Assistant Professor of Design, Tenure-Track, Concentration in UX/UI Design, Department of Art + Architecture, University of San Francisco

University of San Francisco • San Francisco, CA

83d • $103,184 - $113,633

About The Position

The Design Program at the University of San Francisco invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Design with a specialization in UX/UI Design to begin in August 2026. Located within the Department of Art + Architecture, the Design Program integrates traditional graphic design with emerging digital practices to foster interdisciplinary, socially engaged creative leaders. Our curriculum embraces an expanded definition of design, preparing students with a broad range of process-oriented skills, including conceptual development, user research, visual storytelling, prototyping, formal experimentation, and critical thinking. The recently founded UX/UI minor provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practice of UX (user experience) and UI (user interface) design for digital platforms, including the history, theory, and practice of user research and human-computer interaction. As a whole, USF is a diverse liberal arts university with a strong commitment to social justice, and global perspectives, situated in the heart of San Francisco. This position seeks a designer and educator with expertise in UX/UI design and a strong foundation in visual design. The successful candidate will teach across UX/UI and visual design areas, support the growth of the new UX/UI minor, and contribute to evolving our undergraduate Arts and Design curricula. The successful candidate is expected to have a fluency with emergent technologies, particularly generative AI, and a capacity for interdisciplinary program development to grow the university's interest in AI readiness.

Requirements

• MFA degree (or equivalent, such as MDES / MS) in Design, Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Human Computer Interaction, UX/UI or a related field.
• Commitment to excellence in teaching within a culturally diverse environment.
• Strong record of teaching at the university level.
• Evidence of scholarship and/or creative practice.
• Understanding of and commitment to supporting the mission of the University of San Francisco.
• Expertise in a range of design practices; equal comfort and fluency in teaching technical and conceptual skills.
• Readiness to work collaboratively with faculty across the department and college.
• Strong exhibition, research, publication and/or employment record with national exposure and peer evaluation.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with generative AI technologies.
• Additional areas of expertise in design.

Responsibilities

• Teach a range of studio, seminar, and research courses.
• Teach in areas such as UX/UI (design research, testing), interaction design, and web design.
• Engage in service to the department and college.
• Maintain an active research program that engages students when possible.
• Support the growth of the new UX/UI minor.
• Contribute to evolving undergraduate Arts and Design curricula.

Benefits

• Access to a free membership with the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity.
• Support from the Center for Teaching Excellence and the Center for Research, Artistic and Scholarly Excellence.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: Master's degree