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Assistant Professor in Animation & Digital Media

University of Wisconsin-Stout
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The School of Art & Design at the University of Wisconsin-Stout invites applications for an Assistant Professor position in Animation & Digital Media, commencing August 2025. The position is a tenure-track, 9-month academic year position. Position expectations primarily include teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level, outreach to industry, creative research, and service to the department, college, and university. UW-Stout's School of Art & Design is NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art and Design) accredited. Course delivery is in-person and in accordance with NASAD standards.

This advertised position is just one of several opportunities the University of Wisconsin-Stout is searching for this year due to continued enrollment growth in the School of Art & Design. Please visit Careers & Jobs to learn about art and design teaching opportunities currently open at UW-Stout.

APPOINTMENT START DATE: 8/18/2025

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum / Required

  • Have one of the following by date of hire:
    • Terminal Degree, MFA or PhD (including ABD) in relevant field
    • Master's Degree with 5 years of experience in relevant field
  • Commitment to student success
  • Experience using industry standard animation, VFX, and/or film tools/software and processes
  • Evidence of potential for teaching excellence

Highly Desired/Preferred

  • Completed terminal degree (M.F.A., Ph.D., etc.) in animation or related field of study
  • Two or more years of teaching, teaching assistance, or industry experience in animation or related field
  • Demonstrated success working with diverse student populations
  • Commitment to cultivating a work environment and student experience that embraces inclusion

Note: A terminal degree (M.F.A., Ph.D., etc.) required for promotion to full professor, unless by special exception process.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Teach studio courses each semester, following National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) guidelines, that may include beginning, intermediate and advanced classes in animation, the M.F.A. graduate program, as well as other studio classes that support the major.

Other responsibilities include:

  • Advance student learning in the area of Animation and in alignment with UW-Stout's polytechnic tenets of applied learning and research, business and industry partnerships, career focused education.
  • Contribute to a rigorous learning environment with willingness to use traditional, alternative and online delivery methods
  • Demonstrate organizational skills, collegiality, and the potential for future leadership in the Animation & Digital Media program
  • Collaborate with the Animation & Digital Media Program Director to develop new curriculum
  • Provide student academic advisement and conduct assessment of student learning. This includes contributing to academic program assessment, accreditation, and continuous improvement processes, in collaboration with faculty and staff
  • Perform service to the department, school, college, and university
  • Engage in professional creative research
  • Pursue external funding
  • Participate in early alert and other student success initiatives as requested
  • Work with the Disability Services office (http://www.uwstout.edu/disability) to foster an inclusive learning environment when students disclose the need for learning accommodations
  • Attend department/unit meetings as required
  • Perform other duties as designated by Department Chair

DEPARTMENT INFORMATION

UW-Stout's Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation & Digital Media provides students with the skills and flexibility to
succeed in a wide variety of animation-related careers, combining robust art foundations with discipline-specific
courses in animation and design software. Students produce individual and collaborative works to engage
audiences in various venues, ranging from corporate and commercial to broadcast and streaming platforms.
The major is supported by three computer labs with industry standard software and hardware provided to both
students and faculty. Additionally, a collaborative studio space for upper-level group projects is adjacent to the labs and contains a Vicon Motion Capture Studio. The School of Art & Design is accredited by NASAD. For more information, please visit: https://www.uwstout.edu/programs/bfa-animation-digital-media 

The School of Art & Design (SOAD) has over 85 faculty/staff and over 1,300 students, making it the largest public higher education art and design entity in the upper Midwest. The School of Art & Design student population accounts for roughly 20% of the on-campus undergraduate population at UW-Stout. Our school serves the MFA in Design, MPS in Design, Entrepreneurship & Sustainability, ten undergraduate degrees, and six minors. For more information, please visit: http://www.uwstout.edu/artdes/ 

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Complete applications received by end of day, December 1, 2024 are ensured full consideration.  Applications submitted after 12/1/2024 may be reviewed at the discretion of the search committee or until position is filled.

To apply, click on the APPLY button or go to: https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us/careers-jobs 

Required application materials: 

1. Cover letter (* See below)
2. Curriculum vitae or resumé
3. Names and contact information for a minimum of three (3) professional references who can speak to your skills and abilities for the position
4. Unofficial copies of transcripts for all degrees
5. Professional Portfolio: Multipage PDF or a link to an online portfolio of professional work, which might include animations, a compilation reel, games, and other types of work samples. Additionally, a media list with brief written descriptions of work and software used
6. Evidence of Teaching Potential: Multipage PDF or a link to an online portfolio of student work, which might include animations, a compilation reel, games, and other types of work samples. Additionally, a media list with brief written descriptions of work and software used

*Please use your cover letter to speak to each of the Minimum/Required Qualifications for this position as listed above. For each required qualification, describe your relevant experience, using specific examples from your work history to illustrate how your experience satisfies the requirement.

