The University of Tennessee School of Art is hiring an Assistant Professor of Ceramics
Posted on October 3, 2023
The University of Tennessee School of Art seeks candidates for a full-time, tenure-track position in Ceramics at the rank of Assistant Professor. Primary responsibilities include instruction of two courses each semester, an active creative research agenda, student mentorship, and service to the department, university, and profession.
The successful applicant will join the School of Art’s nationally recognized Ceramics faculty and be expected to pursue and advance high-quality creative activity and/or scholarship in the field of ceramics commensurate with the research expectations of a land-grant, R1, flagship institution. The position will build upon our programs’ strengths to advance interdisciplinary research, bridge existing expertise, and foster collaboration across the School of Art.
The position will instruct School of Art undergraduate majors with a focus on our Studio Art BFA and BA degrees. The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to undergraduate and graduate education and have the ability to teach wheel-thrown pottery and hand building with additional abilities in interdisciplinary creative processes, expansive media, or digital processes. At the graduate level, the position will provide important contributions to and support for our nationally ranked MFA program through recruiting, mentoring, supervising, teaching area seminars, and serving on thesis committees. The position will contribute to the planning of our new graduate ceramic facility and share in the supervision of studio maintenance.
The Knoxville campus of the University of Tennessee seeks candidates with the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the diversity and intercultural goals of the University. The School of Art seeks to identify individuals whose research, teaching, and community engagement will contribute to equitable and inclusive learning and working environments for its students, staff, and faculty.
The School of Art is committed to the values of equity, inclusion, and access necessary to foster academic excellence. We seek to incorporate diverse perspectives into all aspects of our programs, and are committed to critically examining our structures, policies, and practices to ensure a welcoming and conscientious environment for everyone.
Salary and benefits are competitive. The University of Tennessee offers an extensive benefits package that includes comprehensive health insurance and retirement along with dozens more services. The successful candidate will be provided with an on-campus studio and research startup. The appointment will begin August 1, 2024.
The successful candidate will join a dynamic, nationally ranked faculty of artists, art historians, filmmakers, and ambitious undergraduate and graduate students. The School of Art offers BFA and BA degrees in Studio Art, a BA in Art History, and a BA in Cinema Studies. The School’s MFA program is consistently ranked among the best in the nation. The BFA degree culminates in an interdisciplinary capstone project. The Ewing Gallery of Art Architecture is a professionally managed university gallery, funded jointly by the School of Art and the College of Architecture and Design. The gallery’s permanent collection includes over 5,000 objects for study and is a valuable instructional resource for faculty and students. To learn more about the School of Art, please visit: http://art.utk.edu
UT Knoxville is the flagship campus of the University of Tennessee system and a Carnegie doctoral research-intensive university with over 36,000 undergraduate and graduate students from over 100 countries. Knoxville has a vibrant arts scene and a lively downtown. Less than an hour’s drive to the Great Smoky Mountains and Arrowmont School, the city is also home to 1,000 forested acres of urban wilderness, the Knoxville Museum of Art, Tri-Star Arts, Loghaven Artist Residency and Big Ears, the acclaimed avant-garde festival of music, film, and art. For more information on academic and personal support, and living in Knoxville, please see UT’s Prospective Faculty Viewbook: https://provost.utk.edu/working-here/
Qualifications
Required qualifications:
• MFA or other relevant terminal degree in hand at time of application.
• Minimum of one year of post-graduate experience teaching at the college level with a demonstrated commitment to excellence.
• Active creative practice through a record of exhibitions, presentations, or other professional research activities.
• Proficiency with wheel-thrown pottery and hand building, gas and electric kiln firing, glaze, and clay chemistry.
• Excellent communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Interdisciplinary creative processes and expansive media within the field of ceramics and sculpture.
• Two years of post-graduate teaching experience at the college level.
• Studio management experience
Application Instructions
Review of applications will begin October 22, 2023, and continue until the position is filled. Application materials will be submitted online. Emailed or mailed applications will not be accepted.
Required materials:
• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Artist Statement
• Teaching philosophy
• Portfolio of 20 creative works with image descriptions (title, media, dimensions, year)
• Portfolio of 20 student work images with descriptions (title, media, dimensions, year)
• Names, email addresses, and phone numbers of 5 professional references
In addition to addressing their qualifications for the position in their application, candidates may:
• Provide additional evidence of teaching excellence (sample syllabi, student evaluations, peer-reviews of teaching, scholarship on teaching and pedagogy, etc.)
• Describe how they would promote student access and inclusion.
Following the initial screening of applications, letters of references will be requested for candidates that advance. Short-listed candidates will be scheduled for preliminary interviews via video conference.
Questions may be directed to Stephanie Phillips, sphill36@utk.edu, (865) 974-3407.
