Assistant Professor, Graphic Design

Job Summary

The Department of Art & Design at Lamar University, a NASAD-accredited program committed to excellence in art and design education, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Graphic Design. We seek an engaged educator and active practitioner whose work reflects contemporary graphic design across print, digital, interactive, and emerging media.

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate courses across the curriculum, including typography, brand identity, UX/UI, and portfolio development, as well as foundation courses as needed. The ideal candidate combines a strong grounding in design fundamentals and conceptual thinking with a focus on student success and preparing students for a rapidly evolving creative field.

We are particularly interested in candidates who situate graphic design within broader professional, technological, and disciplinary contexts and who can guide students in developing effective, industry-relevant design solutions. The candidate should demonstrate fluency in industry-standard tools (Adobe Creative Cloud, Mac platforms), along with UX/UI prototyping tools and emerging technologies, including AI-assisted design processes.

As an R2 institution, Lamar University values faculty who maintain an active and sustainable program of creative, professional, or scholarly work. The successful candidate will contribute to a culture of teaching excellence, student mentorship, and ongoing creative activity.

Essential Job Functions

Teaching and Instruction:

• Teach undergraduate courses in graphic design, including typography, brand identity, UX/UI, and introductory design.
• Develop course materials, syllabi, and instructional content aligned with current industry practices.
• Assess student performance and provide feedback to support academic and professional development.
• Maintain regular office hours and provide academic advising and mentorship.

Research and Creative Activity:

• Maintain an active program of creative, scholarly, or professional work appropriate to the discipline.
• Produce exhibitions, publications, or other recognized creative outputs.
• Engage in ongoing professional development and contribute to the advancement of the field.

Service and Program Support:

• Participate in departmental, college, and university committees.
• Contribute to curriculum development and program assessment aligned with contemporary design practices.
• Support student recruitment, retention, and program growth initiatives.
• Assist with departmental events, exhibitions, and outreach activities.
• Other duties as assigned by the department chair.

Minimum and Desired Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• MFA, MDes, or terminal degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or related field.
• Ability to teach all levels of undergraduate courses in graphic design, including typography, brand identity, UX/UI, and portfolio development, and select foundation design courses as needed.
• Proficiency with and ability to teach industry-standard software, including Adobe Creative Cloud applications.
• Working knowledge of Macintosh platforms.
• Demonstrated record of creative, professional, or scholarly activity.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Two years of college-level teaching experience.
• Professional practice or research in areas such as brand identity, typography, UX/UI, web, motion, or interactive design.
• Experience with web-based tools and/or AI-assisted design workflows.
• Demonstrated potential for sustained creative or scholarly output.
• Experience mentoring students toward internships, exhibitions, and career readiness.

Supplemental Information

Key Competencies:

• Teach all levels of undergraduate Graphic Design and Foundation Design courses as needed.
• Mentor students in senior thesis, portfolio development, and career preparation.
• Maintain an active, creative, professional, or research practice.
• Contribute to and/or lead curriculum development aligned with contemporary design practices.
• Support recruitment, retention, and program growth.
• Participate in service at the department, college, and university levels.

Physical Requirements:

• Work is performed in a standard academic environment and requires the ability to sit, stand, walk, use a computer, and communicate effectively.
• May involve lifting and carrying light materials (up to 20 pounds).
• Visual acuity sufficient for reviewing materials and delivering instruction is required.

Please submit the following materials with your application:

• Cover letter.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Teaching philosophy.
• Designer or research statement.
• Portfolio of professional work (PDF (9MB or less), including 20 images of representative artworks, including titles, dates, materials, and relevant details; may include a link to a website.
• Portfolio of student work (PDF (9MB or less), including 15-20 relevant examples.
• Sample syllabus designed by the candidate.
• Names and contact information for three references.
• Unofficial transcript.

Special Note:

• We are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for sponsorship now or in the future.

Lamar University is An Equal Opportunity Employer

Lamar University is proud to provide employment preference to veteran applicants in accordance with Texas 805 Government Code, Section 657.003.

This position is security-sensitive and thereby subject to the provisions of the Texas Education Code

• 51.215, which authorizes the employer to obtain criminal history record information.