Assistant Professor of Game Design and Emerging Media (9 Mo, TT)

Samford University; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Generous benefits package

Job summary

Samford University’s Department of Art and Design seeks an Assistant Professor of Game Design and Emerging Media for a tenure-track, nine-month appointment beginning August 2027. The ideal candidate will hold an MFA or terminal degree in Game Design, 3D Animation, Interactive Media, or related fields and show a record of professional or scholarly work.

Proficiency in Unreal Engine and real-time development is required, with specialization in areas like technical art, game programming, or

Qualifications

• Must have MFA or terminal degree in relevant field from an accredited university.
• Evidence of professional, creative, or scholarly work in game design or related fields.

Responsibilities

• Teach courses in Game Design and related art/design subjects.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary game-development curriculum.
• Mentor students toward projects, portfolios, and research.

Skills

Real-time game dev

Technical art

Game programming

Game animation

Education

MFA or terminal degree in game design/3D animation/interactive media

Tools

Unreal Engine

Maya

Photoshop

Substance 3D Painter/Designer

ZBrush

Houdini

Job description

Position: Assistant Professor of Game Design and Emerging Media

Status: Tenure Track

Employment: 9-months

November 11, 2026

Samford University’s School of the Arts invites applications from individuals interested in serving in a Christian university environment for a position in the Department of Art and Design, at the rank of Assistant Professor. This tenure-track, nine-month faculty appointment will begin in August 2027.

The candidate should have a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) or appropriate terminal degree in Game Design, 3D Animation, Interactive Media, or a related field from an institutionally accredited university (or equivalent). Candidates should demonstrate a record of professional, creative, or scholarly work in the field through production experience, shipped projects, exhibitions, publications, research, or comparable professional accomplishments.

Candidates should demonstrate expertise in Unreal Engine and real-time game development, with a primary specialization in one or more complementary areas such as technical art, game programming, or game animation. Relevant expertise may include gameplay systems and Blueprints/C++, character or gameplay animation, rigging, real-time VFX, shaders and materials, procedural workflows, or related technical pipelines. Experience with the program’s core production tools including Maya, Photoshop, Substance 3D Painter/Designer, and ZBrush is desirable. Experience with Houdini, virtual production, extended reality (XR), artificial intelligence, or other emerging interactive technologies is also welcomed.

The successful candidate will teach courses supporting the Game Design program in their area of expertise, as well as digital foundations and other art/designcoursework as needed. Candidates should demonstrate sufficient breadth to teach and mentor students within a multidisciplinary game-development curriculum.

Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Samford (samford.edu) is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford enrolls more than 6,500 students from 46 states, Puerto Rico and 12 countries in its 10 academic schools with 450 full-time faculty. Samford is ranked #3 in the nation for career preparation. #5 for most recommended colleges, and #7 in the nation for student learning opportunities as listed in The Wall Street Journal (2026). The University is dedicated to the promotion of rigorous academic inquiry in a Christian setting. The University seeks and prefers employee applicants of the Christian faith and offers competitive salaries with a generous benefits package.

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. The successful candidate must pass a background check and must be authorized to work in the United States, as Samford University will not provide visa sponsorship for this position. Samford University and the School of the Arts are committed to fostering a vibrant learning environment among faculty, students, and staff, and strongly encourage applications from individuals who will contribute to the academic richness of the Samford Community

In accordance with applicable federal and state laws, such as Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act and ADA Amendments, the University does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, race, color, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, religion, or any other protected status under federal, state or local law applicable to the University, in its education policies, programs, and activities, in its admissions policies, in employment policies and practices, and all other areas of the University. As a faith-based institution, the University is exempted from certain laws and regulations concerning discrimination.