Join the Department of Design at the University of Texas at Austin as a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor of graphic design for interactive and digital media. The role offers a competitive nine-month contract, fully paid health insurance premiums for full-time faculty, and access to extensive research and creative development resources, with the position starting August 16, 2027 on-site in Austin, TX.
What you’ll do
- Teach undergraduate or graduate courses in graphic design and digital media, including topics such as typography, motion graphics, UI/UX design, digital accessibility, interaction design, and data visualization.
- Mentor undergraduate students.
- Supervise and mentor graduate students, including chairing and serving on thesis committees.
- Support curriculum development, revisions, and reviews.
- Create creative work or publications with national or international impact in the field of design.
- Participate in shared governance through committee and task force service and other administrative needs.
- Contribute to the field through national or international boards or committees and peer reviewing proposals and papers.
What you’ll bring
- A terminal degree (PhD, MFA, or equivalent) in graphic design, interaction design, information architecture, computer science, or a related field.
- A portfolio demonstrating expertise in graphic design for interactive or digital media.
- Proven ability to teach introductory, advanced, and special topic courses for design undergraduate and graduate majors in graphic design, interaction design, and/or related areas, supported by prior college or university teaching experience or other evidence.
Benefits and institutional support
- Nine-month contract (August 16 to May 15) with competitive salary of $90,000 - $100,000, based on credentials and years of industry and teaching experience.
- Choice of a defined-benefit (“pension”) retirement plan or a 403b defined contribution plan.
- Fully paid health insurance premiums for full-time faculty during the calendar year; affordable plans for dependents, plus optional dental, life, disability, and other insurance plans.
- On-site Child Development Center and access to child and dependent care referral services.
- Policies supporting work/life balance, including family and medical leave and modified instructional duties.
- World-class libraries with over ten million volumes.
- Eligibility for competitive university-funded Faculty Development Leaves (“sabbaticals”), Faculty Travel Grants, Research & Creative Grants, book subvention grants, and external grant-finding and writing support.
- Eligibility for generously funded awards for research, teaching, and service, plus a startup package that includes a university-provided laptop and professional development funds for research and travel, and eligibility for pre-tenure research leave.
Department environment
The Department of Design provides BA, BFA, and MFA degree programs and last year identified graphic design and industrial design as primary areas of focus for future growth. The department serves more than 200 students, with 17 full-time faculty and 6 full-time staff, plus access to two digital fabrication labs, two woodshops, and the Design Lab, a mixed-use fabrication space for 2D and 3D making. The Design Lab includes equipment and resources such as woodworking tools, sewing facilities, photography equipment, digital scanning and printing, vinyl cutting, Vandercook proofing presses, silkscreen facilities, and bookbinding equipment, and it houses the nationally renowned Rob Roy Kelly American Wood Type Collection.
Review timeline and start date
- Start of review process: January 1, 2027. The position will remain open until filled.
- Starting date: August 16, 2027.
Application materials
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Cover letter highlighting how your credentials and experience satisfy the required qualifications (and preferred qualifications when applicable), and briefly describing the direction of your research or creative work over the next five years
- Three professional references with names, job titles, affiliations, email addresses, and phone numbers
- Five links to recent projects demonstrating expertise in graphic design for interactive and digital media
- List of courses taught with institution name, course number, course title, and year
Preferred qualifications
- One or more years of successful full-time university teaching experience
- Expertise in accessible UI/UX design, motion graphics, data visualization, color management, prepress and print production, or packaging design
- Record of recent professional experience in the field
