Assistant Professor, Graphic and Interactive Design

The California State University; Fullerton (CA); On-site; USD 69,000 - 148,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Art at California State University, Fullerton invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Graphic & Interactive Design with an appointment to begin Fall 2027.

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate courses in graphic design, engage in scholarly/creative activity, mentor students, and contribute to curriculum development, while advancing the program's focus on foundational design principles, emerging technologies, and industry partnerships.

Qualifications

• Terminal degree in Graphic/Interactive Design or related field.
• Proven ability to teach foundational design and emerging technologies.
• Strong portfolio of student work and professional practice.

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate Graphic & Interactive Design courses.
• Engage in scholarly/creative activity and mentorship.
• Develop curricula and collaborate with colleagues and industry partners.

Skills

Foundation in Graphic Design

Teaching Excellence

Student Mentoring

Collaborative Skills

Adaptability to Emerging Tech

Commitment to Diversity

Education

MFA or PhD in Graphic/Interactive Design

Job description

Assistant Professor, Graphic and Interactive Design

Job no: 562527
Work type: Instructional Faculty – Tenured/Tenure-Track
Location: Fullerton
Categories: Unit 3 - CFA - California Faculty Association, Faculty - Fine/Performing Arts, Tenured/Tenure-Track, Full Time

The Department of Art at California State University, Fullerton, invites applications for a tenure‑track Assistant Professor position in Graphic & Interactive Design with an appointment to begin Fall 2027.

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and EmploymentThis position is open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. CSUF complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

In addition, California State University, Fullerton is a leading public university known for its strong academic programs and commitment to student success. As one of the largest campuses in the CSU system, Cal State Fullerton fosters innovation, collaboration, and professional growth. The university values teaching, research, and service, creating an environment where students, staff, and faculty can thrive. Cal State Fullerton is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The university also received the prestigious Seal of Excelencia in 2021 and 2024 from Excelencia in Education, the nation’s leading authority on Latinx student success. Cal State Fullerton is an equal opportunity employer with a diverse student population of over 45,000 and a faculty and staff population of 4,000. Cal State Fullerton is firmly committed to helping students achieve academic excellence, career success, and economic mobility. Joining Cal State Fullerton means becoming part of a dynamic team dedicated to making a meaningful impact. We continuously seek individuals from various disciplines who share the university’s mission and core values. We welcome you to consider joining the Titan community.

CSUF is committed to retaining all faculty and has established affinity groups you can join to support your success.

Position

The Department of Art at California State University, Fullerton seeks a teacher-scholar-practitioner whose work advances the future of Graphic & Interactive Design through creative practice, research, and student-centered learning. With a perspective towards the future and emerging technologies, this is a tenure-track Assistant Professorship in Graphic & Interactive Design anchored in foundational graphic design principles and practices. The position emphasizes undergraduate teaching and student outcomes using a combination of both new and traditional design principles, sensibilities, tools, techniques, and technologies.

California State University, Fullerton values excellence in teaching, active scholarly and creative engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and meaningful connections to industry and community partners. CSUF faculty are committed teachers, scholars, and practitioners who bring the breadth and depth of their specializations to the classroom as well as to individually mentored projects, graduate instruction and MA/MFA theses supervision, undergraduate advising, and departmental and university-wide committees. A successful candidate will contribute to a culture that supports undergraduate and graduate research, creative activity, mentorship, and career development.

The BFA in Graphic & Interactive Design focuses on professional skill building while also supporting student experimentation and exploration in a diverse setting. The program offers an intensive hands‑on experience intended to prepare students for success in a demanding and constantly evolving industry by focusing on critical and conceptual thinking, logic‑based problem‑solving, emerging technologies, image‑making and creativity, typography, and grid systems, design history, and broad exposure to various aspects of the larger design industry.

Grounded in the enduring principles of visual communication, a successful candidate seeks to help students navigate an increasingly interconnected landscape shaped by graphic communication, interaction, information, computation, artificial intelligence, and evolving forms of media. We seek an educator who can prepare students not only for current professional practice, but also for the challenges and opportunities that will define the future of design.

