University of Nebraska

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Architecture invites applicants for a full-time, nine-month, tenure-track faculty position in Interior Design at the rank of assistant or associate professor with an emphasis on design studio instruction to begin in fall 2025. We are seeking passionate design educators who are committed to offering creative and critical interior design studios across the curriculum. We are looking for someone who values design excellence and whose work and experiences offer inspiring, forward-thinking, and relevant perspectives on discipline-specific issues that advance interior design practices and processes. These perspectives should map to potential research agendas that can influence unique teaching and learning opportunities in our curriculum. The Interior Design faculty at UNL supports a CIDA-accredited undergraduate program and positively contributes to the College of Architecture’s overall culture and value to be “united by the transformative power of design.”
Candidates should be versed in the discipline of Interior Architecture and/or Design and desire to be part of a collegial team of faculty dedicated to the advancement of an interdisciplinary college within a land-grant institution. We aim to identify candidates whose work and missions in teaching and research will contribute to the Interior Design program’s mission and values: “Ideate. Communicate. Permeate. Fabricate.”, which act as curricular threads throughout the core curriculum’s studios and electives. The nature of these missions is “live” and malleable, able to expand and contract in different trajectories that map to various interests of our faculty and students, allowing us the flexibility to explore emerging territories so we remain relevant and inquisitive. For more information about our mission and values visit ID MISSIONS and VALUES.
A typical teaching load is a 2:2 course assignment, which includes one 5-credit studio and one core elective or seminar each semester. Seminar courses are often related to the faculty member’s creative activity/research mission and provide a platform to co-create knowledge with students. Each faculty member is expected to contribute through the teaching of at least one core ID curriculum course each year. Specific contributions to the interior design curriculum will include some variation of the following teaching assignment:
    • Undergraduate design studio instruction in the 2nd, 3rd, and/or 4th year of the curriculum in the Fall and Spring Semester.
    • Instruction of at least one core ID curriculum course, in one of the following topic areas: Graphic Representation, Construction Documentation, Material Studies, Professional Practice, or Building Systems (Lighting & Acoustics).
    • An opportunity to develop an interdisciplinary seminar course in their research area for both undergraduate and possibly graduate-level students enrolled in the College of Architecture that might attract multi-disciplinary enrollment within the college or when appropriate to students across campus.
The College of Architecture’s intellectual environment thrives because of our diverse perspectives, dynamic close-knit community, and pursuit of meaningful impact. The Interior Design Program is driven by a mission to elevate disciplinary roles through our teaching, research/creative activity, and service. Because of this, we ask that all applicants provide a teaching and creative activity/research statement.

General expectations for research and creative activity would be productive growth and achievement of funding, the dissemination of new knowledge, and/or peer-reviewed recognitions, honors, awards, or exhibitions. The successful candidate will demonstrate and articulate their future scholarly mission and plans to contribute to the advancement of interior design through teaching and research/creative activity. The rank of the position will be determined based on their current academic position and/or professional experience.The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) seeks to achieve a working and learning environment that is open to all people. Diversity is the hallmark of great institutions of learning. The College of Architecture is a creative community that fosters mutual respect, trust, and open discourse. We value including and empowering everyone within a diverse, enriching community and share a commitment to effective organizational culture, responsible citizenship, and shared governance. We (UNL and the College of Architecture) actively seek to establish dignity and respect for each individual member of our community and realize our success depends on it.

Required Qualifications
  • Master’s Degree in Interior Design, Architecture, or a closely related field.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Cross-educated in interior design, architecture, industrial or product design, or art, with at least one degree in Interior Design/Interior Architecture from a CIDA-accredited program.
  • One to three (1-3) years of experience in teaching and/or working in a design-related field.
  • A strong record of professional and/or student design work that demonstrates design excellence, including the conceptualization, realization, and application of design ideas. This will be evident in the submitted portfolio.
  • NCIDQ certified, or eligible to become NCIDQ certified.
  • Experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts professionally in practice and/or through teaching, research, or service efforts.
Application Process
Review of applications will commence on January 6, 2025. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is selected. To be considered for this position, please go to https://employment.unl.edu, requisition F_240139. Click “Apply for this Job” and complete the faculty information form. Applicants will be required to attach the following documents:
  1. A teaching philosophy/statement that should include:
    • the candidate’s teaching interests specific to UNL.
    • how the candidate sees themselves contributing to the UNL Interior Design program mission(s).
    • the candidate’s approach to equity and inclusivity in practice/teaching.
  2. A research/creative activity statement describing areas of interest and how the candidate envisions their contributions to the college, program, discipline, and/or missions of a land-grant university.
  3. A full curriculum vitae.
  4. Online portfolio (25 pages max) containing examples of student design work completed in the candidate’s studios and classes, personal creative activity, scholarship, research, and/or professional work.
  5. Contact information for three references (mail, telephone, and email).

Combine the teaching and research statements (items 1 and 2) into a single document for upload.Direct interest and questions to Associate Professor Nate Bicak, search committee chair, bicak@unl.edu.

As an EO/AA employer, the University of Nebraska considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation. See https://www.unl.edu/equity/notice-nondiscrimination.
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