Assistant/Associate Professor Tenure Track - Illustration and Animation/Game Arts
College of Visual and Performing Arts
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
The College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth invites applications for a tenure-track position as Assistant/Associate Professor in Illustration and Animation/Game Arts, beginning September 1, 2026. The teaching load is five studio courses per academic year.
The College seeks a dynamic, imaginative illustrator, animator, artist, and educator who is passionate about student success in interdisciplinary art and design. This position emphasizes illustrated narrative and sequential visual storytelling across print and digital platforms. The ideal candidate will possess strong visual art skills, be well-versed in industry trends, demonstrate expertise in professional creative work and research in a variety of contexts, and integrate traditional methods with current and emerging technologies.
The appointed individual will be responsible for teaching a variety of intermediate and advanced courses in Illustration, Animation, or Game Arts. In addition to leading undergraduate classes, the faculty member will mentor graduate students, foster independent inquiry at advanced levels, contribute to curriculum development and assessment, advise students, and engage in service at the departmental, college, and university levels, while maintaining an active creative and scholarly practice.
In a rapidly changing creative landscape, the role of the artist in shaping stories and images remains essential. We seek a colleague who inspires students to engage critically and creatively with both traditional methods and new possibilities, while modeling curiosity, adaptability, and artistic excellence.
Minimum qualifications:
- A terminal degree, such as an MFA, PhD, MDes, MS, in Illustration, Animation, Game Arts, Digital Media, Media Arts, or a closely related discipline;
- At least four years of professional creative practice and achievement or relevant college-level teaching experience.
- Demonstrated expertise in Illustration and Animation/Game Arts, showing proficiency in current industry methods, technologies, and practices, and able to mentor students in developing creative skills and critical thinking.
Preferred qualifications:
- At least three years of experience teaching in Illustration at the college-level, with particular interest in illustrated narrative and sequential visual storytelling across print and digital platforms.
- Breadth of proficiency across digital tools and physical media and the ability to adapt to evolving platforms and practices.
An active record of exhibitions, scholarship, or industry collaborations;
- Engagement with emerging technologies or cross-disciplinary approaches that enhance student learning;
Demonstrated commitment to mentorship, inclusivity, and community engagement.
The College of Visual and Performing Arts, with over 500 undergraduate and graduate students, is the flagship visual and performing arts college in the UMass system and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). CVPA offers six concentrations within Art, Design, and Media Arts, along with degrees in Art Education, Art History, Interior Architecture and Design, and Music. UMass Dartmouth enrolls approximately 7,750 undergraduate and graduate students across more than one hundred academic programs. Centrally located between Boston, Providence, Cape Cod, and Newport, the university is dedicated to building a culturally diverse and inclusive faculty and staff committed to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.
SALARY: $77,000-$90,000
UMass Dartmouth offers exciting benefits such as:
- 75% Employer-Paid Health Insurance
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Life Insurance
- Long Term Disability
- State Pension Retirement Plan
- Optional Retirement Savings Plans
- Tuition Credit (Employee, Spouse, & Dependents)
- Twelve (12) paid holidays
- And More!
Benefits for Faculty Federation
Application materials: A cover letter addressing qualifications; curriculum vitae; demonstration of teaching proficiency, which may include evidence such as list of courses taught; a link to a digital portfolio featuring at least 20 examples of student work; two course syllabi, including major assignments; a statement of teaching philosophy; a creative research or professional statement; a link to a digital portfolio featuring at least 20 samples of professional and/or creative work and the names and contact information of three references.
Applicants must be authorized for employment in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship is not available.
The screening of applications will continue until the position is filled.