Associate Faculty, BioDesign

Maryland Institute College of Art•Baltimore, MD

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) seeks a full-time Associate Instructional Faculty member with expertise in Biodesign to teach in the undergraduate Design and Innovation BFA program and the graduate Biodesign MA program. The preferred start date is August 1, 2027. The position focuses on teaching and program development and offers the opportunity to help shape Biodesign pedagogy and advance the emerging field. Teaching may also include courses in the First Year Experience program or the Design and Innovation core, depending on departmental and college needs. The faculty member will teach an 8-course annual load, normally four studio classes each semester, or undertake additional departmental or institutional service at the discretion of the Chair of Design. Some of the 12 semester credits may be reassigned, at the Chair’s discretion, to Biodesign program advancement, college service, or research. The faculty member will lead multiple creative experiential learning courses, collaborating with the D+I Hub and external partners to bring real-world challenges into the classroom. MICA’s Biodesign programs connect design practice, scientific literacy, hands-on biotechnology, interdisciplinary research, and ethical and cultural inquiry. The faculty member will work with the Endowed Chair of Biodesign to develop and implement curriculum, mentor students, and contribute to program development and departmental service. MICA’s dedicated Biodesign teaching and research facility is scheduled to open in early 2027 and includes a BSL1 lab, science classroom, research lab, and specialized laboratory and fabrication equipment. The initial appointment is for one year, with no guarantee or expectation of renewal. Subsequent appointments of one or three years may be awarded by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Associate faculty are represented by SEIU Local 500 and receive benefits available to full-time principal faculty. Salary is $56,808 to $147,888, based on MICA’s Full-time Faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement. The position is subject to a satisfactory background check.

Requirements

Master’s degree or higher in art, design, bioscience, or another relevant field, or commensurate experience.
At least one year of higher-education teaching experience, excluding graduate assistantships.
At least one year of experience teaching Biodesign or a closely related field.
Demonstrated technical understanding of Biodesign laboratory practices and proficiency with Biosafety Level 1 (BSL1) safety standards.
Demonstrated knowledge of Biodesign history, ethics, and contemporary discourse.
Demonstrated experience developing new courses.
Strong written and spoken communication skills.
Satisfactory background check.

Nice To Haves

Terminal degree in a relevant field, such as an MFA in an art or design field or a PhD in a scientific field.
Experience teaching, learning, or working across multiple disciplinary contexts.
Knowledge of contemporary art and design practice, theory, and history, and their relationship to broader social, cultural, economic, scientific, and technological contexts.
Experience leading or contributing to collaborative research projects, grant writing, or grant administration.
General analog and digital fabrication skills, micro-controller instrumentation, or experience developing creative solutions to laboratory objectives.
Experience working with a variety of biomaterials.
Experience with cell-culturing techniques across multiple species, techniques, and applications.
Knowledge of synthetic biology.
Experience with commercialization of research or scaling biotech production.
Expertise in the history, ethics, or contemporary discourse of Biodesign.

Responsibilities

Teach eight undergraduate or graduate studio classes per academic year, typically four in the fall and four in the spring, or undertake additional departmental or institutional service as directed by the Chair of Design.
Teach a range of Biodesign courses, potentially including Intro to Biodesign, Biofabrication, Genetic Design, Biodesign at Scale, and Convergent Practice.
Lead multiple creative experiential learning courses in collaboration with the D+I Hub and external partners.
Work with the Endowed Chair of Biodesign to develop and implement curriculum integrating Biodesign principles, experiential learning, and other design practices.
Mentor and advise students, supporting their creative and professional development.
Contribute to program development, assessment, and strategic planning.
Participate in departmental service, including curriculum development, student-work exhibitions, recruitment and outreach, and college-wide committees and initiatives.
As assigned, advance Biodesign programs through course development or outreach, contribute to college service, or participate in research activities.