Assistant Professor, Game Design

Social Justice Fitchburg State University embraces a commitment to diversity, inclusion, belonging and social justice. We encourage individuals from historically underrepresented groups to apply and also those who can contribute to diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity in higher education through their teaching, research and mentorship. Job Description: General Statement of Duties: Full-time, tenure-track assistant professor in Game Design. Teach a range of courses in game design and development, including digital and analog game creation, interactive storytelling, level design, programming/scripting, mobile development, augmented and virtual reality, and capstone mentoring, while contributing to the continued growth of the Game Design program. The successful candidate will demonstrate active creative practice as a game designer, developer, interactive media artist, or creative technologist, with work that reflects innovation, artistic vision, and meaningful player experiences. We welcome candidates whose work demonstrates innovation in game design, interactive storytelling, artistic expression, emerging technologies, or independent game development. We seek an educator with a fresh pedagogical perspective who can foster an inclusive and collaborative learning environment while teaching contemporary professional tools and workflows. The ideal candidate will help students develop strong foundations in design, artistic expression, technical problem-solving, and creative production, and will be committed to supporting a diverse community of learners and preparing students for careers in the evolving fields of game design and interactive media. About Us: Housed in the Communications Media department, we are the first Game Design program in a public university in New England. Our faculty are game and interactive developers, artists, and scholars, who teach, publish, and participate with our students in conferences, professional meetups, game jams, and study abroad programs. Our curriculum provides a broad-based core foundation in game design that focuses on collaborative development and culminates in a full-time internship or Game Studio capstone. Our game labs are outfitted with industry standard hardware and software including VR and motion capture facilities, our Game Lounge keeps a broad library of digital and analog games for student research, and our Game Studio capstone is housed in a dedicated professional studio facility. Learn more at http://fitchburgstate.edu/gamedesign. Additional Opportunities: In addition to teaching, advising, and scholarship, there are opportunities for research, to teach additional summer, winter, online, or evening courses, to design new courses, to advise independent study and honors thesis projects, to advise student clubs or organizations, to jury or organize exhibitions and events, and to otherwise engage with the life of the university. Supervision Received: Department Chair of Communications Media Duties and Responsibilities: 1. Teaching workload (8 courses/24 semester hours of credit of instruction per school year), and preparation for classroom instruction. 2. Teach courses in Game Design, which may include Game Level Design, Game Design Workshop, 3D Game Development, Advanced Game Workshop, Game Programming, Virtual Reality Development, Mobile Game Design, Serious Games, or Game Studio Capstone. The candidate will also have the opportunity to develop new courses that fit the program, based on expertise and interests, and the evolving needs of our program. 3. Provide student assistance, including academic advising, professional and career advising, and portfolio development. 4. Participate in curriculum review and development, program reviews, and student outcomes assessment, and serve on departmental and college-wide committees. 5. Attend university functions, including convocation, commencement, professional development days, and faculty committee and department meetings. 6. Continuing scholarship, which may include artistic or other creative activities, research, contribution to the content of the discipline, or participation in professional organizations. 7. Other professional activities, which may include public or university service, participation in scheduled orientation and registration programs, department activities including game jams, student showcases, portfolio reviews, or other events. Requirements: Qualifications: 1. Terminal degree in game design/development or related field (MFA, Ph.D., etc.) by June 30, 2027. ABD will be considered with an anticipated degree completion date by June 30, 2027. 2. A broad understanding of and ability to teach artistic, professional, and technical standards in the field of games and interactive media. 3. Ability to perform all duties with or without reasonable accommodations. Preferred: 1. 2+ years of experience teaching in games or related fields 2. Demonstrated proficiency in technical aspects of game development, including game engines, programming/scripting, source control, and other tools. 3. Experience in the game field through employment, internship, or active participation in game associations at local or national levels. 4. Desire and ability to cultivate industry connections and to help students with professional portfolio development. 5. Engagement with non-traditional interactive/game creation, such as indie games, art games, game jams, serious games, interactive installation, or augmented performance. 6. Experience in related fields, such as extended reality, simulation, mobile, UI/UX, web/software development, hardware development, etc. 7. Desire and ability to support our gender-, neuro-, and ethnically diverse student body. Additional Information: Application deadline: October 4, 2026 Review of applications begins: October 5, 2026 Start date: September 1, 2027 This position is full-time, 9-month exempt, benefits-eligible positions in the Massachusetts State College Association (MSCA) bargaining unit. Salary commensurate with experience in accordance with Appendix O of the MSCA Contract. A reasonable starting salary range to expect for a new faculty member appointed at the rank of Assistant Professor is $72,000.00 to $78,000.00. Fitchburg State University conducts criminal history, and sexual offenders record checks on recommended finalists prior to final employment for all positions. Fitchburg State University is an equal opportunity employer. Application Instructions: Candidates must apply online at http://jobs.fitchburgstate.edu . 1. Cover letter 2. CV/Resume 3. Unofficial transcripts 4. Statement of Teaching Philosophy that outlines the candidate's approach to and experience of teaching game design & development with a fresh pedagogical perspective. 5. Portfolio that demonstrates an active and visible record as a practicing game or interactive media creator, showcasing published or exhibited interactive media (such as virtual or augmented reality experiences, mobile applications, interactive artwork, etc.) or shipped game titles. This can be a shared link or a PDF upload with a maximum of 10 MB. 6. Names and contact information for three professional or academic references (references are not contacted automatically upon submission of application).