The candidate may be called upon to teach various courses in the area of graphic design ranging from introductory/foundational, to advanced/interactive courses, balancing foundational design principles with emerging technologies, critical inquiry, ethical responsibility, and professional relevance. Current curriculums explore principles in relationship to both traditional and emerging media including interactivity, human-centered design and accessibility, UI/UX design, code-based generative design, and print design. A successful candidate will be able to expand our course offerings into new areas of cutting‑edge technological research including, but not limited to, data‑driven design, advanced visualization, machine learning, and expressive computation for the arts and design.

A successful candidate embraces a research‑based approach to teaching and scholarly/creative activity that values collaboration and interdisciplinary thought. They will contribute to an energetic design program with a record of distinction based on consistent student awards and recognition, faculty professional achievement, and promising successful alumni careers.

Commensurate with the requirements for tenure, CSUF faculty are accountable for sustained scholarly/creative activity, teaching outcomes, and service to the department, the university, and the larger community.

Required Qualifications

• A terminal degree (MFA or Ph.D.) from an accredited institution with an emphasis in Graphic Design, Interactive Design, Visual Communication, Communication Design, or equivalent area.
• Evidence of strong foundational graphic design principles and practices.
• Evidence of excellent technical skills and demonstrated ability to effectively integrate relevant technology into the classroom.
• Evidence of rigorous and impactful student work that demonstrates strong critical thinking and problem‑solving skills.
• Evidence of achievement as a graphic/interactive designer and scholar working with emerging media.
• Evidence of experience working collaboratively with colleagues and communities.
• Demonstrated excellence in university‑level teaching and commitment to teaching diverse student populations, including first‑generation college students.

Preferred Qualifications

• Evidence of a professional practice as a graphic/interactive designer or a closely related field
• Evidence of leadership, communication, organizational, and management skills as demonstrated through accomplished outreach efforts in university programs
• Demonstrated emergent media expertise in one or more of the following areas:
  • Interaction Design
  • User Experience (UX/UI)
  • Information Design and Data Visualization
  • Human-Centered Design
  • Creative Coding
  • Design Research
  • Human‑AI Interaction and Machine Learning
  • AR/VR/XR and Spatial Computing

The College and Department

The Department of Visual Arts serves approximately 3000 undergraduate art majors and 24 graduate students, with 27 full‑time and 100+ Lecturer faculty. The department offers both a BA in Art and BFA in Art with 13 areas of concentration, in addition to an MA and MFA in Art with 9 areas of concentration. CSUF is located about 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles in metropolitan Orange County and presents a full range of fine arts and professional programs including a nationally recognized art gallery located in the Visual Arts complex and the Grand Central Art Center, a 45,000 sq. ft. graduate studio/residence/exhibition facility located 15 minutes from campus. The Department of Visual Arts at California State University, Fullerton, is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. For more information about the Department of Visual Arts and the College of the Arts, please refer to the website https://www.fullerton.edu/arts/art/

Compensation

The Assistant Professor (Academic Year) classification salary range is $6,221 to $13,224 monthly (12 monthly payments per academic year). The anticipated hiring range is $6,884 to $7,022 per month.

Salary offered is commensurate with experience and qualifications. In addition, the California Equal Pay Act prohibits employers from paying its employees less than those of the opposite sex and/or another race or ethnicity for substantially similar work ( https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/california_equal_pay_act.htm ).

Summer research grants, moving expenses, start‑up funds, and a reduced teaching load may be available.

New employees hired by the CSU for the first time who first become CalPERS members on or after July 1, 2017, are subject to a 10‑year vesting period for retiree health and dental benefits.

International Candidates

California State University, Fullerton, is not currently sponsoring any new H‑1B petitions for staff, management, or faculty positions.

For tenure‑track faculty positions, California State University, Fullerton is currently not sponsoring H‑1B applicants subject to the $100,000 fee established by the “Presidential Proclamation: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” issued on September 19, 2025. Individuals in the U.S. who hold a valid lawful nonimmigrant status visa can have a petition filed on their behalf to change their status to H‑1B without being subjected to the fee. For example, the fee does not apply to an H‑1B petition filed by an individual presently in the U.S. who is an F‑1, J‑1, or O‑1 status holder.

CSU Policies

The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and must comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083, revised July 21, 2017, as a condition of employment.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be formally offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or the continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self‑disclose.

In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out‑of‑State Employment Policy, the CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California. It requires hiring employees to perform CSU‑related work within the State of California.

Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.