Assistant Professor/Instructor of Graphic Design

Title: Assistant Professor/Instructor of Graphic Design

Term: Full-time (9-month) faculty appointment

School: Arts and Humanities

Lees-McRae College is a small, four-year liberal arts institution serving Appalachia and the Southeastern United States. The college is located in the town of Banner Elk, nestled in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of northwestern North Carolina. Banner Elk lies between two popular ski areas and is a short drive from the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail. The area offers numerous outdoor activities, including skiing, cycling, hiking, climbing, and fly fishing.

The college also owns and maintains the Elk Valley Preserve and Field Station and the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. For more information, visit www.lmc.edu.

Summary/Objective

The School of Arts and Humanities at Lees-McRae College invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design. We seek a dynamic educator to teach a full range of courses in graphic design and digital media. The successful candidate will contribute to the growth and development of graphic design as a specialization within the program.

Candidates must have working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud. Preference will be given to those who demonstrate innovative and engaging approaches to teaching general education courses.

Responsibilities include teaching a 4/4 course load; collaborating with the Program Coordinator to maintain and upgrade classroom facilities; advising students; participating in campus committees; and engaging in recruitment and outreach within the campus and local community. Additionally, the candidate will teach PEAK intensive experiential interdisciplinary courses during a May term on a rotating schedule, which will be paid as a separate contract.

Essential Functions

Teaching

• The faculty member will be required to teach 24credit hours per academic year on regular contract. The faculty member will teach up to an additional 6 credit hours during the PEAK Intensive academic calendar on an every- other year basis. 
• Responsibilities include classroom management, student assessment, and evaluation of student learning outcomes.
• Maintain high professional standards in teaching.
• Meet institutional standards for syllabus development and submission, classroom management, use of instructional technology, grade reporting, and records management.

Advising

• Support student success through mentoring, tutoring, and advising. Faculty serve as advisors after students’ first year.
• Faculty maintain regular office hours to meet with students as outlined in the Faculty Handbook.

Scholarship and Professional Development

• Engage in ongoing professional development and maintain currency in the field through scholarship, workshops, and related activities.
• Promote and support undergraduate research opportunities.

Service

• Serve on committees at the School, College, and Faculty Senate levels.
• Participate actively in faculty and administrative meetings.
• Contribute to service in the broader community and academic discipline.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of this position.

• Ability to stand for extended periods.
• Occasional sitting, climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling.
• Ability to frequently lift up to 10 pounds and occasionally up to 25 pounds.
• Required vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Position Type / Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. The standard work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.

Travel

No travel is required.

Required Qualifications

• An MFA or other relevant terminal degree from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (required at time of hire).
• College-level teaching experience in graphic design.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, including Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, XD, and After Effects.
• Knowledge of design history, theory, and contemporary trends.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience teaching digital media, including photography, video, animation, and motion graphics.

Additional Notes

This job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties, responsibilities, or activities. Duties may change at any time, with or without notice.

To apply, complete the application on the Lees-McRae College website and include:

• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Teaching philosophy
• A link to a personal website or a PDF portfolio including: 

       20 images of personal work

       20 images of student work (if available)

• Unofficial transcripts
• Names and contact information for three references

For questions regarding the application process, contact Deborah Lowery at loweryd@lmc.edu.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Lees-McRae College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act employer, committed to excellence through diversity.