Assistant Professor, Interior Design Program

Description

The School of Design in the College of Art and Design at the Rochester Institute of Technology invites applicants to apply for a tenure‑track Assistant Professor position to teach in the Interior Design program. RIT Interior Design, an expanding program, is a student‑centered academic environment where budding designers cultivate their unique points of view under professional faculty tutelage. Our mission is to mentor students so they enter the field prepared to contribute to the profession with a deep‑rooted understanding of the needs of society, culture and the environment.

Our interior design program is highly sought‑after and known for engaging students in real‑world projects both locally and internationally. By maximizing an array of academic and professional opportunities, our graduates are reshaping how we live in the world.

RIT’s CIDA‑accredited interior design program challenges students to be creative thinkers capable of responding thoughtfully to the challenges facing humanity, the environment, and emerging global conditions. Our B.F.A. degree is a multi‑faceted program of study offering a comprehensive exploration of the commercial architectural interior. The curriculum synthesizes theoretical constructs with technical requirements and design processes to create inspiring, purposeful interior environments for a range of users and project typologies.

Students build upon knowledge and experience from their formal instruction, internships and program mentoring experiences to cultivate professional skills. The high retention and employment rates for B.F.A. graduates reflect the overall quality of our program.

We invite applications from accomplished interior design or interior architecture faculty and ancillary design professionals with higher education teaching experience and significant professional expertise. The program is seeking a dynamic, creative team member who is actively engaged in the industry and committed to serving as an advocate for the program and its students within the professional community.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the capacity to teach comprehensively across the Interior Design curriculum and exhibit leadership and strategic vision in advancing the program. In addition to teaching responsibilities, the candidate will engage in research and creative scholarship, contribute to curriculum development, advise students, and provide service to the university, college, department, and profession.

• A terminal degree in Interior Design (MFA), Interior Architecture (MS, MIA), Environmental Design (MS), Master of Architecture (M.Arch), or a related advanced degree with relevant professional experience will be considered.
• NCIDQ Certificate Holder and/or passed the Architect Registration Examination.
• Other professional certifications relevant to the design profession (e.g., WELL, EDAC, LEED) are considered strengths but are not required.
• Minimum three years of full‑time professional experience in interior design, architecture, facilities and construction management or a related field of study.
• Minimum two years or equivalent teaching experience in interior design or a related field at the associate and/or baccalaureate level beyond a teaching assistantship.
• Professional experience designing spaces with interior architectural systems, applicable codes, furniture, finishes and fixtures.
• Architectural drawing, visualization and computer proficiency in applied design process and practice with demonstrated experience integrating technologies such as BIM, generative design, animation, and AI into curricula.
• Demonstrated knowledge in three or more of the following areas: design history, critical theory, design production and methodology, systems thinking, building code and regulations, contract documentation, FF&E packaging and specification writing, business practices, visual representation, commercial interior design, healthcare facilities, hospitality venues, retail establishments, exhibition and theater, and office design.
• Established or burgeoning research scholarship agenda.
• Model professionalism and demonstrate effective…