Job Description

The Department of Art and Art History in the School of Fine Arts at the University of Connecticut invites applications for Assistant Professor-in-Residence, a renewable full-time, 9-month, non-tenure track position in Illustration/Animation at the rank of Assistant Professor. The successful candidate's primary academic appointment will be at the Storrs campus with the possibility of work at UConn’s regional campuses across the state. The anticipated start date is August 23, 2026. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

We seek to hire a dynamic artist-educator whose illustration and animation practice engages traditional and digital media in the service of storytelling and creative visual communication. The successful candidate will not only have a strong record of professional practice, but also a dedication to innovations in practice and pedagogy. We are interested in candidates who demonstrate a desire to collaborate with other forms of visual art as well as the other arts within the School of Fine Arts, including the existing disciplines within the Art & Art History Department: Painting/Drawing, Photography/Video, Printmaking, Sculpture/Ceramics, Graphic Design, and Industrial Design. Skills may include, but are not limited to, observational drawing; character design and world building; children's book and editorial illustration; hand drawn and frame-by-frame animation; as well as emerging forms of visual narratives.

The Illustration/Animation Area is currently the largest concentration amongst BFA students majoring in Studio Art. This position supports the increasing curricular demand and student interest in illustration and animation at the undergraduate level. Our facilities include 14 senior studio spaces, a 2D animation lab, two stop-motion labs, and a shared visual communication lab. We are located in the Bishop Center, across the street from our main Art & Art History Building. The Bishop Center houses the Printmaking and Graphic Design concentrations, encouraging collaboration, especially in book arts and design.

The Department of Art & Art History has over 180 undergraduate majors, 15 graduate students, and a full-time faculty of 21, along with a number of specialist adjunct faculty and a committed team of staff. The department is dedicated to the cultivation of artists and scholars with a wide-ranging understanding of the concepts, aesthetics, techniques, and social functions of contemporary art practices within broader historical and cultural contexts. The Department of Art & Art History offers a BA in Art History, a recently formed BA in Art, a BFA in Studio Art, and an MFA in Studio Art. The Department is also committed to enriching the wider university and regional community through a range of courses for non-majors, minor programs in Studio Art and Art History, and a variety of offerings at UConn’s regional campuses across the state, as well as through major public exhibitions and thematic programming in collaboration with other departments and schools across the university. Additional information about the Department of Art & Art History can be found at: http://art.uconn.edu Information about the School of Fine Arts can be found at: http://sfa.uconn.edu

Founded in 1881, the UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsibilities include teaching six three-credit undergraduate courses per academic year with a 3/3 teaching load, which will include all levels of undergraduate courses in Illustration/Animation, and may include a drawing course in the Painting/Drawing program, Independent Studies and/or supervised internships, and active participation in the administration and development of the program and its curriculum.
• The successful candidate will incorporate both traditional and emerging illustration and animation practices into their teaching. They will contribute to the larger curriculum of the department through reevaluation of the current curriculum and developing new courses, which may be interdisciplinary within and outside of the department.
• Additional duties include advising undergraduate students; assisting with the maintenance of department studios and facilities; contributing to the department’s recruitment and outreach activities, events, and visiting artist programs; attending faculty meetings and serving on committees to participate in school and faculty governance; contributing service at the department, school, and university levels.
• Ongoing participation in the professional field, with a goal of informing the teaching practice of new developments.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1. MFA degree in Illustration, Animation, Visual Narrative, or closely related field of study.
2. Expertise in illustration/animation as defined broadly to include applied and conceptual issues and practices, with experience in both traditional and digital media.
3. Teaching experience beyond Teaching Assistantship at the college level.
4. Fluency with traditional media (graphite, charcoal, pen and ink, etc.).
5. Proficiency in digital tools (Adobe Photoshop, Procreate, InDesign, etc.).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Two+ years of teaching experience beyond Teaching Assistantship at the college level.
2. Three years of professional experience in illustration/animation either as a freelance practitioner or in a publishing house or animation studio.
3. Knowledge of contemporary and historical issues and theory in illustration and animation.
4. Stop-motion animation experience a plus, as well as proficiency in DragonFrame.
5. Evidence of exceptional creative work and student work in submitted portfolios.
6. Demonstrated ability to contribute to interdisciplinary initiatives and capacity to work across disciplines within an Art Department. Evidence of ability to teach both introductory and advanced level courses in illustration/animation that encompass conceptual and applied issues.
7. Innovative visual thinking in both analog and digital processes.
8. Experience working within a strong art department situated within an equally strong liberal arts institution, and a reflection of this in teaching pedagogies.
9. Experience with student advising, departmental service, and a record of effective teaching.

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, durational, 9-month, non-tenure-track position. The successful candidate’s academic appointment will be at the Storrs campus. Faculty may also be asked to teach at one of UConn’s regional campuses as part of their ordinary workload. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The University offers a competitive salary, and outstanding benefits, including employee and dependent tuition waivers at UConn, and a highly desirable work environment. For additional information regarding benefits visit: https://hr.uconn.edu/health-benefits/

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

TO APPLY

Please apply online at https://hr.uconn.edu/jobs, Faculty and Staff Positions, Search #499441 and submit the following application materials:

• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Teaching statement (including teaching philosophy, teaching experience, commitment to effective learning, concepts for new course development, etc.)
• Research and scholarship statement (innovative concepts that will form the basis of academic career, experience in proposal development, mentorship of graduate students, etc.)
• Commitment to diversity statement (including broadening participation, integrating multicultural experiences in research as well as instruction and pedagogical techniques to meet the needs of different learning styles, etc.)
• 15-20 digital images of professional work, preferably in a single PDF with embedded links to any online work.
• 15-20 digital images of students’ work, as examples of assignments from courses taught, preferably in a single PDF with embedded links to any online work.
• Contact information for three (3) professional references

Review of applications will begin on March 1st, 2026, and continue to be reviewed until the position is filled. To ensure full consideration, application materials should be submitted no later than February 28th, 2026.

Please contact Kelly Crossen at kelly.crossen@uconn.edu, Educational Program Assistant for the Department of Art & Art History, with any questions.

At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community. For more information regarding the Department of Art & Art History, please visit the department website at art.uconn.edu.

This position will be filled subject to budgetary approval.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at https://portal.ct.gov/Ethics/Statutes-and-Regulations

This position will be filled subject to budgetary approval.

All members of the University of Connecticut are expected to exhibit appreciation of, and contribute to, an inclusive, respectful, and diverse environment for the University community.

The University of Connecticut aspires to create a community built on collaboration and belonging and has actively sought to create an inclusive culture within the workforce. The success of the University is dependent on the willingness of our diverse employee and student populations to share their rich perspectives and backgrounds in a respectful manner. This makes it essential for each member of our community to feel secure and welcomed and to thoroughly understand and believe that their ideas are respected by all. We strongly respect each individual employee’s unique experiences and perspectives and encourage all members of the community to do the same. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO Employer.