Lecturer (Teaching & Administration) in Animation

University of Canterbury; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation support

Five weeks annual leave

Parental leave benefits

Sabbatical provision

Flexible working arrangements

Endowment/scholarship support

Job summary

University of Canterbury invites applications for a Lecturer (Teaching & Administration) in Animation to develop and deliver engaging Game Arts and Animation courses within the new Bachelor of Digital Screen (Honours). You will create an inspiring learning environment and bring industry practices into teaching, with opportunities for postgraduate supervision and research.

The role emphasises multidisciplinary collaboration across Arts and Engineering, with a focus on innovative assessment,

Qualifications

• At least 10 years experience in practice and/or teaching of Game Arts, Animation and Virtual Production or a related field, and/or a Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline.
• A relevant postgraduate qualification would be an advantage.
• Demonstrated ability in effective tertiary teaching and learning.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver engaging, industry-relevant courses in Game Arts and Animation
• Create an inspiring and supportive learning environment where students can develop their creative, technical and critical capabilities
• Bring contemporary industry practice, technologies and workflows into the classroom
• Develop innovative assessments and provide meaningful feedback that supports student growth
• Contribute to the development and evolution of the Digital Screen programme alongside colleagues across Arts and Engineering
• Support and supervise student creative projects and, where appropriate, postgraduate research
• Stay connected to emerging developments across games, animation, VFX, virtual production and digital screen practice
• Contribute to research and/or creative practice at Lecturer and Senior Lecturer level
• Pursue opportunities for external funding to support research, creative practice and student development
• Contribute to the wider life of the School, Faculty and University through academic and service activities.

Skills

Game Arts

Animation

VFX

Unity

Unreal

Blender

Maya

Photoshop

After Effects

Education

Bachelor's degree in relevant discipline

Postgraduate qualification

Tools

Blender

Maya

Adobe Photoshop

Premiere Pro

After Effects

Unity

Unreal

Job description

Lecturer (Teaching & Administration) in Animation

• Full-time | 37.5 hours per week (1.0 FTE)
• Continuing | Permanent

Ready to help shape the next generation of digital storytellers?

Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) is looking for an experienced and creative Game Arts and Animation specialist to join our academic community and help shape our exciting new Bachelor of Digital Screen (Honours) programme.

Āu Mahi | What You Will Do
You will play a key role in developing and delivering the Game Arts and Animation components of our new Bachelor of Digital Screen (Honours).

You will:

• Develop and deliver engaging, industry-relevant courses in Game Arts and Animation
• Create an inspiring and supportive learning environment where students can develop their creative, technical and critical capabilities
• Bring contemporary industry practice, technologies and workflows into the classroom
• Develop innovative assessments and provide meaningful feedback that supports student growth
• Contribute to the development and evolution of the Digital Screen programme alongside colleagues across Arts and Engineering
• Support and supervise student creative projects and, where appropriate, postgraduate research
• Stay connected to emerging developments across games, animation, VFX, virtual production and digital screen practice
• Contribute to research and/or creative practice at Lecturer and Senior Lecturer level
• Pursue opportunities for external funding to support research, creative practice and student development
• Contribute to the wider life of the School, Faculty and University through academic and service activities.

Mōu | Who You Are
You are an experienced Game Arts, Animation, VFX, Digital Screen or related professional who is excited by the opportunity to share your knowledge with the next generation.

You will bring strong industry experience and a genuine passion for teaching and creative practice. We are particularly interested in people with experience across areas such as:

• Environmental art within 3D and/or virtual production pipelines for games or film
• Lighting and rendering
• Visual effects, compositing and/or motion graphics
• Animation, games, VFX and motion graphics workflows
• 3D software such as Blender or Maya
• Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Photoshop, Premiere and After Effects
• VFX, virtual production, filmmaking and post-production technologies
• Physics and dynamics simulations within 3D workflows
• Unity and/or Unreal, particularly from an art and creative workflow perspective.

You will have at least 10 years experience in the practice and/or teaching of Game Arts, Animation and Virtual Production or a related field, and/or a Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline. A relevant postgraduate qualification would be an advantage.

You will also be able to demonstrate:

• Experience or capability in effective tertiary teaching and learning
• A strong understanding of current developments in Game Arts and Animation
• A commitment to developing excellent undergraduate courses
• The ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams
• A reputation or established professional standing within your discipline
• A commitment to reflective practice and ongoing professional development.

The University's Lecturer (Teaching and Administration) profile emphasises effective teaching, contemporary discipline expertise, reflective practice and creating learning environments where a wide range of learners can succeed.

Mahi Ngātahi | Who You Will Work With
You will join Te Kura Hanga Otinga | School of Product Design within Te Kaupeka Pūhanga | Faculty of Engineering, working alongside existing Applied Immersive Game Design and Game Development academics.

What makes this opportunity particularly exciting is the interdisciplinary nature of the new Bachelor of Digital Screen (Honours).

The degree brings together six majors: Animation | Cinematic Arts | Game Arts | Game Development | Screen Sound | Screen Writing It also includes a minor in Indigenous Narrative. You will work alongside colleagues from both Arts and Engineering, creating opportunities to explore the intersections between games, film, animation, technology and digital storytelling. This is more than an opportunity to teach an established curriculum. You will help build and shape a new programme, develop courses, establish creative collaborations and influence what the future of digital screen education looks like at UC.

We are committed to accessible higher education, service to the community and the encouragement of talent without barriers of distance, wealth, class, gender or ethnicity. The University explicitly aims to produce graduates and support staff who are engaged with their communities, empowered to act for good and determined to make a difference in the world.

Mea e tukua nei | What we offer
The University is committed to providing an excellent working environment, this includes:

• relocation support
• five weeks annual leave and five days university holidays
• UC Parental Leave (up to 9 weeks paid) + 26 weeks Government paid parental leave and onsite childcare facility
• widely accessible sabbatical provision
• generous employer contribution to superannuation (up to 6.75%)
• University and Faculty scholarship support for post-graduate students
• a unique bequest funded endowment ( Erskine Fund ) that supports an extensive visiting fellowship programme
• flexible working arrangements
• supportive working environment
• professional development and study opportunities
• a unique working environment in a beautiful campus with access to UC facilities such as the recreation centre and Staff Club at discounted rates plus onsite cafés and eateries, and more.

The closing date for this position is: 2 October 2026 (midnight NZ time)

Please note, applications will be reviewed after the close date.

For overseas applicants, please visit Immigration New Zealand website, toreview the latest health and visa requirements for visiting and working in New Zealand.

Please note, this is an onsite position.