Working Title: Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, Tenure Track

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status: Full-Time

College/Division: College of Visual and Performing Arts

Department: 100005 - Art Design and Art History

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 12/05/2024

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The School of Art, Design, and Art History seeks a dynamic and innovative individual for the Assistant Professor in Graphic Design position to teach a comprehensive and rigorous curriculum in an Undergraduate Graphic Design Program that includes print, web, interactive, illustration, exhibition, packaging, and emerging media. We seek a candidate who wishes to participate in a collaborative community that fosters independent thought and creativity, embraces the diversity of cultural expression, and cultivates inclusive excellence in the making and understanding of graphic design.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will teach a 3/3 load, including courses in brand identity, typography, traditional graphic design, senior capstone, and professional practice. These courses cover levels from sophomore through senior within the Graphic Design Program. The successful candidate will demonstrate a critical understanding of visual communication problem solving, innovative conceptual and strategic thinking, typographic application and structure, design theory, media and technology, aesthetic execution, design process, and historical/contemporary trends in graphic design.

The position is a full-time, tenure-track academic appointment. Alongside teaching, other duties will require curriculum development, continued engagement in professional and research activities, and active participation in departmental and college-wide service initiatives. In order to participate in our collaborative community, there is an expectation that the successful candidate will be on campus and available to students during the academic year and serve the program and school. We are especially interested in candidates who demonstrate commitment to building an equitable and diverse scholarly environment.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:
•MFA or MDes in Graphic Design, or closely related terminal degree.
•Fluency and versatility with current industry-standard software and technology.
•Evidence of an active scholarly and/or design practice.
•Demonstrated commitment towards building an equitable and diverse scholarly environment.

Preferred Qualifications:
•Teaching experience and curriculum development of graphic design courses at the college level.
•Professionally active with a record of creative achievement that may include: commissions, peer-reviewed recognition, conference presentations or publications.

Additional Posting Information:

The completed application will consist of:
•Letter of application including a discussion of the candidate’s teaching experience and philosophy, research interests, and contributions or potential contributions to the inclusive excellence of the classroom, program, and university. This discussion should not focus on personal values and personal experiences, but rather on actions and experiences as they relate to inclusivity in the workplace.
•Statement of Teaching Philosophy;
•Curriculum Vita;
•Contact information for three professional references;
•Website or PDF Portfolio – should include 15 examples of student/teaching work as well as 15 professional/academic/research work as applicable to applicant’s experience. Candidates should upload a document, as required document “Portfolio”, that contains either the PDF portfolio (file size limit: 399MB) or a document containing a link to their digital portfolio.

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:  

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.