Assistant Professor, Graphic and Interactive Design

CSU Careers•Fullerton, CA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Art at California State University, Fullerton, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Graphic & Interactive Design with an appointment to begin Fall 2027. This position is open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. CSUF complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices. Cal State Fullerton is a leading public university known for its strong academic programs and commitment to student success. As one of the largest campuses in the CSU system, Cal State Fullerton fosters innovation, collaboration, and professional growth. The university values teaching, research, and service, creating an environment where students, staff, and faculty can thrive. Cal State Fullerton is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The university also received the prestigious Seal of Excelencia in 2021 and 2024 from Excelencia in Education, the nation’s leading authority on Latinx student success. Cal State Fullerton is an equal opportunity employer with a diverse student population of over 45,000 and a faculty and staff population of 4,000. Cal State Fullerton is firmly committed to helping students achieve academic excellence, career success, and economic mobility. Joining Cal State Fullerton means becoming part of a dynamic team dedicated to making a meaningful impact. We continuously seek individuals from various disciplines who share the university’s mission and core values. We welcome you to consider joining the Titan community. CSUF is committed to retaining all faculty and has established affinity groups you can join to support your success. The Department of Art at California State University, Fullerton seeks a teacher-scholar-practitioner whose work advances the future of Graphic & Interactive Design through creative practice, research, and student-centered learning. With a perspective towards the future and emerging technologies, this is a tenure-track Assistant Professorship in Graphic & Interactive Design anchored in foundational graphic design principles and practices. The position emphasizes undergraduate teaching and student outcomes using a combination of both new and traditional design principles, sensibilities, tools, techniques, and technologies. California State University, Fullerton values excellence in teaching, active scholarly and creative engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and meaningful connections to industry and community partners. CSUF faculty are committed teachers, scholars, and practitioners who bring the breadth and depth of their specializations to the classroom as well as to individually mentored projects, graduate instruction and MA/MFA theses supervision, undergraduate advising, and departmental and university-wide committees. A successful candidate will contribute to a culture that supports undergraduate and graduate research, creative activity, mentorship, and career development. The BFA in Graphic & Interactive Design focuses on professional skill building while also supporting student experimentation and exploration in a diverse setting. The program offers an intensive hands-on experience intended to prepare students for success in a demanding and constantly evolving industry by focusing on critical and conceptual thinking, logic-based problem-solving, emerging technologies, image-making and creativity, typography, and grid systems, design history, and broad exposure to various aspects of the larger design industry. Grounded in the enduring principles of visual communication, a successful candidate seeks to help students navigate an increasingly interconnected landscape shaped by graphic communication, interaction, information, computation, artificial intelligence, and evolving forms of media. We seek an educator who can prepare students not only for current professional practice, but also for the challenges and opportunities that will define the future of design. The candidate may be called upon to teach various courses in the area of graphic design ranging from introductory/foundational, to advanced/interactive courses, balancing foundational design principles with emerging technologies, critical inquiry, ethical responsibility, and professional relevance. Current curriculums explore principles in relationship to both traditional and emerging media including interactivity, human-centered design and accessibility, UI/UX design, code-based generative design, and print design. A successful candidate will be able to expand our course offerings into new areas of cutting-edge technological research including, but not limited to, data-driven design, advanced visualization, machine learning, and expressive computation for the arts and design. A successful candidate embraces a research-based approach to teaching and scholarly/creative activity that values collaboration and interdisciplinary thought. They will contribute to an energetic design program with a record of distinction based on consistent student awards and recognition, faculty professional achievement, and promising successful alumni careers. Commensurate with the requirements for tenure, CSUF faculty are accountable for sustained scholarly/creative activity, teaching outcomes, and service to the department, the university, and the larger community.

Requirements

A terminal degree (MFA or Ph.D.) from an accredited institution with an emphasis in Graphic Design, Interactive Design, Visual Communication, Communication Design, or equivalent area.
Evidence of strong foundational graphic design principles and practices.
Evidence of excellent technical skills and demonstrated ability to effectively integrate relevant technology into the classroom.
Evidence of rigorous and impactful student work that demonstrates strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Evidence of achievement as a graphic/interactive designer and scholar working with emerging media.
Evidence of experience working collaboratively with colleagues and communities.
Demonstrated excellence in university-level teaching and commitment to teaching diverse student populations, including first‐generation college students.

Nice To Haves

Evidence of a professional practice as a graphic/interactive designer or a closely related field.
Evidence of leadership, communication, organizational, and management skills as demonstrated through accomplished outreach efforts in university programs.
Demonstrated emergent media expertise in one or more of the following areas: Interaction Design, User Experience (UX/UI), Information Design and Data Visualization, Human-Centered Design, Creative Coding, Design Research, Human-AI Interaction and Machine Learning, AR/VR/XR and Spatial Computing Application.

Responsibilities

Teach undergraduate courses in graphic design, ranging from introductory/foundational to advanced/interactive.
Balance foundational design principles with emerging technologies, critical inquiry, ethical responsibility, and professional relevance in teaching.
Expand course offerings into new areas of cutting-edge technological research, including data-driven design, advanced visualization, machine learning, and expressive computation for the arts and design.
Contribute to a culture that supports undergraduate and graduate research, creative activity, mentorship, and career development.
Engage in active scholarly and creative engagement.
Collaborate with industry and community partners.
Mentor students in individually mentored projects, graduate instruction and MA/MFA theses supervision.
Advise undergraduate students.
Serve on departmental and university-wide committees.
Conduct sustained scholarly/creative activity, achieve teaching outcomes, and provide service to the department, university, and larger community, as required for tenure.