Assistant Professor - Graphic Design

Utah State University seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Graphic Design to begin in Fall 2027 in Logan, UT (onsite). This position centers on a studio-and-academic approach, pairing instruction in graphic design with an active creative research practice that supports industry engagement, exhibitions, scholarly work, and/or national recognition. You will also help shape curriculum and collaborate across departmental and university service.

What you’ll do

• Teach undergraduate graphic design courses with a focus on advanced typography, brand systems, and design history
• Advise and mentor BFA and MFA students in developing their design practice and professional careers
• Maintain an active, evolving creative research practice that builds a record of industry engagement, creative exhibition, scholarly disciplinary research, and/or national industry recognition
• Contribute to curriculum development and program planning within the Graphic Design area
• Support departmental, college, and university service, including recruitment, accreditation (NASAD), and committee work
• Engage with the broader design community through professional organizations, conferences, and/or community partnerships

What you bring

• MFA in Graphic Design or a terminal degree in a closely related discipline by the appointment start date
• Contemporary professional industry experience in graphic design, with a strong and current portfolio demonstrating breadth of practice
• Expertise in one or more of the following:
  • Advanced typography and experimental typographic practice
  • Editorial and publication design
  • Brand identity and visual systems
  • Experimental image-making and visual process
• Awareness of contemporary theoretical and cultural concerns in the graphic design discipline
• Proficiency with current industry-standard design tools and openness to emerging technologies and workflows
• College-level teaching experience
• Demonstrated engagement with the historical and critical discourse of graphic design
• Experience with interactive, computational, or screen-based design as it intersects with typography
• Record of professional recognition, publication, or exhibition at a regional or national level

Application materials

• Curriculum vitae uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV.”
• Cover letter addressing teaching philosophy, creative practice, and relevant experience, uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10.”
• Names and contact information for three professional references, entered at the beginning of your application
• Portfolio of professional and/or creative work (20–25 images or equivalent) uploaded as a PDF at the beginning of your application in “Documents 1-10.” If submitting a URL, include the link in a PDF and upload that document
• Samples of student work (where applicable) uploaded at the beginning of your application in “Documents 1-10.”
• Document size may not exceed 10 MB.

Department and campus highlights

• Housed in the College of Art and Sciences and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
• Works closely with the Caine School of the Arts and the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art to engage students across the university in arts programming
• Programs include Logan Campus and faculty on USU Eastern campuses in Price and Blanding, Utah
• Delivers courses via electronic and hybrid instructional systems to USU’s six other regional campuses and numerous county centers statewide
• The Caine School of the Arts promotes the arts and arts education on campus and throughout the community
• The College of Arts & Sciences includes programs in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences

Salary: Salary is commensurate with qualifications.

ADA: Employees typically work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not necessarily occasional temperature changes.