Assistant Professor In Digital Media & Spatial Arts (Digital Materiality)

Position Rank and Title:Assistant Professor in Digital Media& Spatial Arts (Digital Materiality)

School/Department Name: Department of Art and Art History

Compensation: Commensurate with qualifications, experience, and rank as established by the CSU Salary Schedule. Anticipated hiring academic year annual salary range: $85,000 - $90,000. Faculty employee benefits are very competitive for the higher education sector. See Benefits Summary for details about the CSU's excellent employment benefits.

Target Start Date: August, 2024

Application Deadline: January 8, 2024 - Applications are accepted until the position is filled or closed.

Position Description

The Department of Art and Art History in the College of Humanities and the Arts at San Jose State University invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position jointly supported by the Spatial Art and the Digital Media Art programs with an emphasis in hybrid Digital and Material practices with specializations in Digital fabrication, CNC processes, interactive installation, and digital performance. The successful candidate will possess critical and art historical knowledge combined with a contemporary creative practice focused on the aesthetic, conceptual, and technical production of hybrid digital and material artworks. This position's primary advising role will serve Digital Media Art students. The candidate will be responsible for developing a shared curriculum supported by both the Digital Media Art and Spatial Art programs. The ideal candidate will engage existing courses and resources that are currently shared by the Design Department and the Department of Art & Art  History as well as digital fabrication resources that serve the College of Humanities and Arts as a whole.

Serving BA, BFA, and MFA students, a key part of this role will include the development and instruction of new courses that focus on emerging trends at the intersection of digital and three-dimensional art making processes. Additionally, these research and teaching expectations will serve to support multidisciplinary art, innovation, and technology initiatives within the department and across the university. The ideal candidate will also possess experience with multidisciplinary collaboration across the arts and sciences to address aesthetic, social, and cultural trends in Digital Media art and technology.

About the University

Founded in 1911, the Department of Art and Art History remains one of the oldest, most comprehensive, and most affordable fine arts schools in western United States and more specifically within the state of California. San Jose State University is located in the heart of Silicon Valley in downtown San Jose, CA, the tenth largest city in the United States and the hub of Silicon Valley. The Art and Art History Department is strategically located in close proximity to some of the major research institutions located in the Bay Area like the Stanford University and the University of California Berkeley among others. The city, and the surrounding San Francisco Bay Area recognize and support art, creativity, and technology as cornerstones for regional development. As a major contributor to the artistic life of the area, the University frequently partners with the city to bring art programs to the area. The location also provides easy access to the thriving art community of San Francisco and Oakland to the north and the expansive art market and cultural venues of Los Angeles to the south.

The Department of Art and Art History offers a unique combination of award-winning faculty and staff, outstanding facilities, and a wide range of focus areas, including traditional and Digital Media arts, art history and visual culture, and curatorial studies. Our acclaimed network of alumni, curators, artists, teachers, historians, and arts professionals represent the very best of what the Bay Area has to offer, providing our students with the opportunity to build a robust practice within a chosen discipline. Committed faculty and staff provide students access to our "best-in-the-west" education and facilities, generated through invaluable professional and personal relationships offered within a welcoming and supportive community; a dynamic student gallery system; a weekly lecture series showcasing renowned artists, thinkers and critics; the professionally-curated and endowed Thompson Gallery, with its groundbreaking exhibitions; a cutting edge curriculum; extensive facilities, including darkrooms, a foundry, glass facilities, and state-of-the art computer and digital fabrication labs; and professional development opportunities in and around the Silicon Valley.

San Jose State University regularly tops national rankings in public education, affordability and social mobility for our diverse student body being ranked #1 "Most Transformative College" in the nation by Money and ranked #5 by the US News and World Report and is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Our alumni, as artists, makers, and thinkers, who are increasingly at the center of the creative economy, are steadily inventing the future in California, the United States and throughout the world.

More information about the Department of Art and Art History at San Jose State University can be found here.

Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Department of Art and Art History and San Jose State University value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can only be fully realized by faculty, students, and staff who share our commitment to these values. SJSU enrolls more than 36,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved, and around 45% are first-generation and 38% are Pell-recipients. SJSU is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Serving Institution. The university's commitment to social justice extends from its vibrant, inclusive campus to an international network of over 275,000 alumni. As such, San Jose State is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and the community can benefit from multiple ethnic and gender perspectives.