Applicants must complete all required fields and attach all required documents prior to submitting the online application.

Note: Once you have attached your materials and submitted your application you will not be able to go into the system and change them.

Before starting the online application process, we recommend you preview the frequently asked questions (FAQs) available at: https://kb.uwss.wisconsin.edu/21900 

It is the policy of UW-Stout to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance, or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact us using the information below. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodation for a qualified individual's disability.

For questions regarding this position or recruitment, please contact:
Search Chair: Michael Heagle
Email: heaglem@uwstout.edu 

If you need assistance with the online application process or if you submitted your application prior to uploading all the required application materials, please contact:
Search Coordinator: Rebecca Rother
Email: rotherr@uwstout.edu 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.  The Universities of Wisconsin provides an excellent benefits package including participation in the Wisconsin State retirement plan, demonstrating our commitment to the diverse needs of our employees. UW-Stout is certified as a Family Friendly Workplace which recognizes market-leading employers for employee benefits and commitment to supporting children and families.

UW-Stout is committed to nondiscrimination in its employment practices and to equal employment opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate against, harass or retaliate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, sex (as defined in state and federal law), sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, pregnancy, marital or parental status, genetic information, arrest record, conviction record, military service, veteran status, use or nonuse of lawful products off the employer's premises during non-working hours, political affiliation, declining to attend a meeting or participate in any communication about religious matters or political matters, honesty testing, or any other category protected by law.  

As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, UW-Stout welcomes applications from individuals from diverse groups; veterans, individuals with disabilities and from historically excluded populations. At UW-Stout we value our differences and welcome diverse perspectives as we continually commit to developing an inclusive and equitable environment for all employees and students.  

Employment is contingent upon the final candidate's completing a criminal background check and being cleared to work by the Human Resources Office.  Employment is also contingent upon the final candidate passing reference checks and an essential job function test, as applicable. The reference check process includes asking the final candidate and most recent supervisor(s) questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment. Final candidates with previous employment within the Universities of Wisconsin and State of WI agencies will be subject to additional reference checks.

Official transcripts required at time of hire.

In response to a public records request, the Universities of Wisconsin will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in their online application, except that the identity of the successful final candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7)

UW-Stout is committed to providing safety and security of all members of our community in accordance with the Clery Act. For campus safety information and crime statistics visit: https://www.uwstout.edu/life-stout/police-and-parking/clery-information 

INSTITUTIONAL OVERVIEW 

University of Wisconsin-Stout, Wisconsin's Polytechnic University, offers an unmatched career-focused education that combines applied learning, theory and research with real-world experience that prepares tomorrow's leaders to drive the future of business and industry. At UW-Stout, our students do more than earn a degree--they do on day one. And we are #StoutProud to produce lifelong learners, ethical leaders and responsible citizens who succeed in a global society.  
 
UW-Stout is recognized nationwide for its operational excellence. We were the first and remain the only full four-year public higher education institution in the nation to receive the Malcolm Baldrige Award, and we are dedicated to a process-improvement model that leverages the power of data and the value of our people. We believe in critical thinking and fact-informed decision making. We pursue sustainability in form and function and collaborate across campus and with our partners to solve problems in industry and society. And providing an equitable, diverse and inclusive environment for our faculty, staff and students to live, learn and work is a top priority.

We offer 50+ undergraduate degrees, 20+ graduate degrees and 30+ professional certificates in Art, Design & Graphics; Business & Management; Education; Human & Social Sciences; Information Technology & Communications; and Science, Engineering & Math. Our first-class digital infrastructure and learning environments provide our nearly 7,000 students with every avenue to explore and personalize their success. As the only laptop+ campus among the 13 Universities of Wisconsin, UW-Stout provides laptops and industry-standard software, open education resources and other technology-driven advantages--all included in on-campus undergraduate tuition and fees. And we invest in people who share our vision to advance our position as Wisconsin's only Polytechnic University and as a regional, national and international leader in higher education.  

Be a part of the future at UW-Stout. Learn more at https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us 

University of Wisconsin-Stout is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, a community an hour east of Minneapolis-St. Paul. A pillar of Wisconsin's Chippewa Valley and recognized as one of the best small towns in America, Menomonie provides an idyllic combination of natural beauty, outdoor recreation, boutiques and arts and culture with access to a metropolitan area. For more information about the UW-Stout community and region visit: https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us/our-community