FIT NYC Full-Time Faculty Position in Fashion Design Art Area, School of Art and Design

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), an internationally renowned college of art and design, business and technology within the State University of New York, invites applications for a full-time tenure-track faculty position in the Fashion Department of the School of Art and Design.

About FIT

FIT has been a leader in career education in art, design, business, and technology for nearly 80 years. With a curriculum that blends hands-on, practical experience, classroom study, and a firm grounding in the liberal arts, FIT offers over 45 majors and grants AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees. The college is internationally renowned and leverages its New York City location to provide a vibrant, creative community. FIT's Fashion Department is one of the world's top programs, cultivating creative and innovative leaders who disrupt the global fashion industry.

About the Role

The School of Art and Design seeks a tenure-track full-time faculty member in the Fashion Design Art Area. The successful candidate will be an experienced fashion design professional with demonstrated leadership in pioneering AI-driven approaches to fashion design, leveraging emerging technologies to advance creative practice, product development, and design communication. The role requires expertise in applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance creativity, concept development, design research, visual communication, and digital product development while maintaining strong design authorship and critical thinking.

Responsibilities

• Teach courses in the AAS and BFA Fashion Design programs using innovative, student-centered instructional methods.
• Teach in one or more specialization areas, including Sportswear, Special Occasion, Knitwear, Childrenswear, or Intimate Apparel.
• Provide leadership in the strategic integration of Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies throughout the Fashion Design curriculum.
• Contribute to the Fashion Design Program through curriculum development, course coordination, faculty mentorship, committee service, and other academic initiatives.
• Participate in administrative responsibilities, shared governance, and institutional service at the Department, School, and College levels.
• Pursue creative and scholarly activities that advance the discipline of fashion design through research, creative practice, curriculum innovation, and industry engagement.
• By the time of tenure, establish and demonstrate sustained professional achievement in one or more areas of expertise, such as AI-focused research, curriculum innovation, grant-funded initiatives, industry partnerships, sustainability, inclusive design, fashion exhibitions, publications, or digital workflow development.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design or related field(s).
• 6 years of relevant industry experience as a senior-level fashion designer.

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years as a senior-level fashion designer.
• Prior teaching experience.
• Master's degree in Fashion Design or related field(s).

Competencies

Globalism

• Ability to think globally and demonstrate awareness of the impact of design education, industry, and the profession.
• Communicate the ethical implications of design decisions affecting the global environment and people.
• Understand the implications of design in the context of broader social, cultural, economic, scientific, and technological forces.
• Experience working with people from various cultural, racial, ethnic, religious, and social groups to support a diverse student population.
• Appreciation for cultural diversity and a positive approach to cultural differences.
• Engage in global cross-disciplinary discourse in the discipline of fashion design.

Instructional Design

• Ability to utilize technology and electronic information to deliver course materials.
• Use instructional variety to accommodate students of different learning styles, abilities, demographics, or diversity.
• Cultivate and foster critical thinking, problem-solving, information literacy, and creativity.
• Implement instructional methodologies and practical applications that enrich students' learning experiences through innovative pedagogies, research, and/or creative scholarship.
• Execute socially responsible and sustainable design projects that instruct and inspire a diverse student population.
• Experience in developing or teaching a curriculum that addresses diversity in design.

Learning Enrichment

• Embrace the role of faculty as facilitators, mentors, and integrators of information and knowledge.
• Passion for learning with the ability to inspire interest, curiosity, and creativity in students.
• Responsiveness to industry changes and practices, including technology, and the ability to incorporate evolving changes in a progressive curriculum.

Professionalism

• Continued engagement in creative and/or scholarly work in the discipline of fashion design.
• Understand established and emerging fashion design practices and convey their importance to students.
• Ability to organize and lead initiatives for the department and the College.
• Professional projects that illustrate a varied and innovative design portfolio of evidence-based projects.
• Research ability, knowledge of, and engagement with industry competitions, exhibitions, publications, and/or awards.

Technology

• Technological skills in visual art-related software and emerging technologies specifically used in the fashion design profession.
• Ability to communicate through technology and utilize the college course management system and campus portal.
• Commitment to maintaining currency in technological skills and knowledge.

Pay

The final starting salary and appointment rank will be based on education level and cumulative experience, per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) Salary Schedules:

• Instructor: $69,346.37 - $80,793.82
• Assistant Professor: $80,736.40 - $118,984.88
• Associate Professor: $94,498.31 - $142,271.78
• Professor: $115,232.32 - $173,403.37

Benefits

• Retirement Plans
• Health Care Plan and Dental Plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Account
• Commuter Benefit Plan
• FIT Tuition Exemption Program
• Qualifying Employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program

For a full list of FIT benefits, visit the benefits webpage.