Assistant Professor, School of Art, College of DAAP

Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati ranks among the nation's best urban public research universities. Home to 53,235 students, more than 11,000 faculty and staff and 350,000+ living alumni, UC combines a Top 35 public research university with a physical setting The New York Times calls "the most ambitious campus design program in the country."

With the launch of Next Lives Here, the Cincinnati Innovation District, a $100 million JobsOhio investment, three straight years of record enrollment, worldwide leadership in cooperative education, a dynamic academic health center and entry into the Big 12 Conference, UC's momentum has never been stronger. UC's annual budget stands at $1.85 billion, and its endowment totals nearly $1.8 billion.

About the School
The College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) at the University of Cincinnati invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Games and Animation in the School of Art. The Games and Animation Program seeks applications from candidates with a wide range of expertise and experiences in Academia and/or Industry focused on the fields of Games and Animation.

Located within the multi-national and culturally diverse University of Cincinnati, the School of Art hosts top-tier Interdisciplinary BFA and MFA programs as well as a BA in Art History and MA in Art Education. The School of Art is currently ranked among top programs nationwide and offers diverse academic and cultural opportunities. For more information about the School of Art, please visit: https://daap.uc.edu/academics/soa.

About the Program
Officially welcoming its first BFA cohort in Fall 2024, the Games and Animation (GAA) program is jointly housed between the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP) and the College of Arts & Sciences (A&S) at UC. It combines the strengths of DAAP's School of Art, with its long-standing program commitments to electronic art, new media, and game art, and A&S's School of Communication, Film & Media Studies. The joint program offers a studio-based, collaborative approach to creating games and animation, both digital and analog. Students learn by doing, gain experience through cooperative education, and draw on the interdisciplinary technical and creative toolsets required by these media. This unique program mimics a studio approach in animation and games production studios, using students through different cohorts to produce senior projects. In GAA, there is no artificial separation between theory and practice, between art and industry, between conception and production.

Essential Functions

• Primary responsibilities: teaching, maintaining an active research agenda/creative practice, and service to various School, College, and/or University committees. The typical Games and Animation teaching load is 5 (3-credit) courses per academic year.
• Teaching will include undergraduate studio and seminar courses in the area(s) of the applicant's expertise in Animation and Game Design. The candidate will teach introductory, advanced level, and topical courses as well as seminars with topics such as: Animation History, Professional Practices, Game Design for Inclusion and/or related courses. 
• The candidate will be expected to expand course offerings and bring a unique perspective to the Games and Animation Program. The candidate will also be expected to promote approaches that support interdisciplinary practices in their pedagogy.
• Research will include actively producing, exhibiting and/or publishing creative and/or scholarly work in the field of Games and Animation.
• Services duties will include serving on various School, College and/or University committees such as Program Curriculum Committee.

Minimum Requirements
Prior to effective date of the appointment, all of the following are required:

• Masters degree in Game Design, Animation or a related field.
• Candidates must be engaged in the exhibition and/or dissemination of their research/creative work as evidenced by a portfolio of 10 research publications, or 20 creative works, or a combination of 20 research publications and creative works.
• Two academic years of teaching experience post-qualifying degree in an institution of higher education.

Application Process:

Review of applications will begin on January 1, 2025 and the search will remain open until an appointment is made. 

The position is intended to commence on August 15, 2025. 

To be considered for this position please apply online at https://bit.ly/4dP2eLq and upload:

• Cover letter (please describe your teaching philosophy and address diversity/equity/inclusion in your teaching and practice).
• CV.
• Portfolio of samples of 20 research and/or creative works as PDF or dedicated URL.
• Names and contact information of three professional references.

Compensation and Benefits
UC offers a wide array of complementary and affordable benefit options, to meet the financial, educational, health, and wellness needs of you and your family. Eligibility varies by position and FTE.

• Competitive salary range dependent on the candidate's experience.
• Comprehensive insurance plans including medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage.
• Flexible spending accounts and an award-winning employee wellness program, plus an employee assistance program.
• Financial security via our life and long-term disability insurance, accident and illness insurance, and retirement savings plans.
• Generous paid time off work options including vacation, sick leave, annual holidays, and winter season days in addition to paid parental leave.
• Tuition remission is available for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Enjoy discounts for on and off-campus activities and services.

As a UC employee, and an employee of an Ohio public institution, if hired you will not contribute to the federal Social Security system, other than contributions to Medicare. Instead, UC employees have the option to contribute to a state retirement plan (OPERS, STRS) or an alternative retirement plan (ARP).

To learn more about why UC is a great place to work, please visit our careers page at https://www.uc.edu/careers.html. 

FOR ALL FACULTY HIRES OFFICIAL ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPTS WILL BE REQUIRED AT THE TIME OF HIRE

For questions about the UC recruiting process or to request accommodations with the application, please contact Human Resources at jobs@uc.edu.  

The University of Cincinnati is an Equal Opportunity Employer.