The Department of Photography at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor position, beginning in August of 2024. Salary is competitive with peer institutions and commensurate with quality of practice, scholarship, academic research, extent of teaching experience, and current professional standing.
PROGRAM PROFILE
The Department of Photography offers over 60 courses each year with approximately 600 enrollments and 16-20 dedicated MFA students. It embraces a diverse philosophy towards the discipline, and seeks energetic and visionary practitioners actively engaged in extending the multiple traditions and emerging practices in the expanded field of contemporary photography.
Students use a broad range of media and methods with an emphasis on individual practice, research, and historical precedents. The Department prepares students to become independent, self-directed artists, scholars, and citizens. The department establishes a learning environment that values respectful questioning and creative subversion, facilitating the process by which our students become active participants in the transformation of material and intellectual culture. The School’s interdisciplinary openness challenges each student to take responsibility for their own learning within and across the lines of traditional disciplines. Models of civic and social engagement set examples for students’ guided construction of themselves as global citizens in a world of intensifying diversity.
The Department fosters a multidisciplinary, multicultural curriculum through self-initiated individual projects and active student participation in visual, aesthetic and intellectual research. Students are immersed in a culture of public critique of their own and others’ creative work in an atmosphere of supportive challenge. We aspire to integrative, critical thinking, and the actions such thinking generates.
Further information about the Department of Photography can be found at: https://www.saic.edu/academics/departments/photography
RESPONSIBILITIES
Full-time faculty teach undergraduate and graduate level studio classes, seminars, and graduate tutorials within the interdisciplinary art and design school environment of SAIC. Full-time faculty members are expected to teach across the Photo curriculum, maintain active professional careers, and participate in the SAIC community through ongoing curricular development, departmental administration, and school governance.
QUALIFICATIONS
MFA or equivalent terminal degree preferred. A minimum of 3 years of college-level teaching experience is required. Candidates are expected to have an active studio practice and be accomplished artists. Successful candidates will have familiarity with all technical aspects of photography and a comprehensive knowledge of photographic history. Ideal candidates will also demonstrate an interest in the creative engagement of new and emerging themes in photography, including but not limited to, new collaborative practices, environmental justice, virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence, or any new form of practice that contributes to the expanded field.
Candidates should demonstrate the ability to teach theory and practice to undergraduate and graduate students within an interdisciplinary art and design context. Candidates must have an expansive understanding of contemporary approaches to the medium of photography, as well as knowledge of the conceptual and critical issues relevant to contemporary art and the future of the discipline of photography within the art world. The ideal candidate will contribute to the diversity of the School by bringing a perspective, way of thinking, and/or a unique set of experiences that expand the intellectual conversations and practices in the field. We seek candidates with the knowledge and aptitude to teach and mentor students from diverse backgrounds. Candidates should demonstrate their experience with, or aptitude for, departmental administration including developing curricular initiatives and strategic planning.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Applicants are encouraged to apply by September 1, 2023 for full consideration. Please submit application materials via http://SAICfaculty.slideroom.com. You will be asked to create an account after which time you may complete the application, which consists of fill-in fields and required documents to upload. You are encouraged to begin the application well before the priority deadline. Applications will not be accepted after October 1, 2023.
Complete the fields for: educational background; current position; and contact information for three professional references.
Please convert all word documents into PDFs before uploading. Required files to upload include:
- Cover letter stating your interests and qualifications
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Diversity statement
- Artist statement
- Statement of teaching philosophy including details on how your teaching has supported the success of students from racial, ethnic, gender, and/or socio-economic backgrounds that are underrepresented in your academic field
- Sample syllabus for a 15-week studio course that would reflect your own interest in theory, research and/or studio practice
- A portfolio of creative work and support materials or other documents as appropriate
All applicants for this position must complete and sign a Prior Workplace Conduct Declaration as part of their initial application materials in order to be considered as a candidate and sign a release authorizing SAIC to conduct a misconduct reference check should the candidate ultimately be selected as a finalist for the position.
QUESTIONS
Questions regarding the School and its open positions, application procedures, or the search process may be emailed to saicteach@saic.edu. Please consult www.saic.edu for information on the School and its programs, or https://www.saic.edu/about/work-at-saic for open positions and application procedures.
ABOUT SAIC
A leader in educating artists, designers, and scholars since 1866, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) offers undergraduate, graduate, and post-baccalaureate programs to students from across the globe. Located in the heart of Chicago, the School is one of the largest and oldest private schools of art and design in the country with programs reflecting current practices in art. SAIC's educational philosophy is built upon a transdisciplinary approach to art and design that provides unparalleled opportunities for students to develop their creative and critical abilities with renowned faculty who are leading practitioners in their fields. SAIC's resources include the Art Institute of Chicago and its Modern Wing, and numerous special collections and programming venues that provide students with exceptional exhibitions, screenings, lectures, and performances. The campus is located on Chicago’s magnificent lakefront amid the city’s cultural and architectural treasures.
Degree tracks include the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Studio; BFA with Emphasis in Art Education or Writing; BA degrees in Art History and Visual and Critical Studies; Master of Architecture; Master of Design (MDes) in Designed Objects; MDes in Fashion, Body, and Garment; MFA in Studio or Writing; MA degrees in Arts Administration; Art Education; Art History, Theory, and Criticism; Art Therapy; Teaching; Visual and Critical Studies; and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation.
REQUESTS FOR ACCOMMODATIONS
SAIC provides reasonable accommodations during the interview process for candidates with disabilities in adherence with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Should you need accommodation to participate in an interview, please contact Molly Roth Scranton, Associate Director of Faculty Affairs at mscranton@saic.edu.
