Assistant Professor (tenure-track) or Lecturer (non-tenure
track) of Digital Media
Position Category: Faculty
FLSA: Exempt
FTE: .75 (academic year full-time)
Location: Thousand Oaks
University Background:
The mission of California Lutheran University is to educate leaders
for a global society who are strong in character and judgment,
confident in their identity and vocation, and committed to service
and justice. Founded in 1959 in beautiful Ventura County, the
university has an enrollment of about 3,500 undergraduate and
graduate students who come from across the nation and around the
world from a diversity of backgrounds, cultures and faiths. As a
federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution, Cal Lutheran is
looking for candidates with a dedication to and success in working
in diverse communities. The university is committed to an inclusive
learning and work environment that values individual differences
and respects each person's dignity.
Basic Function:
The Visual Arts Department at California Lutheran University seeks
a full-time faculty member in Interactive Media Design and Game
Design. This role will either be a tenure-track Assistant Professor
or a full-time Lecturer, depending on applicant qualifications.
Final determination will be made by the Provost, with the
recommendation of the Dean and Department Chair.
The Visual Arts Department seeks an artist, designer, or hybrid
practitioner to help lead the repositioning of the department's
Interactive Media curriculum. The Department recognizes Interactive
Media as a broad and connected field, with game design and
development, user experience and interface design, web and
app-based work, and immersive and real-time media all as specific
areas from which a successful candidate could emerge. Ideally, the
candidate has a practice that moves among these areas, and can help
student successfully navigate between them. Games is an enduring
area of student interest, and so the successful candidate will
teach substantive game design course(s), from concept and mechanics
to prototyping and production.
Successful candidates will help shape the future of Interactive and
Game study in the Visual Arts Department. Our Digital Media and
Design curriculum is being reimagined around a shared core in
visual foundations, including drawing, photography, digital art,
fabrication, and design. This position will play a significant role
in evaluating, developing, and instituting our interactive media
offerings into the future.
The position additionally has the opportunity to serve as the
Visual Arts faculty liaison to the University's esports program, an
area of significant growth and student interest across
campus.
Under the direction of the Dean and Department Chair, the Assistant
Professor or Lecturer is responsible for providing academic
instruction to students for the assigned undergraduate. The
Assistant Professor or Lecturer is to serve as an academic advisor
to students; contribute to department and university activities;
serve on faculty or university committees; engage in scholarly
activities, and/or creative endeavors.
Representative Duties:
- Primary responsibilities for this position include teaching
undergraduate/courses (24 for tenure-track, or 32 units/year for
lecturer position) that may include, but are not limited to:
- DMD100 Digital Media Fundamentals
DMD204 Visual Design and Storytelling
DMD475 Digital Media Capstone
And other courses, depending on candidate expertise and
curriculum developments, in areas such as interactive and
experience design, 3d modeling, prototyping, and/or web and
real-time media.
Assists the department in facilitating the vision, mission,
goals, and objectives of the department consistent with those of
the College and University
Develops and submits annual goals and reports to department
chair
Develop and revise interactive curriculum in collaboration with
departmental colleagues, including new courses that reflect current
professional practice
Advise and mentor undergraduate students, including senior
capstone and portfolio development
Contribute to student recruitment and to the visibility of the
program regionally
Provide academic instruction to students through lecture, lab,
or performance courses. Create assignments and activities in
one-on-one, classroom, and distance mediated instructional settings
for development of cognitive abilities, communication skills, and
higher order thinking skills among students. E
Observe and evaluate student performance in meeting course
objectives and student learning outcomes through assignments,
projects, discussions, and examinations; provide feedback in a
timely manner to student inquiries in class, online, or during
established consultation office hours. E
Maintain current, accurate records of course enrollment,
attendance, student academic progress, course curriculum; prepare
and submit grades, data, and reports related to course and student
progress in a timely manner. E
Teach and hold office hours in person on campus, at least 4
days per week. E
Provide a course syllabus to students in each class within the
first week of the class, as outlined in the faculty handbook.
E
Adhere to the responsibilities related to teaching, advising,
service, and scholarly, professional, and creative activities for
Assistant Professors as outlined in the faculty handbook. E
Attend and participate on committees and in department,
division, campus, and University meetings. E
Evening and weekend hours may be required. E
Performs related duties as assigned.
