Careers
RIT’s College of Art and Design is one of the most dynamic colleges of art and design in the nation. With technology, the arts, and design at our core, we are a professional art school within a comprehensive technical university.
The College of Art and Design has five schools (art, crafts, design, film and animation, and photography), 140 faculty, and 60 staff members. We are a close-knit, collaborative community of artists, innovators and scientists.
We are committed to recruiting and hiring the most qualified individuals. RIT takes enormous pride in its continuing access, engagement, and inclusion efforts that advance a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
The RIT campus is just minutes away from downtown Rochester, N.Y. You can explore and enjoy the city’s entertainment, and cultural offerings. The city is large enough to provide the dining and nightlife opportunities you might expect in a bigger city, yet small and friendly enough to be inviting and accessible. RIT is also not far from the beautiful Finger Lakes region known for its lakes, wineries, and restaurants.
RIT and Rochester certainly have a lot to offer. We hope you consider applying!
School of Design
Assistant Professor, Interior Design
The School of Design in the College of Art and Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology invites applicants to apply for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position to teach in the Interior Design program. RIT Interior Design, an expanding program, is a student-centered academic environment where burgeoning designers cultivate their unique points of view under professional faculty tutelage. Our mission is to mentor students, so they enter the field prepared to contribute to the profession with a deep-rooted understanding of the needs of society, culture and the environment. Our interior design program is highly sought-after and known for engaging students in real world projects both locally and internationally. By maximizing an array of academic and professional opportunities, our graduates are reshaping how we live in the world.
Lecturer, Graphic Design
The School of Design in the College of Art and Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology invites applicants to apply for a Lecturer position to teach in the Graphic Design undergraduate program. The School of Design focuses on developing strong conceptual and formal visual communication skills. Expectations include teaching 4 classes a term that include undergraduate studio and lecture courses; participating in innovative teaching and curriculum development; rendering service to the school, college and university; career advising and mentoring undergraduate students; and participating in professional organizations important to the field of graphic design.
Lecturer, Industrial Design
The School of Design in the College of Art and Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology invites individuals to apply for a non-tenure track Lecturer position to teach in the Industrial Design program. The Industrial Design program focuses on developing strong conceptual and formal design skills by engaging students in the theory, process, and practice of design throughout the undergraduate and graduate curricula. The Industrial Design program is consistently ranked amongst the top programs in the nation for undergraduate and graduate study.
School of Photographic Arts and Sciences
McGhee Endowed Lecturer, Photographic Arts and Sciences
The School of Photographic Arts and Sciences invites applicants to apply for a Non-Tenure Track Lecturer position. This position is part of the McGhee Endowment in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences.
The successful candidate will teach undergraduate courses over the academic year in the school, including courses that combine photography with graphic design and moving media. The successful candidate will be nimble, technologically savvy, and forward-thinking on the future of photography and the creative industry and will be skilled in how photography, graphic design, motion, and emerging technology combine Additional experience in branding or marketing, or in a creative director or content director role, is preferred.
Staff Openings
Assistant Archivist, School of Design
Under the direction of the Archivist, the Vignelli Center for Design Studies Assistant Archivist assists with the management of the design archives of renowned designers Lella and Massimo Vignelli. The Assistant Archivist processes archival collections, digitizes artifacts, and helps researchers access the collections. They contribute to department planning and provide public services and outreach through tours, class visits, and social media. Additionally, the Assistant Archivist oversees the Archives when the Archivist is out of the office. This position is funded for 5 years with the possibility of continued funding.
Research Scientist, Image Permanence Institute
The Image Permanence Institute at the RIT College of Art and Design is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Research Scientist to advancing knowledge and research in the chemical degradation and stability of cultural heritage collection materials. This position is ideal for individuals with expertise in materials testing, atmospheric pollutants, chemical interactions, organic chemistry, or chemical engineering. The appointed researcher will manage the Institute’s ISO testing services, perform mostly independent research, collaborates on multi-scholar research initiatives, and will lead discrete components of a larger research project or program, all while under the general direction of a senior or principal researcher. The position is expected to publish research results in peer-reviewed journals, reports, meetings, workshops, and conferences, and may have educational program related responsibilities.
We welcome applications from fields outside of cultural heritage, but will look favorably on candidates demonstrating a strong interest in the preservation science of cultural heritage.
Adjunct Faculty Openings
Art History
The School of Art, located within the College of Art and Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology, is interested in finding qualified adjunct instructors to teach courses in the following areas:
- ARTH 135 Survey: Ancient to Medieval Art
- ARTH 136 Survey: Renaissance to Modern Art
These global art history survey courses are lower-division courses generally taken by first-year students. We offer multiple introductory survey courses in art history, with each course section comprising 50 students. Students are primarily from the BFA programs within the College of Art and Design, but may also be from programs outside the college.
Art history survey courses incorporate the following learning outcomes:
- Describe how and why objects and images were produced.
- Analyze and compare the functions and meanings of works of art within their historical and social contexts.
- Articulate how works of art visually express meaning using discipline-specific vocabulary.
- Recognize elements of artistic style considering how style is defined and categorized
- Describe and explain relationships between works of art produced in different cultures, including instances of cultural exchange, influence, and/or appropriation
We value teaching that is innovative, topical, and engaging, and that will help students develop skills in critical thinking and analysis. We may consider proposals for classes on other topics within art history, but our primary needs are the courses listed above. We seek an individual to live our values, embrace diverse perspectives, and nurture the RIT community to remain a great place to work for all; who has the ability and interest in leading and contributing to a community committed to student-centeredness; professional development and scholarship; integrity and ethics; respect; innovation and flexibility; and teamwork and collaboration. Select to view links to RIT’s core values, honor code, and statement of diversity.
Adjunct instructors are responsible for:
- Leading regular class meetings during the semester, for a total of 45 contact hours per three-credit lecture class
- Designing course materials (lectures, assignments, assessments) to deliver the assigned course as described in the course outline
- Assessing student coursework
Expected qualifications:
- Minimum of an MA in Art History
- Experience teaching at the university level
Salary range: $3,600 - $5,400 per section, depending on experience and degree level
The School of Art is home to 27 full-time faculty members leading programs in ceramics, expanded forms, furniture design, glass, illustration, medical illustration, metals and jewelry design, painting, printmaking, and sculpture. There are 37 adjunct faculty teaching in the School of Art. The minor in art history is based in the School of Art. Graduate programs in the School of Art are offered in fine arts studio and art education; the connected School for American Crafts houses graduate programs in glass, furniture design, metals and jewelry design, and ceramics. To learn more about the programs, faculty, and students in SOA, please visit http://cad.rit.edu/art.
Please send your CV to: Sarah Thompson, Associate Professor of Art History, Art History Coordinator, setfaa@rit.edu.
RIT does not discriminate. RIT promotes and values diversity, pluralism and inclusion in the work place. RIT provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, marital status, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientations, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status or disability in its hiring, admissions, educational programs and activities. For more information or inquiries, please visit RIT/TitleIX or the U.S. Department of Education at www.ED.Gov/OCR.