California State University is hiring: Assistant Professor of Communication Desi

Tenure-Track Faculty Position Announcement

Department: Art and Design
Faculty Hire Number: #26-14
Rank: Assistant Professor
Effective Date of Appointment: August 19, 2026 (Subject to Budgetary Approval)
Anticipated Hiring Range: $87,500 to $94,500 (Dependent upon qualifications)

CSUN’s Commitment to You

CSUN is committed to achieving excellence through teaching, scholarship, learning, and inclusion. Our values include respect for all people, building partnerships with the community, and the encouragement of innovation, experimentation, and creativity. CSUN strives to cultivate a community in which a diverse population can learn and work in an atmosphere of civility and respect. CSUN is especially interested in candidates who make contributions to equity and inclusion in the pursuit of excellence for all members of the university community.

As a Hispanic-serving Institution (HSI), inclusiveness and diversity are integral to CSUN’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and engagement. As of Fall 2025, CSUN enrolls 36,960 students, where 57.5% are Latinx, 18.4% are White, 8.5% are Asian-American, 5.5% are Black/African American, 0.1% are Native American, and 0.1% are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

For more information about the university or the college, visit the relevant CSUN website.

Position Overview

The Department of Art & Design at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is seeking a tenure-track faculty member in the Communication Design area at the rank of Assistant Professor. The successful candidate will teach both introductory and advanced undergraduate courses in Entertainment Advertising Design and Branding, with the ability to integrate communication design techniques with emerging technologies and platforms. The ideal candidate will stay current with new technology, continue to develop professional expertise, and maintain an active, creative practice. We seek a candidate with a proven track record of creating work and/or participating in programs that foster and promote equity, inclusion, and representation, especially relevant to our diverse student population. The candidate should demonstrate proficiency in industry-specific software and hardware, as well as experience with the latest technologies, such as VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), AI (Artificial Intelligence), and video/motion production.

In addition to teaching, responsibilities include weekly office hours, attending faculty meetings, assessing student learning, service to the department, college, and university, and contributing to the development of the communication design area through curriculum innovation and outreach. The position may require teaching during weekdays, evenings, weekends, and/or online. Candidates will be evaluated based on the college and department standards for recommending tenure and promotion. Given CSUN’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and engagement within a diverse environment, the successful candidate will play a key role in helping the department achieve equitable academic outcomes through teaching, mentorship, scholarship, and service.

Required Qualifications

• An MFA degree in Art or Design with a concentration in graphic/communication design, or a related field from an accredited institution, foreign equivalency, or post-baccalaureate experience, training, and expertise at least equivalent to that required for the Master of Fine Arts degree.
• College, university, or advanced industry-focused teaching experience in in-person and/or online settings.
• Professional experience in the field with a record of creative achievement as an entertainment advertising or brand designer, utilizing the latest software and technologies, such as VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), AI (Artificial Intelligence), and video/motion production.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to utilize fundamental graphic design principles using the latest technologies, as demonstrated in the portfolio.
• Proficiency in creating key art and various touchpoints for marketing entertainment media across live events, streaming, digital, and social media platforms, as demonstrated in the portfolio.
• Strong understanding of brand strategy within the entertainment industry and how it aligns with overall objectives during the advertising of new media.
• Teaching or professional experience that includes working with a diverse student body or leading groups of people from diverse backgrounds.
• Experience or potential for creating a student-centered learning environment, such as community engagement, inclusive professional development, active learning strategies, culturally relevant pedagogy, curriculum development, etc. which leads to equitable outcomes for all students.
• Experience participating in inclusive approaches to mentoring, such as minority-centered mentorship with community-based arts programs, leadership roles, or engagement with minority-serving organizations, etc.

Application Deadline

The preferred application deadline is January 15, 2026, and applications received after this date may be considered on an as-needed basis. However, the position will remain open until filled.

How to Apply

Applicants should apply by completing the CSUN online application. To apply and for more detailed information on the application and hiring process, please visit the CSUN careers page.

Required application materials:

• A cover letter that clearly addresses the required and preferred qualifications.
• Curriculum Vitae or resume that includes a link to the applicant’s portfolio, which should include a body of work demonstrating proficiency in graphic design in the field of entertainment media.
• Names and contact information of three references who can address the candidate’s teaching, research, and service qualifications.

At the time of appointment, the successful candidate, if not a U.S. citizen, must have authorization from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work in the United States. California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is not currently sponsoring staff, management, or faculty positions for H-1B employment visas. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States. Please note: CSUN is currently not sponsoring applicants for H-1B employment that are subject to the $100,000 fee established by the “Presidential Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” issued on September 19, 2025. Applicants are responsible for determining the applicability of the fee.

General Information: In compliance with the Annual Security Report & Fire Safety Report of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, California State University, Northridge has made crime-reporting statistics available online. Print copies are available by request from the Department of Police Services, the Office for Faculty Affairs, and the Office of Equity and Diversity. The person holding this position may be considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with reporting requirements. A background check, including a criminal records check, must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or the continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position. In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy, CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California and prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside of California.

CSUN is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, and disability. Our nondiscrimination policy is set forth in the university's EEOC policy. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose by contacting Rochelle Fischer at 818-677-2242.

Advertised: Nov 21, 2025 Pacific Standard Time
Applications close: November 21, 2025

California State University, Northridge