Assistant Professor of Interior Design, School of Constructed

Assistant Professor of Interior Design, School of Constructed

Parsons School of Design, a college of The New School, invites candidates for positions of tenure-track Assistant Professor of Interior Design, in the School of Constructed Environments.

Given Parsons’ leading position in the field as one of the longest standing interior design programs in the country, we seek candidates with demonstrated expertise in interior design practice and research, as well as innovative pedagogical approaches in teaching interior design at an undergraduate and graduate level. The candidate should possess a strong understanding of  interior design processes, its history, and the changing nature of the discipline. The successful candidate will bring critical perspectives on the discipline of interior design, with particular attention to the current environmental and health consequences of material-based practices. Successful candidates will demonstrate a capacity to work collaboratively, to engage communities that are underrepresented in the field, and situate the practice and education of interior design in relationship to global issues of climate and social justice.

Parsons’ School of Constructed Environments offers AAS, BFA, and MFA degrees in Interior Design, as well as degree programs in architecture, product design, and lighting design (see parsons.edu for a full list of disciplines and degrees on offer). As one of the only schools in the country that offer degrees in the full range of fields that construct our environment, SCE welcomes faculty who have a deep commitment to disciplinary rigor and cross-disciplinary collaborations. The school has over 150 faculty and 800 students. Located in the heart of New York City, Parsons’ School of Constructed Environments nurtures and guides tomorrow’s leaders toward socially just, environmentally sustainable, and technologically innovative buildings, interiors, lighting, and products. In a time of unprecedented change, we foster the skills, values, and vision vital to create a more integrated, equitable and delightful world.

The New School is strongly committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and particularly seeks applications from members of underrepresented groups, as well as candidates who share this commitment.

Responsibilities  

The work of this faculty member is divided between (1) teaching, (2) scholarship or professional/creative practice, and (3) university service. The standard teaching load is five courses––or the equivalent––per academic year. Within their field of expertise, the faculty member may be expected to teach First Year and undergraduate as well as graduate courses, to majors and non-majors. They will hold regular office hours, and participate in extracurricular teaching activities such as critiques, review panels, thesis supervision, independent study, and advising. University service includes program, Parsons, and New School assignments on committees and task forces, and as program directors or associate directors with a reduced teaching load in graduate and undergraduate programs, including undergraduate First Year. All faculty are expected to be engaged with scholarship or professional/creative practice at a level commensurate with their faculty rank.

This faculty position is on a tenure track. The terms and conditions of this faculty appointment, including guidelines for advancement, promotion, and tenure, are governed by The New School policies set forth in the The New School Full-Time Faculty Handbook. Tenure-track candidates are expected to demonstrate the potential for excellence in research, scholarship, and/or creative professional practice. All hiring is subject to Provost budgetary approval.

Minimum Qualifications

• A MFA in interior design; or equivalent academic and/or professional experience.
• Active and current research addressing interiority and/or creative practice in interior design and interior design education.
• Documented evidence of professional and creative work in designing and implementing a variety of interior design projects.
• Demonstrated engagement with circular-economy design practices, life cycle assessment, and critical examinations of the impact of material processes on natural environments through teaching, research and/or practice.
• Fluency in hand sketching and industry standard 2D and 3D CAD modeling software including drawing, making, and rendering,
• Knowledge and interest in emerging technologies and their potential impact and opportunity for the field of interiors, possibly including interconnected, digital technologies, virtual and mixed reality, among others.
• Brings diversity to the field of interiors, addressing current issues of equity, inclusion and social justice within the field within scholarship and practice.
• At least three years teaching experience at university level.
• Experience in higher education academic setting, with a working knowledge of curriculum development, student support, and management.
• Strong interest in working collaboratively across Parsons and the University.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team, as a collaborator or lead.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines, communicate and motivate effectively.
• Evidence of a commitment to educational equity in teaching, research, scholarship, creative practice, or other experience.
• Evidence of cross-cultural communication skills in teaching, research, scholarship, creative practice, or other experience.
• Evidence of demonstrated interest in / building the ability to mentor and support students from diverse backgrounds, to develop and nurture the individual student’s abilities, and a strong commitment to progressive education. This evidence can be in a candidate’s teaching, research, scholarship, creative practice, or other experience.
• Evidence of a commitment to diversity and inclusion (in classroom, campus, community) in teaching, research, scholarship, creative practice, or other experience.
• Ability to adhere to University COVID-19 Policy.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience teaching English language learners, students from low income backgrounds, and first generation college students.
• Scholarship that addresses diversity and inclusion.
• University-level teaching that includes a combination of core requirements, studios, seminars and tutorials, at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Experience with / commitment to curricular and community-building work for first-year college students; capacity to lead in the context of a first-year studies program.
• Ability to translate professional knowledge of innovative practice in the field into compelling and relevant curriculum development

Work Modality

On-Campus Position: Faculty are expected to work on-campus due to the nature of the work in accordance with the University policies as set forth in the Full-Time Faculty Handbook.

Salary Range = $75,000 – $90,000 per annum

Special Instructions to Applicants

Applicants may be contacted at the discretion of the search committee for additional materials, such as digital portfolio/work samples.

Please visit www.newschool.edu/parsons/academics for a full list of programs.