Faculty in Visual Communication Design

About the Role

The Department of Art, Art History, and Design at the University of Notre Dame invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor for an accomplished designer whose research integrates critical scholarly inquiry in Visual Communication Design. The successful applicant will contribute to the development of a dynamic, inclusive, and relevant curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, creative problem-solving, and socially engaged design practices while successfully preparing them to thrive in diverse design careers. This position offers the opportunity to join a vibrant academic community committed to advancing the role of design in shaping culture, technology, and the human experience.

About the Design Program

Visual Communication Design at the University of Notre Dame lays emphasis on the art, science, and practice of building platforms and experiences that create tangible communication between content and users through traditional and contemporary media. The VCD program is established around human-centered design principles, focusing on building a deep empathy with stakeholders and solving wicked problems with contextual solutions that derive from a holistic vision. The design division (ID and Visual Communication Design) offers MFA, BFA, and BA degrees, as well as a minor. The Minor is a dynamic catalyst for process-based, cross-disciplinary collaboration between various academic departments across the university. Design is part of a multi-disciplinary creative studies department that includes studio artists and art historians, all committed to a collaborative teaching and learning environment within the context of a liberal arts education.

Duties

• Research
• Teaching
• Service

Minimum Qualifications

• A terminal degree (MFA, MDes) or equivalent in Visual Communication Design, Graphic Design, Interaction Design, or a closely related field
• Demonstrated disciplinary expertise and excellence with a strong record of accomplishment in the field of visual communication design
• A viable, socially-engaged, and intellectually rigorous research trajectory, which can be situated across diverse areas, including interdisciplinary scholarship that bridges critical inquiry with creative investigation
• Expertise in two or more of the following areas: motion graphics, UI/UX, digital/emerging/social media and technologies, design history, speculative or critical design, art direction/advertising design, brand/identity, package design, typography, and data visualization
• Demonstrated proficiency in discipline-standard technologies, software, and contemporary digital media platforms

Preferred Qualifications

• Evidence of effective teaching in higher education
• A record of integrating culturally responsive and/or environmentally sustainable perspectives into teaching or research
• Demonstrated versatility across both traditional and digital media
• Experience incorporating emerging technologies into pedagogy or creative endeavors
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, with the ability to contribute effectively to a diverse academic community

Application Instructions

Please include the following:

• A letter of interest
• Curriculum vitae
• Statement of research interests and/or professional practice agenda
• Statement of teaching philosophy
• 20 examples of research/creative work and/or professional practice
• Examples of student work (if available)
• Three references (contact information only)
• Links to professional websites are welcome

This institution is using Interfolio's By Committee to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can send all application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation, free of charge. For help signing up, accessing your account, or submitting your application, please check out our help and support section or get in touch via email at help@interfolio.com or phone at (877) 997-8807.

Deadline

Review of candidates will begin December 1, 2026, and continue until the position is filled.