Job Details

2026 Industrial Design Assistant Professor / Lecturer

Wenzhou-Kean University
Wenzhou-Kean University (WKU), located in Wenzhou, China, one of three Sino-American universities along with NYU Shanghai and Duke Kunshan University, is approved by the Ministry of Education of China. Launched in 2012, WKU offers a unique model of higher education in partnership with Kean University, a comprehensive, public university in the state of New Jersey that is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

WKU sits on approximately 500 beautiful acres and currently enrolls about 5,200 undergraduate and graduate students, and it is now in the midst of a rapid growth that will bring enrollment to 7,000 students within the next three years. All instruction is in English, and all curriculum is provided by Kean University.

In addition to its current 18 undergraduate programs, WKU has been approved by the Ministry of Education for offering 8 Master’s and 3 doctorate programs. WKU highly values research-powered teaching and learning, and the average number of faculty publications and the Field-weighted Citation Impact are among the best of leading Chinese academic institutions.

Wenzhou is one of the most vibrant and economically advanced developed cities on China’s East Coast, located one hour by plane and three hours by high-speed train from Shanghai.

About the Job

College of Architecture & Design at WKU is seeking vibrant candidates to teach undergraduate studio and lecture courses within the professional industrial design program experience in one or more of the following: Model Design, Production Methods, Parametric design, AI-driven industrial technology preferred. Additional experience in integrated workshop management and robotics technology is desirable. In addition to teaching and/or research, faculty are expected to devote non-teaching hours to advising and providing other student support services, primarily career mentorship and placement. The ideal candidate will contribute intellectually to the formation of this professional program by developing research and/or creative scholarship, including refereed publications, competitive creative work, scholarly presentations, and sponsored projects appropriate to an assistant academic level; participating in innovative teaching and curriculum development; and actively engaging with professional organizations.

All faculty positions are full-time assignments, effective for the start of the Fall 2026 semester (August 16). These positions are full-time assignments, appointed on a 3-year contract at the first instance, and are renewable upon a successful reappointment review.

Teaching assignments and related responsibilities may include day, evening, weekend courses. Interest or experience in using advanced instructional technologies to improve the teaching/learning process is highly desirable. All faculty may be required to teach General Education courses as needed. Opportunities are also available to teach disciplinary support courses. Candidates with an interest in teaching across disciplines are encouraged to apply.

A Lecturer is a full-time, 11-month employee who teaches 39 credits per year and provides student and learning support services during the assigned period. Lecturers will be expected to provide high-quality teaching, student advisement, learning support services, and service to the university/college/school/program and/or professional community; and perform related work as required. Lecturer positions are non-tenure-track and may be renewed annually.

A tenure-track Assistant Professor is a full-time, 10-month employee who teaches 24 credits per academic year. Tenure-track faculty normally teach 2 different courses, with each section typically consisting of 15 students. Faculty is required to conduct research, provide high quality teaching and provide service to the university and/or professional community. The university will provide start-up grants (up to 80,000 RMB) supporting their research programs. After joining WKU, faculty will apply to external grants at the municipal, provincial, and national levels. Faculty members successfully obtaining eligible external grants will be afforded release time ranging from 3-12 credits per year.

Qualifications:

A terminal degree in Industrial Design is required for tenure-track positions. Equivalent professional experience or a Master’s degree may be considered for the lecturer positions, as determined by the University. Candidate must have a proven record of professional work and/or academic scholarship. A minimum of one year of teaching experience at the post-secondary level and English fluency are required for all positions.

Application Instructions

Applicants are REQUIRED to apply online. To receive full consideration by the search committee, candidates need to submit the following documents via Interfolio (https://apply.interfolio.com/183270).

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please submit through Interfolio a cover letter, resume, portfolio, statement of teaching philosophy, teaching evaluation, research statement describing research and creative work interests, awards, exhibits, and design projects, unofficial transcripts, and contact information of three professional references. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please note that your immediate supervisor may be contacted for a reference check. Official transcripts for all degrees and three current letters of recommendation are required before appointment.

Faculty Position at WKU offers:

• Annual salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience with the range from $66,000-$72,000 for Lecturers; $70,000-$78,000 for Assistant Professors. Salary of extraordinary candidates shall be determined on a case-by-case basis.
• The University will provide start-up grants to support tenure-track faculty to start their research programs
• A well-rounded healthcare coverage, housing options, and subsidy up to $3,000, home traveling up to $6,000 (2 international round-trip airfares), a reimbursement to cover relocation expenses up to $1,000, and a shuttle bus to campus for work.
• The university provides financial assistance for academic travel.
• WKU tuition waiver up to 50% for spouse/dependent children of faculty for undergraduate programs
• A collegial environment.
• The opportunity to teach high-quality students. About 60% of graduates who pursued graduate study have been admitted to graduate schools at the World’s Top 50 Universities, and more than 80% of graduates who pursued graduate study at the World’s Top 100 Universities.