Assistant Teaching Professor of Digital Animation

University of Colorado System; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 78,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

The College of Arts & Media at CU Denver seeks a full-time Assistant Teaching Professor of Digital Animation to begin August 2027. The candidate will teach undergraduate courses across the Digital Animation curriculum and engage in research, creative practice, and service.

The appointment features a 3-3 teaching load and opportunities to develop new courses in their area of strength. The ideal candidate holds an MFA or terminal degree and has at least one year of college teaching experience,

Qualifications

• MFA or other terminal degree in animation, film, digital arts, or related field.
• At least one year of successful teaching at the college level.
• Experience with industry-standard digital content creation applications including Maya and Adobe CC.
• An online portfolio or demo reel demonstrating professional quality work in applicant's area of expertise.

Responsibilities

• Teach three classes per semester (9 credit hours) across the Digital Animation curriculum.
• Develop and revise courses in the candidate's area of expertise.
• Prepare syllabi, lectures, assignments, and assessments; manage Canvas.
• Maintain office hours and participate in CAM meetings.

Education

MFA or terminal degree in animation or related field

Teaching experience at the college level

Industry knowledge: Maya and Adobe Creative Cloud

Online portfolio or demo reel

Tools

Maya

Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Premiere)

Job description

Position Details

University of Colorado | Denver

Faculty Level/Title: Assistant Teaching Track

Working Title: Assistant Teaching Professor of Digital Animation

FTE: Full-time

Salary Range: $78,000 - $88,000

Position #00668617 – Requisition #41624

Join the University of Colorado Denver

About the University ofColorado Denver

Millions of moments start at CU Denver, a place where innovation,research, and learning meet in the heart of a global city. We’rethe state's premier public urban research university with more than100 in-demand, top-ranked bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degreeprograms. We partner with diverse learners—at any stage of theirlife and career—for transformative educational experiences. Acrossseven schools and colleges, our leading faculty inspires and worksalongside students to solve complex challenges and produceimpactful creative work. As part of the state's largest universitysystem, CU Denver is a major contributor to the Colorado economy,with 2,000 employees and an annual economic impact of $665 million.To learn more about how CU Denver helps learners meet their moment,visit ucdenver.edu.

Job Description

At the College of Arts & Media (CAM), we empower a diversecommunity of makers, scholars, and innovators to thrive in therapidly evolving creative industries. Through a dynamic blend ofcritical inquiry, creative exploration, and real-world engagement,CAM prepares students for lives filled with opportunity, meaning,and purpose. Rooted in community and driven by a spirit ofintellectual and artistic freedom, CAM embraces risk-takers,visionaries, and cultural disruptors by providing access tocutting-edge technology, global perspectives, and a nurturingenvironment where bold ideas flourish. CAM offers top-rankeddegrees and programs in Film & Television, Media Forensics,Music & Entertainment, and Visual Arts.

The Visual Arts Department has an opening for a full-time AssistantTeaching Professor of Digital Animation in the Teaching Professortrack (unclassified, non-tenure-track). The appointment will have astart date of August 2027 and will require a 3-3 teaching load. Theincumbent will teach undergraduate courses across the DigitalAnimation curriculum in their area of expertise and will engage inresearch, creative work, and service. The continuance of thisappointment will be based on merit/performance, budget, and enrollment numbers.

The program also welcomes candidates whose expertise extends beyondwhat we currently teach. Areas of interest include virtualproduction, real-time lighting and rendering, layout andprevisualization, motion capture, visual effects, and technicalart. The successful candidate will have room to develop new coursesin their area of strength.

Digital Animation at CU Denver is embedded within the BFA in FineArts degree program with an emphasis in 3D Graphics and Animation,housed in the Digital Animation Center (DAC). The programculminates with a three-semester capstone in which student teamsproduce an animated short through an academic simulation of a studio pipeline. Student films have screened at more than 300national and international festivals in 22 countries and have wonmore than 75 Best Animated Short Awards.

CU Denver's animation program in the 2026 Animation Career Reviewrankings:

• #1 in Colorado
• Top 5 in the Southwest (#5)
• Top 40 nationally among public schools and colleges (#15)
• Top 50 nationally (#40)

Assistant Teaching Professor of Digital Animation

What you will do:

Teaching 80%

• Teach three classes per semester (9 credit hours), for a total of six per academic year (18 credit hours).
• Teach required and elective courses in the Digital Animation curriculum, which may include:
  • Digital Cinematography (FINE 2822)
  • Introduction to Unreal Engine (FINE 3855)
  • Creating Visual Story: Narrative Techniques and Visual Design(FINE 3841)
  • DAC: Preproduction for Story (FINE 3845)
  • International Perspectives through Animation (FINE 1002)
  • or other course(s) that align with the candidate's area ofexpertise
• Develop new or revised courses in the candidate's area ofexpertise as the curriculum and industry practice change.
• Faculty are responsible for the preparation of course syllabi,lectures, presentations, and student assignments; evaluation ofstudent work; tracking and progress of student attendance andengagement; management of courses in the online platform Canvas;etc.
• Maintain office hours.
• Meet with Digital Animation colleagues about refinement of thecurriculum to address current industry practice.
• Attend Visual Arts Faculty and CAM meetings.

