university ranked by the Carnegie Foundation as a ‘Research University - High Research Activity.’ We are situated 15 minutes from Baltimore along the dynamic North East Corridor. This puts us in proximity to federal and private research and technology hubs and internationally renowned art and cultural institutions of Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. Undergraduate admission is competitive.
This tenure track, nine-month, full time appointment begins August 2018. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Preference will be given to applications received by January 19, 2018. Please upload: (1) samples of animation work and research; (2) CV; (3) cover letter describing teaching interests and philosophy, and research interests; (4) a statement about your experience in, or commitment to, fostering inclusive excellence and diversity in teaching, mentoring, research, life experiences or service; (5) three letters of reference via Interfolio ( http://apply.interfolio.com/45984 ). For information about the Department of Visual Arts, please visit our website at http://art.umbc.edu; for questions about this position contact department chair Preminda Jacob at (410) 455-2150. Screening of applications will begin January 22, 2018 and will continue until the position is filled. UMBC is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer.
