Full Time Assistant or Associate Professor in Animated Arts

Start Date: July 1, 2021

Position Summary
The Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) is seeking a highly energetic, inclusive, and committed educator and professional to teach courses and contribute to the ongoing development of the internationally recognized undergraduate Animated Arts program at the College. PNCA openly acknowledges that diversity is a critical component in achieving a creative and innovative work and learning environment, and to that end, as an intentional community of students and educators PNCA is committed to equity and social justice and our goal is to create a more diverse faculty body to more effectively serve our mission to prepare students for a life of creative practice. PNCA encourages applications from faculty who contribute to PNCA's goals regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion

Animated Arts, designed for Portland’s versatile creative community, supports both industry and indie outcomes. Built on a solid set of craft skills, students explore materials and methods through fine art practices from concept to production. Faculty are versed in the teaching principles of animation, able to present the history of the moving image in the context of a broad engagement with film and fine art, and supportive of experimentation in a variety of media, production methods, and narrative structures. Student interests and outcomes span a range of genre and technique from character, to abstract, to animated documentary. PNCA thesis work reflects such diversity be it short film, interactive game, or installation.
We are inviting applications for a full-time faculty who will make a sustained and vital contribution to the future of our program at a regional, national and international level. We seek candidates who can engage our diverse communities of learners at the highest levels of artistic endeavor and critical thinking. Across the range of practitioners from artists to scholars - from industry to independent - we welcome candidates who possess a demonstrated worldview and cultural competency to support teaching and mentoring undergraduate students of varied backgrounds, capabilities, perspectives, social identities and gender expressions.
The successful candidate will contribute to our undergraduate Animated Arts Program and to time-based practices in the Foundation curriculum. Both foster a pedagogical approach to animation that is practice-based and informed by critical perspectives that support applied engagements with interdisciplinary approaches and innovative practices. The faculty member will be encouraged to engage in and demonstrate abilities in diverse animation genres, studio practices, and/or fields of academic inquiry.

Overview of Duties
The candidate will be responsible for teaching a variety of courses in PNCA’s Animated Arts BFA program and other related programs. The successful candidate will also work closely with and assist the Department Head of Animated Arts and the BFA Chair in designing and developing curriculum, scheduling of courses, program marketing, recruiting, orienting and advising students, and facilitating program and cross-program discussions. Full-time faculty members serve on standing committees and mentor students as part of their appointment. This position will also work with the external communities and PNCA’s Career Services to establish internships and employment opportunities for graduates.

Primary Job Functions
Full-Time Faculty course load (typically five courses per year, subject to change)
Work with faculty and the Curriculum Committee to develop course content, syllabi, and learning outcomes.
Mentor for students across the college.
Network to raise program visibility.
Work with Director of BridgeLab and others to establish internships and other professional opportunities for alumni
Participate in accreditation evaluation process
Provide program leadership in collaboration with colleagues in Animated Arts and related departments, recommending and implementing strategies for overall program improvement
Attend program, school and Institute events
Participate in Faculty Governance
Sustain a vibrant professional practice in the field of animation
Contribute to the diversity of the college by bringing a perspective, way of thinking, and/or a unique set of experiences that expand the intellectual conversations and practices in the field.

Required Qualifications
MFA degree or equivalent professional experience
High level of demonstrable competence gained through a combination of college-level teaching, study, student advising, and professional experience in the area of animation
Abilities in curriculum development and contemporary pedagogies
Demonstrated excellence and achievement in their chosen field
Broad based expertise in modern and contemporary issues in design and culture
Ability to facilitate critical dialogue, mentoring, and program development with students working across disciplines
Integrate varied culturally competent perspectives in support of the PNCA community
Ability to implement and undertake evaluative measures to assess student outcomes and program success
Ability to engage productively in institutional long-range planning
Excellent writing and communication skills
Knowledge of current technology and its integration into creative practice
Demonstrated ability to forge strong relationships and connections with the creative community at the regional, national and international level
Fluency with contemporary independent and studio produced works inclusive of feature length and short films.

Preferred Qualifications
Versed in cultural theory and the history and impact of intellectual thought
Well traveled and substantial cross and intercultural experience
Administrative experience
Experience with institutional evaluation/assessment processes
Knowledge of Stop Motion

About PNCA
https://pnca.edu/about/mission-legacy-vision
https://pnca.edu/about/pnca-willamette

To Apply

Send letter of interest, resume/CV with email contact information, URLs/online portfolio, a selection of student work with project descriptions, statement of teaching philosophy, and contact information for 3 references, to [email protected] using the subject header “Animated Arts Search.” No paper submissions please. Priority application deadline is January 22, 2021; submissions are accepted until the position is filled.

Questions about this position or the application process can be directed to the Chair of the Search Committee, Martin French ([email protected]).