"Full-Time Faculty Position in Jewelry Design, School of Art and Design"

Job Details

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), an internationally renowned college of art and design, business and technology, of the State University of New York, invites nominations and applications for a full-time tenure-track faculty position in the Jewelry Design Program of the Fashion Department in the School of Art and Design.

The Fashion Institute of Technology, a part of the State University of New York, has been a leader in career education in art, design, business, and technology for nearly 80 years. With a curriculum that provides a singular blend of hands-on, practical experience, classroom study, and a firm grounding in the liberal arts, FIT offers a wide range of outstanding programs that are relevant to today's rapidly changing industries. Internationally renowned, FIT draws on its New York City location to provide a vibrant, creative community in which to learn. The college offers more than 45 majors and grants AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, preparing students for professional success and leadership in the global marketplace.

With close ties to industry, FIT draws faculty from the city's art, business, and design elite, and from the rich academic community of the region. The college continually seeks creative faculty members who are passionate about their field and demonstrate exceptional professional capability in the core competencies of instruction design, learning enrichment, globalism, and use of technology, as well as mastery of established and emerging industry practices.

The mission of FIT's School of Art and Design is to educate the next generation of creative, socially responsible and globally relevant professionals able to succeed in the broad spectrum of art and design fields. The school challenges students to create new and valuable ideas through innovation, collaboration and experimentation.

The Fashion Department provides the expertise and skill sets needed by students and alumni to qualify for top creative positions in their related fields. Rigorous and exciting AAS and BFA curriculums deliver assignments and proficiencies that promote conceptual design development and hands-on technical skills, coupled with digital acumen. Faculty members are well-connected industry design professionals who draw upon contacts and collaborations within their industries to provide students with the necessary associations and experiences for a successful FIT career and to launch into their industries post-graduation.

Job Description:

The School of Art and Design seeks a full-time faculty member for the Jewelry Design Program, within the Fashion Department.

• The successful candidate will be a jewelry industry professional with recognized achievements in the manufacturing arena as well as a proven record as an educator.
• The candidate will be experienced in the hand fabrication of jewelry using traditional jewelry fabrication techniques, including engineering, metal shaping and forming, assembly, finishing, and gem setting.
• Additionally, the candidate should have experience and a strong interest in CAD/CAM technologies, and have sufficient CAD modeling experience to teach foundational CAD modeling curriculum.
• Additional qualifications include substantial teaching experience, preferably in a classroom environment at the college level, although other academic teaching experience or commercial training experience within the industry will also be considered.
• The new faculty member will serve as a full-time daytime instructor, provide additional student support as needed, and will participate in administrative activities, including serving as Assistant Chair, as required. Additional responsibilities include industry outreach to support competitions, donations, exhibitions, and career placement for students, as well as a committed and creative dedication to improving and promoting the Jewelry Design Program and the learning opportunity and environment it provides.
• The faculty member will engage in departmental and area meetings, and participate in area committees as well as departmental committees as necessary.

Specific competencies sought as related to the position:

Globalism

• Demonstrates practical experience regarding the global and international nature of the jewelry industry.
• The ability to communicate the ethical implications of jewelry manufacturing on the environment, and how fair market practices impact our industry socially and economically.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the implications of design in the context of broader social, cultural, economic, scientific and technological forces.
• Demonstrated the ability to work within, support and maintain productive relationships in design environments.

Instructional Design

• Demonstrate ability to utilize technology and electronic information to deliver course materials to students.
• Possess strong professional capabilities in regards to both lecturing and giving technical demonstrations.
• Be able to structure projects that result in interesting, viable, and wearable jewelry.
• Demonstrate implementation of instructional methodologies and practical applications that enrich students' learning experience through research, experimentation, and creativity.
• Demonstrate the ability to create socially relevant and sustainable design projects that instruct and inspire all students.
• Demonstrate practical experience in developing or teaching curriculum that prepares students to technically and professionally engage in the Jewelry Industry.

Learning Enrichment

• Understand the influence and responsibility of faculty as facilitators, mentors, and integrators of information and knowledge.
• Demonstrate a passion for learning that informs ongoing teaching excellence and the ability to inspire interest, curiosity and creativity in students.
• Demonstrate responsiveness to industry changes and/or practices, including advancing technologies, and the ability to incorporate evolving changes in a progressive curriculum.

Professionalism

• Demonstrate a continued engagement in creative and/or scholarly work in the disciplines of jewelry design and craft.
• Understand established and emerging jewelry design and manufacturing practices, and be able to convey their significance to students.
• Possess the ability to organize and lead initiatives, for the department and the College.
• Demonstrate professional projects that illustrate a varied and innovative portfolio of professionally credible and viable projects.
• Demonstrate a capacity for and interest in research as a means of enhancing relevance, and capability. Knowledge of, and engagement with industry competitions, exhibitions, publications and/or awards is also desirable.

Technology

• Demonstrate technological skills working and teaching with CAD/CAM technologies currently utilized within the jewelry industry.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate through technology, including office applications and social media, and also sufficient digital fluency to effectively learn and utilize College course management platforms, etc.

The preceding description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required of the position; other duties may be assigned consistent with the classification of the position.

Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree, or international equivalent required.
• The applicant must possess a minimum of six (6) years of jewelry industry fabrication and manufacturing experience. They must also be able to demonstrate professional hard-surface CAD modeling ability (i.e., Rhino 3D, Matrix Gold, Pro-Engineer, or Catia). They will be expected to have direct professional experience working to specification with designs and designers, as well as a minimum of three (3) years as an instructor in an accredited course of studies, or as a lecturer and/or leader of workshops.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in visual arts, particularly metal arts.
• Minimum of three years teaching in a formal college-level classroom environment.

Additional Information:

Please note, all offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of the background check process.

Salary: The final starting salary and appointment rank will be based on education level and cumulative experience. Salary Schedules pgs. 73-74. Instructor: $69,346.37 - $80,793.82; Assistant Professor: $80,736.40 - $118,984.88; Associate Professor: $94,498.31 - $142,271.78; Professor: $115,232.32 - $173,403.37.

Benefits: The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) provides comprehensive employee benefit programs designed to help keep our faculty and staff and their families healthy, safe, happy, and productive. Our programs also include a variety of components to help our employees improve the quality and balance of their work and family lives, and to help them prepare for their futures. (List of benefits omitted for brevity.)