E=Essential Duties
Knowledge Of:
- Current theory and practice within interactive design and
games, including game design principles and mechanics, user
experience methods, interface and interaction principles, and
real-time and immersive media
- Game development processes and pipelines, from paper
prototyping through playtesting, iteration, and production, and the
roles of art, design, narrative, and sound within them
- Contemporary interactive and game development tools and
production workflows (such as real-time engines (Unity, Unreal,
Godot), design and prototyping environments, front-end web
technologies, motion and time-based tools, Twine, RPGMaker, and
others), and the underlying principles that outlast specific
software
- Visual and conceptual fundamentals underlying both art and
design practice, including design, composition, color, typography,
sequence, and narrative
- Principles and best practices of effective teaching
- Student learning outcomes and methods of assessment
- University curricula
- Community and campus resources, services, programs, and
professionals available to students
- Methods of gathering, analyzing, and preparing data
- Modern computing technology
- Record-keeping techniques about student enrollment, attendance,
and progress
Ability To:
- Mentor students with honesty and compassion.
- Integrate current and emerging instructional delivery
technologies into the learning process
- Teach effectively to mixed-preparation classrooms, including
students who have not yet declared a direction and are still
forming a practice
- Demonstrate a thorough and accurate knowledge in the subject
field or discipline
- Deliver course curricula in various learning styles
- Exhibit sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse
academic, social, economic, cultural, and ethnic background of
University students
- Exhibit sensitivity to and understanding of the needs of
students with disabilities
- Integrate current and emerging instructional delivery
technologies into the learning process to enhance teaching and the
educational experience
- Maintain professional standards that protect student
confidentiality
- Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing using tact,
patience, and courtesy
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships
- Work constructively with their colleagues and to treat faculty,
staff, administrators, and students with respect and
professionalism
- Analyze situations accurately and adopt effective courses of
action
- Demonstrate commitment to professional excellence and
continuous growth within subject field or discipline
- Satisfactoryly fulfill a faculty member's duties and
responsibilities and make significant contributions to the
University community.
- Analyze situations accurately and adopt practical courses of
action
- Collaborate productively across departments and programs,
including with the University's esports program
- Demonstrate professional or creative practice in interactive
media, evidenced by a portfolio of work.
Minimum Qualifications:
Assistant Professor: MFA or terminal degree in a related field from
an accredited institution. ABD will be considered but will come in
at the Instructor rank.
Lecturer: Master's degree in a related field from an accredited
institution.
Preferred Qualifications:
Licenses and Other Requirements:
None
Physical Abilities:
Detect to understand appropriate written correspondence;
communicate clearly to exchange information in person and via the
telephone or video; operate a computer and other office
productivity machinery; stationary position for extended periods of
time; move or transport light objects; position self to store
and/or retrieve files.
Working Environment:
Indoor classroom environment; subject to visiting a variety of
classroom sites on campus.
Hiring Range $63,000 - $82,000
Posting Number: Faculty001302020
Open Date: 09/16/2026
Close Date: 11/01/2026
Application Procedure/Special Instructions We look forward
to reading your application.
Please include the following materials with your application:
1. Cover Letter: Please tell us about yourself and explain how you
meet the qualifications for the position. Please also describe how
you plan to support the mission and Hispanic-Serving Institution
designation of California Lutheran University. Two pages
maximum.
2. Curriculum Vitae or Resume: Please provide a curriculum vitae or
resume detailing your educational background, professional
experience, teaching experience, publications, service,
appointments or positions, honors, awards, and other relevant
accomplishments.
3. Please include a list of professional references whom the
University may contact.
4. Statement of Teaching: Please discuss your teaching philosophy
and provide concrete examples of your pedagogy. Two pages
maximum.
5. Statement of Research (For Assistant Professor Applicants only):
Please describe your program of research, noting any work completed
in collaboration with undergraduate students. If you have not
previously conducted research with undergraduate students, please
describe your plans for future scholarship and student
collaboration. Two pages maximum.
6. Inclusive Excellence Statement (Other): Please explain how you
will encourage and facilitate inclusive excellence through your
teaching, mentorship, research, and service. Two pages
maximum.
To apply, visit https://careers.callutheran.edu/postings/13634
California Lutheran University is committed to providing equal
opportunity in employment for all persons, regardless of race,
religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical
disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status,
sex, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender, gender
identity or expression, or any other basis protected by applicable
law. No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied
the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any program,
activity or facility of the University on the basis of these
factors in a manner consistent with applicable federal and state
laws, regulations, ordinances, orders and rules, and University's
policies, procedures, and processes.
Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process
can be provided to individuals with qualifying disabilities. Please
contact the Human Resources Department for further information or
to request an accommodation.
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