Tenured: Associate Professor in Art and Design for Virtual Production

The School of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts, Texas A&M University, invites applications for one (1) full time, tenured associate professor position in art and design for virtual production with a nine-month academic appointment beginning in Fall 2024 at the Texas A&M Bryan / College Station campus contingent on Tenure Review Upon Hire.

The school and the faculty Section of Art and Design are particularly interested in candidates with research and creative works directions in at least one of the following areas :

• Design of 3D assets for in-camera visual effects (ICVFX),
• Design and fabrication of augmented / mixed reality environments,
• 3D animation,
• Integration of volumetric capture with art and design
• Storyboarding and narrative visual storytelling for augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality.

Successful applicants are expected to develop and maintain a well-developed independent research and creative works program, teach courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, advise and mentor graduate students, participate in all aspects of the school’s activities, and serve the professional community.

Candidates should have a strong understanding of studio art practice and critique.

This position is one of 10 faculty positions associated with development of the Virtual Production Institute (VPI). The VPI initiative has received $25 million in funding from the State of Texas to pursue the development of new applications of visual computing and interactive technologies and to translate their use across multiple industries, entertainment, and the arts.

The VPI is committed to educating and training a new generation of industry- and practice-ready engineers, technologists, and artists.

The VPI’s first production stages and labs will open in the 2024-2025 academic year near the Texas A&M University main campus in Bryan / College Station and the Texas A&M - Fort Worth campus in downtown Fort Worth.

The VPI is part of the School of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts (PVFA). PVFA’s strength is in merging art and science across a broad range of creative pursuits.

The mission of PVFA places a heavy emphasis on faculty and student collaboration and interdisciplinary work in both scholarly and creative research.

PVFA develops innovative research and creative works, public performances, and degree offerings at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels that build upon our strength in merging art and science, as well as the traditional fields of music, dance, visual art, and theater.

Required : An MFA or Ph.D. in a related field is required. Strong written and verbal communication skills are required as is an enthusiasm for exploring concepts, solving problems and collaboration across the range of artistic, technical, and humanistic disciplines represented in the school.

Individuals should have a demonstrated record of scholarly research and / or creative works, demonstrated experience in art and design for virtual production, participation in multidisciplinary research and / or creative activities, university teaching experience, student mentorship, and a demonstrated record of academic service.