Research/Creative Practice 10%

• Maintain an active scholarly and/or creative practice inanimation, film, games, or related field.

Service 10%

• Engage in and contribute to the function and operations of thedepartment, as defined by the department chair and in collaborationwith the senior associate dean.
• Work with the broader community in representing the university,college, department, and students.
• All other duties and projects as requested.

This description is a summary only and describes the general levelof work being performed; it is not intended to be all-inclusive. The duties of this position may change from time to time and/or based on business need. We reserve the right to add or deleteduties and tasks at the discretion of the supervisor and/or hiringauthority.

Qualifications you already possess (MinimumQualifications)

Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time ofhire.

• MFA or other terminal degree in animation, film, digital arts,visual effects, game art, or a related field and at least 3 yearsof significant professional experience in the animation, film,game, or related industry.
  • OR Baccalaureate degree and at least five years of significantprofessional experience in the animation, film, game, or relatedindustry.
• At least one year of successful teaching at the college level,which can include animation, modeling, look development,post-production, pre-production, narrative development,interactive/real-time/game production.
• Experience with industry-standard digital content creationapplications including but not limited to: Maya and Adobe CreativeCloud Applications such as Photoshop and Premiere.
• An online portfolio or demo reel demonstrating professionalquality work in applicant's area of expertise with a breakdown ofthe applicant's role on each piece.

Preferred Qualification to possess (PreferredQualifications)

• 4 or more years of college-level teaching experience
• 6 or more years of professional experience in animation, visualeffects, games, virtual production, or a related field
• Professional credits on released film, television, game, orcommercial productions, or other demonstrable record ofaccomplishment in creative research and practice such as festivalscreenings or exhibitions.
• Experience working in or teaching a collaborative studioproduction pipeline.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of the 3D animation production pipeline from storyand previsualization through layout, lighting, rendering, andpost-production.
• Depth in at least one area of the pipeline, such ascinematography and layout, lighting and rendering, rigging,technical art, visual effects, or real-time production.
• Working knowledge of industry-standard 3D software andreal-time engines (e.g., Unreal, Unity), or willingness to learnand teach them.
• Ability to teach and work with a diverse student body.
• Ability to communicate in a positive and effective manner,across various modalities.
• Proven experience in establishing and maintaining effectiveworking relationships with a diverse population at all levelsthroughout the institution and into the community.
• Willingness to explore and teach new tools and trends inanimation and real-time production.
• Ability to create equitable and positive experiencesforall.
• Ability to mentor student teams working toward sharedproduction deadlines.
• Broad knowledge of the history of animation, film, andcontemporary visual storytelling.
• Ability to outwardly contribute to a respectful, positive, andprofessional workspace.
• Ability to work independently.

Conditions of Employment

• This position requires an on-site presence on campus forteaching, student mentoring, and departmental engagement
• Occasional work during the evening and/or weekends may berequired for departmental events, screenings, or industry guestevents

Mental, Physical, and/or Environmental Requirements

• This position will be performed on site and will require the ability to sit for extended periods, stand and walk occasionally,reach with hands and arms, use hands to manipulate a keyboard andmouse, and have good near vision for computer work; often requiringminimal lifting, but may involve bending or reaching to retrieveitems from shelves or drawers.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with allapplicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

The University will provide reasonable accommodation to applicantswith disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans withDisabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADACoordinator at [e-mail].

Employment Sponsorship

Please be advised that this position is not eligible now or in the future for visa sponsorship.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range (or hiring range) for this position has been established at $78,000- $88,000.

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to,internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training. The above salary range (or hiring range) represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

This position is not eligible for overtime compensation. Your totalcompensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado Denver provides generous leave, health plansand retirement contributions that add to your bottom line. Benefits statement to include in all benefits-eligible positions. See Eligibility Matrix.

Benefits: https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/benefits Total Compensation Calculator: http://www.cu.edu/node/153125

Application Deadline

• Applications will be accepted until finalists are identified, and interviews begin. Preference will be given to complete applications received by December 6th, 2026. Those who do not apply by this date may or may not be considered.

Background Check Policy

The University of Colorado Denver strives to maintain a safe and productive educational, clinical, research and employment environment. All prospective employees and current employees must consent to and pass background checks prior to any final appointment/employment.