The Department of Art, Design and Visual Studies at Boise State University invites applications for a Teaching Assistant Professor of Art position in Ceramics. This is a full-time, nine-month academic appointment starting Fall 2026.
Position Overview:
The successful candidate will teach four courses per semester at all levels within the Ceramics program, with the possibility of teaching other courses in the Department of Art, Design, & Visual Studies. In addition to an active professional practice, the successful candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to fostering a dynamic, collaborative, and creative learning environment. Additionally, the ability to engage students in both traditional and emerging ceramic methods will be essential.
Key Responsibilities:
- Teach 4 courses per semester at all levels of undergraduate ceramics
- Manage the Ceramics Lab Technician and student-workers
- Foster a positive learning environment that emphasizes both technical skill and artistic creativity
- Participate in departmental service and shared governance
About the Ceramics Program:
The Ceramics program at Boise State offers students the opportunity to comprehensively explore various ceramics methods, practices and art concepts within the context of contemporary ceramic practice. Beginning classes emphasize the development of technical skills, art making strategies and knowledge of ceramics history. Intermediate classes provide further immersion in the above and also focus on the development of methodologies for realizing a self-directed and rigorous work practice. Advanced study in ceramics stresses directed guidance toward producing independent, professional work. Further development of technical, iconographic and conceptual concerns and an understanding of the critical, conceptual and theoretical issues surrounding contemporary art are emphasized. We also provide the unique disciplinary perspectives of two full time ceramics professors, and our visiting artist program brings ceramic artists to the campus each semester, many of whom are nationally and internationally recognized.
Located in the Center for Visual Arts, the Ceramics Suite at Boise State supports both traditional and cutting edge practices. Purpose-built in 2019, it features over 6,000 square feet of specialized shop and classroom facilities, with wheel throwing and handbuilding studios, a fully ventilated kiln room with new Bailey gas and electric kilns, a dedicated glaze lab and damp room, a Geil Aquaflow spray booth, de-airing pug mills, a 3D Potter ceramic printer, upper and lower division classrooms, informal gathering and critique spaces, and access to a plaster room for mold making.
Department Overview:
The Department of Art, Design and Visual Studies serves 500 students in the following graduate and undergraduate degrees programs and minors: MFA, Visual Arts; BA in Visual Art; BFA in Visual Art and BFA in Art Education with emphasis areas available in Art Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Drawing and Painting, Ceramics, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture; BFA in Graphic Design; BFA in Illustration; BA in History of Art and Visual Culture and minors in History of Art and Visual Culture; Visual Art; and Visual Design.
The department personnel, including twenty-seven full-time faculty members and five staff members, embrace traditional and contemporary approaches toward materials, forms, techniques, and ideas while always seeking the refinements, innovations, and inversions that allow art to convey meaning and agency. We share with our students the physical and intellectual experience of art and craft and assist them with acquiring the skills and knowledge to practice as artists, teachers, theorists, historians, designers and illustrators. Additionally, the department offers rich opportunities for students, faculty and the community to engage in exhibition programming in the Blue Galleries and the Neri Gallery.
About Boise State:
Boise State University is a powerhouse of creativity, research, and impact. Our campus sits along the Boise River and reaches into the heart of Idaho’s capital – a vibrant hub for innovation, culture, and outdoor adventure. We’re nationally recognized for trailblazing research, student success, and community impact.
Our faculty are scholars, mentors, and changemakers who advance ideas, discoveries, and the next generation of leaders. Boise offers the perfect backdrop – a welcoming city with a thriving arts scene, growing tech sector, and mountains on the horizon. Join us and help shape a bold, collaborative academic community.
Learn more about faculty careers at Boise State and the City of Boise.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) or equivalent in Ceramics or a related visual arts field
- College-level teaching experience (1 year minimum as instructor of record)
- Proficient knowledge of handbuilding, wheel throwing and ceramic casting processes
- Proficiency with firing gas and electric kilns
- Proficiency with glaze mixing, application and firing
- Experience in ceramics facility operations and supervision
- A demonstrated ability to integrate both the history and theory of ceramics into teaching and practice
Preferred Qualifications:
- Knowledge of historical and contemporary studies and practices that engage ceramics as a method of inquiry and visual communication
- Knowledge of ceramic 3D printing
- A record of professional accomplishment with a portfolio of professional work, exhibitions, and/or publications
- Evidence of community engagement and service is highly desirable
- The ability to teach courses in the Department of Art, Design, & Visual Studies outside of the Ceramics curriculum
Required Application Materials:
- Cover letter stating your interests and qualifications, as well as your teaching experience
- Resume or CV that includes a list of courses taught
- Artist Statement
- Creative Portfolio A pdf with 20 examples of creative work (10 MB limit); identify the title, date, media, and size of each work. For video, please include working links; each sample should be no more than 3 minutes in length
- Teaching Portfolio A pdf with 20 examples of student work that reflects a range of processes taught (10 MB limit); identify the title, date, media, size, and course level for each example
*Please note that our application system only allows for the upload of 5 documents including your CV and cover letter, and there are size limits per file. Consider providing links to evidence items*
If selected for an interview, the Department will ask the applicant for the following additional materials:
- Teaching philosophy statement
- Two sample syllabi
Closing Date:
Priority review of applications will begin on December 15, 2025. Applications will close on January 15, 2026.
For questions regarding this position, please contact Search Committee Co-Chairs Lily Lee lilylee@boisestate.edu and Craig Peariso craigpeariso@boisestate.edu
Salary and Benefits:
Starting salary: $65,000
Our standard faculty contract is a 9-month contract (unless otherwise noted) with pay and benefits spread over 12 months. More information about faculty contract and work days is available here.
Boise State University provides a best-in-class benefits package, including (but not limited to):