Pacific Northwest College of Art at Willamette University
Assistant Professor, Illustration
Link to posting: https://willamette.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/willametteuniversityjobs/job/Assistant-Professor–Illustration_R0005384

Position Summary:
Application Deadline: Application review begins November 6, 2023
Salary: Starting at $60,000 plus benefits
Start Date: Fall 2024
Pacific Northwest College of Art is the oldest art & design college in Oregon. It began as the Portland Art Museum school in 1909 and operated independently until its merger with Willamette University in 2021. PNCA is now the second largest college within the University. Willamette University provides rigorous education in the liberal arts, arts & design, law and management through its undergraduate and graduate programs and lifelong learning programs. Teaching and learning, strengthened by scholarship, creative practice and service, flourish in a vibrant campus community. Pacific Northwest College of Art prepares students for a life of creative practice and facilitates that through Core Pillars:
● Studio Practice
● Professional Practice
● World View
● Anti-Racist Pedagogy

PNCA’s commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion As a learning community, we value, respect, and appreciate differences—in gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, class, and age. We strive to create a safe and supportive environment that is enriched by variety in voices, work, and perspectives. We know that we are a better community of learners and educators when we have space for a multiplicity of worldviews and experiences. Thus, diversity and inclusion at PNCA are crucial to our intellectual and aesthetic inquiry. Guided by the principles of ethics and mutual respect, PNCA’s policies and procedures strive to ensure equity and social justice within our community of students, educators, and staff. A platform for experimentation and expression in the arts, PNCA is also a laboratory for critical reflection and dialog that nurtures better, more informed, more critically engaged citizens while it educates emerging artists and designers. An important aspect of our curriculum is building an awareness of and critical culture around issues of power and privilege in order to decolonize our curriculum and our world.

Position Summary
Pacific Northwest College of Art at Willamette University (PNCA) is seeking an energetic, inclusivity- minded, and committed educator and professional to teach courses and contribute to the ongoing development of the undergraduate illustration program at the college. PNCA openly acknowledges that diversity is a critical component in achieving a creative and innovative work and learning environment, and PNCA is committed to equity and social justice. We welcome candidates who possess a demonstrated worldview and cultural competency to support teaching and mentoring undergraduate students of varied backgrounds, abilities, perspectives, social identities and gender expressions. The underlying philosophy of the PNCA Illustration Department is experiences and encounters. We prepare our students for creative collaboration by exploring the intersection of art and design with an emphasis on the balance between technique and conceptual thinking. Learning, risk-taking and creativity are essential to the program as is an understanding of evolving marketplaces, entrepreneurship, and client-based culture. We focus on this professional practice so that our students are prepared to enter the job market in a number of creative industries and arts and design sectors. We believe that at the core of a long and sustained creative career is a focus on our students' unique voices and the distinctly personal visual language they each utilize in art making. This is emphasized in every facet of PNCA’s illustration curriculum from the first studio course to a final, year-long thesis project. PNCA Illustration has a dedicated curricular pathway that allows each student to thoroughly investigate the multiple areas of illustration as an art form. At the 200 level, students focus on technical literacy with classes centered around drawing, painting and making in all forms of analog and digital media. 300 level classes focus on the more expansive conversation of conceptual literacy where visual storytelling, visual poetry, and design thinking are thoroughly explored. At the 400 level students cultivate cultural literacy and create a strategy for their personal vision to take form outside the walls of the college. We are inviting applications for a full-time faculty member who understands the immense value visual language plays in modern culture, who is committed to developing a diverse illustration curriculum that both envisions the future of illustration and all its applications while acknowledging the importance of its past, who is willing to contribute to the success of the program on a regional, national, and global level while fostering a pedagogy informed by critical thinking, diverse and inclusive perspectives, and innovative practices that are specific to the ever-changing needs of our student population. The applicant should be able to demonstrate technical and critical skills in a wide range of illustration genres, have a mastery with a number of new and emerging technologies, a strong studio practice, and strong academic inquiry skills. The primary professional responsibilities of instructional faculty members are: teaching, creative practice within the field of illustration, research/scholarship, and service to the college and larger university. These responsibilities generally include: developing and enhancing curriculum, advising students, participation in campus and university-wide committees, maintaining office hours, working collaboratively and productively with colleagues, building external partnerships and industry relationships, and maintaining a vibrant creative practice in the region and beyond.

Overview of Duties

● Teach five courses a year. This would include core departmental courses as well as newly developed courses in areas of expertise.
● Help maintain instructional standards and outcomes across curriculum and syllabi.
● Foster approaches to animation within the illustration curriculum that are practice-based and built on interdisciplinary and innovative practices.
● Build and develop a curriculum together with faculty that is aligned with university priorities.
● Contribute to the oversight of the animation labs, equipment, and facilities.
● Mentor undergraduate students during the thesis process.
● Foster industry relations and external partnerships.
● Provide academic and career advising.
● Participate in admissions recruitment, open houses, portfolio reviews, and industry events.
● Work with the department chair and faculty in development of department policies, curriculum content, and evaluation methods.
● Participate in faculty governance, academic committees and campus life.
● Keep up to date with professional and industry best practices.
● Foster an inclusive, equitable and diverse learning environment.

Minimum Qualifications

● MFA or equivalent professional experience.
● Evidence of higher education teaching experience.
● Evidence of an active professional practice within the field of illustration.
● Demonstrated experience in an inclusive teaching environment that is rooted in anti-oppression and creativity.
● Ability to reside in Oregon by the first day of employment or otherwise perform work primarily in Oregon.

Qualified Candidate will have several Preferred Qualifications

● MFA, or equivalent terminal degree, in illustration, art, or closely-related field from an accredited institution.
● Evidence of successful collegiate teaching experience in illustration or related fields.
● Demonstrated professional experience in either a studio or freelance client-based practice, with expertise in one or more of the following areas: editorial illustration, graphic novels/comics, book illustration, concept development and character design.
● Demonstrated skills in both digital and traditional mediums.
● Evidence of advancements in their own field of professional practice. Working knowledge and relationships within the field of illustration.

The successful candidate will be committed to the academic success of all of our students and to an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates diversity and differences. To this end, the successful candidate will work effectively, respectfully, and collaboratively in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings. In addition, the successful candidate will be ready to join faculty, staff, students, and administrators in our university’s shared commitment to the principles of engagement, service, and the public good. All University positions require that candidates submit to a criminal conviction record check prior to hire. Conviction does not automatically preclude candidates from being hired. Nature of conviction will be considered relative to the duties of the position.

You will need to upload the following documents as part of your application materials in the "My Experience" section labeled Resume:

● Cover letter highlighting your interest in PNCA’s Illustration Program and relevant teaching experience.
● Professional resume/CV which includes a link to your professional website.
● Up to 5 images that show a selection of student work with project details and course information.
● A statement of your approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion and inclusive pedagogy.
● Three professional references and their contact information.

Application Deadline: Application review begins November 6, 2023
Salary: Starting at $60,000 plus benefits
Start Date: Fall 2024

● Incomplete applications will not be considered.
● Reasonable Accommodations Statement
● To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
● Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.