Assistant Professor, Film/Animation/Video

FILM/ANIMATION/VIDEO FACULTY POSITION DESCRIPTION

Rhode Island School of Design
Division of Fine Arts
Film/Animation/Video

The Department of Film, Animation and Video in the Division of Fine Arts seeks applications for two full-time faculty appointments at the rank of Assistant Professor to commence fall 2017.

Rhode Island School of Design recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its learning community and integral to an art and design education. We welcome candidates whose experience in teaching, scholarship, professional practice, or service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to excellence.

One position will primarily serve students focusing in Animation and the other will primarily serve students focusing in Open Media. The FAV Department is a cross-disciplinary undergraduate department of approximately 145 students. It has three areas of focus: Animation, Live Action Filmmaking, and Open Media. (In Open Media, students develop cross-disciplinary studio practice centered in time based media.)

Faculty must be able to instruct, engage, and encourage motivated and exceptionally talented students whose interests and methods are diverse. These interests span animation of all kinds, interactive media, experimental, narrative, and documentary filmmaking, installation, performance, coding, game design, virtual reality, and more. The students incline toward physical making, intense work, and come to the department with strong foundation training in drawing, two dimensional design, and spatial design.

The six-course teaching load requires the ability to teach beginning, intermediate, and advanced courses. Faculty must help students grow creatively, intellectually and artistically as well as help students develop excellent production skills and strong critical thinking skills. Candidates must show an ability to master and teach ever-changing production methods. They must be able to support a wide range of students both conceptually and technically. Good interpersonal skills, clarity, generosity, and creativity in both personal work and teaching are essential. Responsibilities include advising, curricular development, personal research and/or creative work, and service to both the department and college. The department head position regularly rotates among post-critical review faculty. Both positions require a Bachelor’s degree, with an MFA preferred (or equivalent professional experience) and college-level teaching experience. The candidate should demonstrate potential to make a significant contribution to the field.

Positions require:

Ability to teach students with a wide range of interests and cross-disciplinary applications of the medium

Ability to critique and support student work both conceptually and technically

Deep knowledge in at least two of these areas: animation production (both hand-made and digital techniques), interactive design, installation and performance-based art practice, sound design and production, and live-action production.

Preferred qualifications:
Coding, interactive media design skills, sound design and sound production skills, shop and hand-craft skills.

Please submit:
-A letter of interest that clarifies your areas of specialty, your interests and technical skills, and what your approach to your medium contributes to the department. Please address how you would contribute to RISD’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity in this position.
-Curriculum Vitae
-Names and contact information for three references, letters will be requested and phone contact will be made if applicant becomes a finalist.
-An artist statement
-Two sample syllabi
-Three to five samples of professional work submitted via Vimeo or YouTube link. (Total length not to exceed 30 minutes)
-Three samples of student work submitted via Vimeo or YouTube link. (Total length not to exceed 15 minutes)
- A statement of teaching philosophy and methods. (Not to exceed one page)
-A listing of all technical skills (manual, digital, production-based, and scholarly) you are competent to teach

Candidates who submit their materials before December 1, 2016 are assured full consideration.

Rhode Island School of Design is an undergraduate and graduate college of art and design with approximately 2,400 graduate and undergraduate students. RISD supports faculty
professional practice with sabbaticals, pre-­critical review leave, conference funds, and professional development grants. RISD has a critical review process, which is similar to the tenure process. For more information about RISD and to apply online, please visit www.risd.edu.

RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.