San José State University - San José, California
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
Subject to Budgetary Approval

Specialization: Industrial Design
Job Opening ID (JOID): 25122
Rank: Assistant Professor (Tenure-track)

Qualifications:
A terminal degree (MFA, MS, MDes, or MA) in Industrial Design or a related discipline is required before the start date. The successful candidate will demonstrate (1) a mastery in the instruction of aesthetic fundamentals and advanced topics in industrial design; (2) an advanced understanding of design theory and practice within historical, socio-cultural, economic and technological contexts; and (3) a strong command of visual and verbal presentation. Candidates should be equally fluent in design discourse and studio practice and in balancing the conceptual, aesthetic and technical demands of the discipline. These would include design craft (2D/3D form-visualization and/or 3D form-construction), experience with traditional and digital fabrication. Three years of experience teaching, design practice, and research is preferred.

We are looking for candidates who augment and extend the current strengths of the Industrial Design program. The preferred candidate will be an individual who is highly motivated, engaged and creative, with a well-articulated agenda for creative engagement, teaching expertise, and potential for leadership in the field. Additionally, a keen interest in entrepreneurial pursuits would be ideal. In particular, the Department is interested in candidates who can contribute to an interdisciplinary “Deep Humanities & Arts” initiative that is motivated by the recognition that the arts and humanities have a critical role to play in the formative moment of the design of technology.

Applicants should demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity to education goals of a diverse population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching and other comparable experiences. We are committed to substantially increasing the proportion of our faculty from historically underrepresented groups, and we highly encourage candidates from historically underrepresented groups to apply.

Responsibilities:
The SJSU Department of Design is seeking an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design to help expand the prominence of a nationally recognized and highly visible Industrial Design program. Teaching responsibilities will include industrial design instruction at the lower and upper division courses. Administrative and service responsibilities include recruitment, advisement and contributing to the Industrial Design program in areas reflective of the candidate’s strengths. Participation in the growth, development, and administration of the program and department, and engagement in faculty meetings, committees, and other services will also be required. Candidates must address the needs of a student population of great diversity—in age, cultural background, ethnicity, primary language and academic preparation—through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies and advisement. In the application, candidates should demonstrate the potential for successful university teaching, an active research and/or design portfolio, and collegial participation in service activities appropriate to the assigned teaching load and the expectations of the Department of Design.

Salary Range: Commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Eligibility: Employment is contingent upon proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
Starting Date: August 13, 2020

Application Procedure:
For full consideration please send the following materials to: https://apply.interfolio.com/67936 by 12 p.m. on January 21, 2020. Questions about the position can be addressed to Industrial Design Search Committee at design@sjsu.edu. Please include Job Opening ID (JOID) on all correspondence.

• Letter of Application (PDF)
• Portfolio (PDF/link to website)
• Curriculum Vitae (PDF)
• Official Transcripts (PDF)
• Statement of Teaching Philosophy and Research Intent (PDF)
• Three Current Original Letters of Recommendation (PDF)
• Examples of Student Work. (PDF/link to website)

General Information:
The Department of Design (www.sjsu.edu/design), with four program fields in the areas of Animation/Illustration, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, and Interior Design has over 1300 undergraduate majors. Currently the Department has 14 full-time faculty and over 50 part-time faculty actively teaching. The faculty share values and goals in areas of collaboration, sustainability, interdisciplinarity, technological engagement, new research methods, new approaches to design and to imaginative and provocative work. These are supported by the Department of Design administrative and technical staff. SJSU is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

The Industrial Design program at SJSU has over 50 years of tradition and has influential alumni in the professional community in the Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, and beyond. The BS Industrial Design program has over 150 students, two full-time and several part-time faculty. The program has an excellent reputation and attracts mature and dedicated students interested in serious professional study. Resources include well-equipped traditional shops and the Calvin Seid Lab for rapid prototyping and digital fabrication. The Industrial Design program is strongly connected to a vibrant professional community.

San José State University enrolls over 33,000 students, a significant percentage of whom are members of minority groups. As such, this position is for scholars interested in a career at a national leader in graduating URM students. SJSU is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Serving Institution; 40% of our students are first-generation, and 38% are Pell-qualified. The university is currently ranked fifth nationally in increasing student upward mobility. The University is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and the community can benefit from multiple ethnic and gender perspectives.

San José State University is California’s oldest institution of public higher learning. Located in downtown San José (Pop. 1,000,000) in the heart of Silicon Valley, SJSU is part of one of the most innovative regions in the world. As Silicon Valley’s public university, SJSU combines dynamic teaching, research, and university-industry experiences to prepare students to address the biggest problems facing society. SJSU is a member of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system.

San José State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or disability. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff as well as University programs and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. Note that all San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

The latest San José State University Safety 101 Uniform Campus Crime and Security Report is available. You may request a copy of San José State University’s annual safety report by contacting the University Police Department at (408) 924-2222 or by visiting the University Police Department website at (http://www.sjsu.edu/police.)