Pittsburgh, USA
Faculty positions
at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Design
Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design is hiring faculty positions to join its team in Pittsburgh, USA.
We are a community of individuals united by a shared belief in design’s power to lead the transition to more just, equitable futures for people and planet. Our vision is collective, with each member of our school representing a vital part of the whole. We are engaged in constant debate surrounding Design’s role and purpose in envisioning, rebuilding, and recrafting the worlds we want. But who is the ‘we’ and who gets to decide what is ‘wanted’? Indeed, we believe bad design disproportionately harms the most marginalized people, places, and ecosystems. For good design to happen, we must center these underrepresented individuals and groups within our community, culture, and work. As one of North America’s oldest, most esteemed design schools, we believe our story is inspiring yet unfinished. Join us in writing the next chapter.
Areas of focus
We are looking for a cohort of three, dynamic faculty to advance thinking on design’s contemporary role and purpose. The ideal candidates will have strong design underpinnings in making and critical thinking and show enthusiasm and promise in design-led research, creative practice, and teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels.
We hope to hear from candidates who are keen to advise graduate students at the masters and/or PhD levels, and work within one or more of the following areas:
- data visualization, information design systems, and media literacy
- digital prototyping and UI/UX research and practice
- tangible interactions for objects and material experiences
- hand-making, craft processes, and commercial-scale production
- interaction design for physical, digital, and hybrid environments
- prototyping for smart environments and extended-reality
Expectations of the role:
- teach classes across all levels of the undergraduate and graduate programs
- advise masters’ students and possibly PhD researchers in transition design
- be familiar with critical issues that are social, technological, political, environmental, and/or economic in nature
- commit to building a culture of equity, inclusion, and belonging through teaching, research, creative practice and service
- exhibit strong leadership and a commitment to team working
Desired experience and qualifications
Excellence in academic contexts comes in many forms, is built over time, and stems from life experiences. We embrace a diversity of approaches and are eager to work with people who are passionate about teaching, learning, and working with us to shape the future of design.
We believe the following to be important:
- a terminal degree in a design-related field (e.g., Master of Design, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Architecture, and/or PhD) or equivalent professional experience
- university-level teaching experience in Design—full-time, adjunct, TA—at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels
- professional design and/or community engagement experience (such as leadership, mentoring, volunteering)
Position options
Assistant or associate tenure-track
In addition to teaching four classes per academic year, tenure-track faculty are expected to produce research, scholarly work, artistic work, and/or engage in design practice that elevates the field. Examples of faculty activities include but are not limited to: participation in practice-based research, professional activities, exhibitions; work published, in print or online, in academic journals, and/or trade publications; invited talks/workshops at notable national and international venues; patents held; items in production or collections; grants and sponsored research; professional honors and awards; and significant contributions to professional societies and organizations.
Assistant or associate teaching-track
In place of research, teaching-track faculty take on an additional two courses, for a total of six courses per academic year. Teaching-track faculty also frequently participate in freelance or consultancy work or other external professional activities that inform and continually advance their teaching.
All positions include a comprehensive benefits package and a competitive salary.
Application package
Interested individuals should include the following in their application package:
- a letter of application that includes:
- your interest in either a tenure-track or teaching-track position
- your interest in this position and how you see yourself fitting into the program, which may include a description of courses within our curriculum that you might teach, projects you aspire to conduct, and initiatives you would like to develop in the future
- your teaching philosophy, outlining your position on the current and future state of design education and practice, as well as your approach and overarching goals as an educator
- your former and current contributions to promoting a positive culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion as exemplified through teaching, research, practice, and outreach
- if applying for a tenure-track position, a one-page ‘research statement’ that describes the topics you aim to investigate and their potential contribution to the field of design. Please also include links to any relevant publications, research proposals, and evidence of funding
- a full CV, including your academic qualifications, work experience, list of notable research and/or professional outputs, technical skills and competencies, and/or examples of community engagement work
- portfolio:
- visual examples and descriptions of creative practice, personal work, professional work, and research relevant to the position (web link preferred)
- descriptions of potential and/or existing courses and projects, including visual examples of work carried out by your students, where applicable
- three professional references. Please include name, title, phone number, and email. References will not be contacted until the final shortlisting stage, and all communications will be held in the strictest confidence
Deadline for submission of applications
8 January 2023. Interviews will be conducted from late January through mid-March 2023. Successful candidates will be notified in March or April in anticipation of a fall 2023 academic start date. Questions about this position and the School of Design can be addressed to [email protected] If you need assistance with the application platform, please contact [email protected]
Candidates should apply online at: https://apply.interfolio.com/115384
Carnegie Mellon University is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EEO/AA). Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap or disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, ancestry, belief, veteran status, or genetic information. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate in violation of federal, state, or local laws or executive orders.