Successful candidates will demonstrate evidence of a commitment to equity and inclusion through their research, teaching, and/or service. We ask that all applicants include a Diversity Statement with their application package. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Diversity Statement Guidelines, along with information about how these statements will be evaluated.

Required Qualifications

Terminal Degree in Relevant Field: A Ph.D. or MFA in a field related to digital art and sculpture, such as Fine Arts, Digital Arts, or Sculpture, is a fundamental requirement, demonstrating a strong academic foundation for teaching and research.

Expertise Teaching in Digital and Sculptural Media: Teaching experience at the college level and proficiency in both digital art and traditional sculpture, including the use of relevant tools, software, and materials, are essential to effectively teach and mentor students in this hybrid practice. Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate the ability to develop and lead courses that integrate digital art and sculpture.

Track Record of Creative Achievement: A substantial portfolio of creative work showcasing innovative and meaningful contributions to the fields of digital art and sculpture, with evidence of exhibitions, publications, and a strong artistic trajectory. Portfolio should reflect innovative digital fabrication techniques: candidates should demonstrate proficiency in pioneering or utilizing cutting-edge digital fabrication techniques and technologies, such as CNC Processes: 3D printing, routing, laser cutting, or other advanced methods that enhance the integration of digital art and sculpture/installation practices.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration: A demonstrated ability to collaborate across artistic and academic disciplines, as well as work in multidisciplinary teams to explore the intersections between digital and Spatial Arts.

Commitment to Research and Scholarship: A strong commitment to research and scholarship, including a track record of engaging in academic activities such as exhibiting, publishing, presenting at conferences and artists talks, and contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of digital art and Spatial Arts.

Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusivity: A demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population, which may have been gained through cross-cultural study, training, teaching, or comparable experiences. This qualification emphasizes the ability to create an inclusive and culturally-responsive learning environment that respects and supports the diverse backgrounds and experiences of students in the art department.

Preferred Qualifications

Priority will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:

• Two or more years of university-level teaching experience.
• Social Practice or Public art engagement: Candidates with a proven record of engaging in public art projects that blend digital art and sculpture, along with experience collaborating with local communities, municipalities, or public spaces, will be highly regarded. This skill set contributes to the integration of art into the public domain.
• Experience in mentorship and student-centered learning: Preference will be given to applicants with a strong background in mentorship and a commitment to student-centered learning approaches.
• Facility Development: Identifying & Procurement of specialized equipment and/or grant-writing
  

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and teach courses that serve a wide range of undergraduate and graduate students with a focus on emerging trends in hybrid forms of digital and traditional 3D/material-based techniques.
• Work with current faculty to develop strategies for interdisciplinary collaboration across areas within the department
• Participate in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments.
• Demonstrate awareness and experience understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity - in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation - through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies and advisement.
• Faculty shall organize all their classes within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS).
  

Other Duties

Note that all San Jose State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, some faculty duties may lead to designation as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). CSAs are required to complete Clery Act training and to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution.

Faculty employees must complete CSU employee training as assigned and required based on their role (e.g., Data Security, FERPA, Preventing Discrimination and Harassment, Title IX, Health and Safety). The President may recommend or require compliance with safety measures that decrease the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission or illness and allows the core mission and activities of the campus to continue.
Application Procedure

Select Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• Letter of Interest (Maximum 2 pages)
• Creative Portfolio of 10-12 works
• Curriculum Vitae
• Diversity Statement
• Statement of Teaching Interests/Philosophy
• Research Plans
• Three references with contact information or three references we may contact for letters

Inquiries may be directed to: Rhonda Holberton (Committee Chair) - rhonda.holberton@sjsu.edu

Conditional Offer

The work for this faculty position is located in the State of California. Employment is contingent upon proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Proof of immunization and booster shots against COVID-19 or proof of a medical or religious exemption and compliance with testing protocols is required for employment. Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. SJSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current employee who was conditionally offered the position.

San Jose State University: Silicon Valley's Public University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley - one of the most innovative regions in the world - San Jose State University is the founding campus of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system and the first public university in the West. Recognized as a leading transformative educational institution, San Jose State is an essential partner in the technological, economic, cultural, and social development of Silicon...