Assistant Professor of Communications (Digital Media)

California State University, Bakersfield • Bakersfield, CA

17h • $74,652 - $80,000

About The Position

Applications are invited for a tenure-track position in Digital Media with an emphasis on Game Design and 3D Animation at the Assistant Professor level, beginning in August 2026. We are looking for a creative practitioner who brings dedication to craft, deep technical skill, and the agility to adapt to evolving production pipelines, ensuring students gain real-world, industry-aligned experience.

Requirements

• M.F.A., D.F.A. or Arts/Practice PhD degree in game design, animation, media arts or a closely related field.
• Extensive experience with real-world and hands-on production with one or more of the following: Game Development Production Skills Game engines (Unreal Engine, Unity) and/or virtual production Level design and world-building Gameplay prototyping Asset integration and optimization Experience contributing to a playable project 3D Modeling & Animation Skills Character or environment modeling UV mapping and texturing Rigging and animation Lighting and rendering (real-time or offline) Experience with production pipelines (model → texture → rig → animate → engine)
• Ability to teach software
• Ability to design assignments and develop courses based on real-world production workflows
• Strong communication and critique skills
• Ability to support diverse learners and emerging artists
• Commitment to maintaining industry-relevant skills
• Commitment to teaching undergraduate students from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, and academic backgrounds, including first-generation students
• Identified program of creative research that aligns with studies and/or practice in game design, audio/video production, 3D animation, motion graphics, VR/AR, and/or immersive environments.

Nice To Haves

• teaching and/or professional experience in game design and 3D animation

Benefits

• Faculty employee benefits are very competitive for the higher education sector.
• See the CSU Employee Benefits Summary for details about the CSU’s excellent benefits package.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree