Assistant/Associate Professor, Product Design (Physical and Digital)

The Division of Multi-Disciplinary Design (MDD) in the College of Architecture + Planning seeks a full-time Assistant or Associate Professor specializing in product design with expertise in physical and/or digital design. This is a 9-month, tenure-track faculty position beginning July 2026.

About the Division

MDD promotes design education across disciplines through an innovative and applied curriculum. With areas of focus spanning digital, physical, and exploratory design, MDD is a community of academics, professionals, and students engaging in hands-on design work to address the needs of a rapidly changing world. The program encompasses a broad range of "products," including physical and digital artifacts, service design, and systems design.

The MDD curriculum is structured around four pillars: Studio Practice, Technical Competency, Historical and Theoretical Foundations, and Applied Practice. This integrative approach combines artistic, technical, and theoretical frameworks to foster critical analysis, inventive thinking, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The program leverages expertise from architecture, fine arts, communication, business, engineering, and computer science.

Key educational imperatives include inquiry-driven learning, visual literacy, methodological experimentation, and collaborative capabilities. Through partnerships with community stakeholders and industry, students engage with authentic design challenges, enhancing their professional readiness and societal impact.

Scholarship and Creative Activity

Faculty scholarship and creative activity reflect the program’s broad, practice-driven approach, integrating design research, technology, material studies, and community engagement. Outputs include peer-reviewed journal articles, patents, design exhibitions, book chapters, funded research projects, interactive media, and public installations. This diverse body of work ensures research remains both theoretically rigorous and practically applied.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement physical and/or digital products.
• Teach hands-on design studios and applied project courses, guiding students from concept development through prototyping, refinement, and production.
• Connect design education with industry standards, technology development, and contemporary professional practices.
• Contribute to curriculum development focused on professional readiness and portfolio outcomes.
• Engage in scholarship or creative work that advances the field and demonstrates potential for peer-reviewed dissemination (e.g., exhibitions, publications, patents).
• Collaborate across disciplines and with external partners, including industry and community organizations.
• For associate professor rank: Mentor junior faculty and demonstrate a record of impactful, peer-reviewed research or creative achievement consistent with tenure at a Research 1 institution.

Requirements

• A terminal degree or equivalent in Industrial Design, Product Design, Interaction Design, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience teaching hands-on design studios and applied project courses.
• Proficiency with design tools and processes, including prototyping, CAD, digital fabrication, and/or UX/UI workflows.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work across disciplinary boundaries.
• Evidence of research or creative work connected to industry, practice, or production, with potential for peer-reviewed dissemination.
• For associate professor rank: A demonstrated record of applied design, professional work, or creative achievement eligible for tenure at a Research 1 institution.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing and managing industry-sponsored or client-based projects in design education.
• Integration of emerging technologies (e.g., AI, extended reality, Internet of Things) into applied product design.
• Record of collaboration with external partners, companies, or community organizations.
• Recognition through design awards, exhibitions, patents, or professional honors.
• Experience teaching or collaborating in interdisciplinary teams across physical and digital domains.

Application Materials

• Curriculum vitae.
• Letter of application including statements of pedagogical and professional objectives.
• Website link with portfolio and/or a 20-page (maximum) design portfolio (PDF, 20 MB limit) showcasing design, teaching, and/or scholarly work.
• List of three references with contact information (phone, mailing address, email).

Review of applications begins January 31, 2026, and continues until the position is filled.

About the University

The University of Utah is the state’s flagship institution, offering over 100 undergraduate and 90 graduate degree programs to more than 32,000 students. A member of the Association of American Universities, the U is recognized for excellence in academic expertise, research impact, and student success. Located in Salt Lake City, the university benefits from a dynamic metropolitan area with unmatched outdoor access and a thriving urban environment. The Utah Asia Campus in Songdo, South Korea, extends the U’s academic reach globally.

Faculty at the U engage in research, teaching, and creative practice within a collaborative and entrepreneurial environment. The university contributes to the social, cultural, and economic life of the region and beyond.