"Adjunct Faculty - Product Design - Furniture Design and Detailing"

Position Summary

Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD) in Grand Rapids, MI prepares artists and designers to have impact through practice. Responsibilities for a KCAD adjunct faculty member include syllabus and class preparation, instruction during scheduled course time, providing reasonable availability to students for consultation and assistance with respect to assigned course(s), and evaluation of student performance. The Product Design program blends faculty with diverse backgrounds in industrial design, product design, furniture design, metals/jewelry design, design research, design management, marketing and entrepreneurship. Product Design faculty focus on teaching students how to manage a human-centered design process, develop unique product solutions and apply their technical skills to craft a compelling visual story about their ideas. The teaching assignment targeted for the Fall 2024 semester includes Furniture Design and Detailing courses for product design students. The coursework exposes students to trends in the residential furniture industry. Faculty will guide students through the design process as they explore conceptual designs and develop furniture design solutions with consideration for usability, functionality, assembly, manufacturability, and color/material/finish elements. Courses are to be taught in person on KCAD’s campus in Grand Rapids, MI. The candidate(s) selected for the position must reside in Michigan after acceptance of employment.

Required Education

Master’s degree in a related field to content being taught or: Master’s degree in unrelated field and additional minimum of 18 graduate credits in a field related to the content being taught or: A bachelor’s degree in a related field to content being taught, a minimum of six years of experience working in the field of industry of the content area being taught, and a combination of: • Evidence of recognized accomplishment in area being taught, including awards, bibliography of publication referencing design or art work or scholarship or; • Evidence of scholarly/creative accomplishment in terms of completed design work, patents, exhibitions, presentations, publication, and juried recognition at the regional, national and international level or; • Evidence of service to the field in terms of memberships on committees or boards of professional organizations and other contributions to the field

Required Work Experience

Minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience in corporate design studio or product design consultancy Evidence of professional experience designing residential furniture Experience with traditional furniture design process methods, tools and techniques Experience developing color/material/finish strategies for furniture designs. Experience developing furniture design details using 3D software (Rhino, etc.) Experience visualizing furniture designs using 3D rendering software (Keyshot, etc.)

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

• Prepare syllabus and class according to college standards and distribute syllabi.
• Teach appropriate course as assigned.
• Assess and evaluate student learning and provide formative feedback throughout the course.
• Provide reasonable availability to students for consultation and assistance with respect to assigned course(s).
• Evaluate student performance.
• Contribute to the college’s continuous improvement.
• Maintain effective communication with students and colleagues.
• Work collaboratively with faculty, students and staff throughout the college.
• Demonstrate an understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion, especially in working relationships with students, faculty, staff and community members.
• Any other duties assigned within the position classification area.

Skills and Abilities

Experience working with a mix of 2D and 3D design tools and techniques (ex. Drafting, woodworking, CAD, 3D rendering, etc.) Demonstrated commitment, experience and understanding for diversity, equity and inclusion.

Required Documents

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Unofficial Transcript 1
• Portfolio 1

Portfolio 1 (Required): Portfolio including examples of business modeling and/or pitch deck

Advertised Salary: Starting at $4,330 per 3 credit course.

Location: Grand Rapids (Kendall)

Department: 92350 - KCAD Product Design