Description
Teaching Assistant Professor of Interior Architecture and Design (non-tenure track)
University of Arkansas, Fay Jones School of Architecture + Design,
Department of Interior Architecture and Design
POSITION
The Department of Interior Architecture and Design at the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, University of Arkansas, seeks an individual interested in leading innovative and transdisciplinary approaches to teaching. The successful candidate will join a vibrant team of faculty in a department growing in stature and national recognition to forge a rich culture of thinking and making within the existing professional undergraduate curriculum.
The Fay Jones School's emphasis on collaborative design education is aimed at preparing students to address contemporary challenges and issues of imperative value to the state, nation and world. The school has diverse resources available in its award-winning building and state-of-the-art fabrication facilities. The U of A Community Design Center, Garvan Woodland Gardens, and the Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Material Innovation by the Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Grafton Architects, provide for a range of teaching and scholarship activities. There also are opportunities to take advantage of the School's external relationships with institutions and programs such as the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, and the Walton Arts Center.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Teaching Assistant Professor (1-year): Teaching at the undergraduate level and providing service to the department, school, university, and community are foundational expectations. Instructing 18-22 credit hours of coursework per academic year with an assignment of two studios, or one studio and two lectures/seminars per semester is required. The faculty member will lead studio and classroom instruction, create curriculum material, construct syllabi, assess student knowledge and skills, advise students, and provide other scholastic achievement guidance. The full-time nine-month position is intended to be awarded for a period of one academic year with potential for additional teaching in the summer.
The department, school, and university are committed to developing long-term relationships with faculty. The teaching-track positions have a structured promotion system that can foster movement from Assistant to Associate to Full Teaching Professor. The school has a strong track record of supporting teaching-track faculty throughout many years of their teaching careers.
Interested candidates are invited to submit their qualifications. Individuals with a wide and varied range of design practices, creative interests, professional experiences, and from allied design professions and disciplines, who are interested in operating in an educational capacity and can demonstrate significant engagement with interior architecture and design, are encouraged to apply. This position may provide a pathway for experienced design professionals to share their expertise with students through engaging lectures, innovative curriculum development, and active mentoring. Fostering collaborative and interdisciplinary initiatives, mentoring students, and creating connections between the classroom and professional practice are welcome.
SALARY + RANK
Competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS
With submitted materials, the candidate must demonstrate the following:
Minimum
- Terminal graduate degree in interior design / interior architecture, or design-related discipline
- Excellent body of creative and technical design work
- Excellent writing and interpersonal communication skills
Preferred
- One or more degrees in interior design / interior architecture
- Ability to employ current best teaching practices leading studios and lectures/seminars
- Ability to address issues of contemporary design-inquiry teaching studios and lectures/seminars
- Experience with emerging technologies, digital fabrication, BIM, VR, AI and/or visualization
- Ability to teach digitally integrated and comprehensive design studios
- Professional practice experience designing interior space
- NCIDQ certification (or the qualifications and willingness to complete the exam)
Note: Uniquely qualified candidates with strength in areas other than those listed as “preferred”, and ABD candidates, will be considered.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Ability to be an active, involved, collegial member of a collaborative studio teaching team and willingness to be a team player with departmental faculty
- Willingness and ability to advocate for interior architecture and design specific education and professional practice
APPLICATION
Initial review of applications will begin on January 5, 2026. Later applications will be accepted and reviewed as necessary to fill the position.
Please include the following:
1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Letter of Interest (2-page maximum)
The letter should clearly describe the candidate's:
- interest in the Fay Jones School, Interior Architecture and Design Department
- vision of interior design education and practice
- approach to teaching and design
- academic and professional experience
3. Names, titles, and contact information for three references (include email, telephone, and nature of association)
4. List of previous courses taught with roles, responsibilities, and work samples (if applicable)
5. Portfolio (20 page maximum) in PDF format or website link with select images of recent and relevant:
- professional, scholarly, and/or creative work with associated project descriptions
- student work completed under direction of applicant with associated project descriptions
Please clarify your role in the portfolio submission for collaborative projects.
Application materials must be uploaded to the U of A's employment system
at https://uasys.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/UASYS/job/Fayetteville/Teaching-Assistant-Professor-of-Interior-Architecture-and-Design--Two-Open-Positions-_R0079427-1
(Do not send application materials to Search Committee Chair.)
Portfolios must be uploaded to the U of A’s online cloud storage, uark.box.com
Once you complete your job application, you will receive an email in one to two business days with a link to upload your portfolio materials to uark.box.com. For questions or assistance with uploading your materials, or if you do not receive a link to upload your portfolio in one to two business days, please contact Human Resources at (479) 575-5351. Note: If your portfolio is not uploaded, you will not be considered for the position.
Note: Official transcripts will be required from finalists.
Search Committee Chair: Kimberley Furlong, Associate Professor of Interior Architecture and Design, kfurlong@uark.edu (Do not send application materials to Search Committee Chair.)
