Assistant Professor - Graphic Design

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or [email protected].

Job Description

The University of Nevada, Reno, Department of Art, Art History & Design announces a full-time, tenure-track faculty position for an Assistant Professor, with a specialization in Graphic Design to begin July 1, 2027. We are seeking an individual with strong experience in areas of web, UI/UX, and interaction design. The ideal candidate will also have a commitment to teaching excellence, with an interest in adapting design pedagogy to meet emerging demands in the profession. Experience in the latest theory and practice in the field is highly desirable, as is participation in organizations or conferences such as AIGA The Professional Association for Design. The individual will work closely with existing faculty to teach and administer Graphic Design courses that support and connect interdisciplinary approaches, and the varied curriculum taught in the department, while bringing industry experience to the classroom.

Tenure-track faculty members in the department will maintain an active research agenda and typically have a 2-2 teaching load: 40% of the time spent will be dedicated to teaching, 40% dedicated to research & creative activities; and 20% to service. The position will work as part of a team in shaping the vision of an evolving and popular program. You will work with Graphic Design BFA students on their individual studies and internship courses and help interface with local companies to maintain internship opportunities and to grow our roster of contacts for student employment.

Required Qualifications

• A terminal degree (MFA or PhD) in Graphic Design or related field

• A commitment to inclusive teaching

• A substantial portfolio of Graphic Design work relevant to the position description Specialized skillsets in web, UI/UX, and interaction design.

• Familiarity with industry-standard tools such as Figma and other prototyping platforms

• Ability to teach Graphic Design courses at the introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels

• Active record of creative activity and client work

Preferred Qualifications

• Industry experience in the Graphic Design field

• Successful college-level teaching experience

• Knowledge of other animation and modeling design softwares and processes

• Experience with AI tools and emerging technologies within design processes and the classroom environment.

• Participation in organizations/conferences dealing in theory and pedagogy surrounding teaching Graphic Design courses and industry skillsets

• Membership to professional organizations directly related to the Graphic Design field

Compensation

Assistant Professor (9-month, B-contract)

Salary is competitive with a range of $68,000 to $74,000 and commensurate with related education and experience. Any tasks carried out during off contract days will be by agreement with the chair and compensated either through course release(s), overload pay or a stipend. For more information please visit: Salary Schedules

Remarkable Retirement!

Our retirement plan is beyond compare. Your 19.25% contribution is generously matched by the University.  With the faculty retirement plan, you are 100% vested on your first day. Sit back and watch your retirement dollars grow!  All permanent employees on an annual "A" or "B" contract who are employed at least 50% full-time are eligible to participate in the NSHE retirement program unless they are members of PERS of Nevada. 

Perks of Working at UNR (no annual for 9-month AC staff)

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance

• Generous sick leave, long term disability and life insurance – Faculty Benefits

• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers annual or semester memberships and spouse/domestic partner membership options.  E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center

• Reno is proud to be a University town! Many local businesses offer discounts to WolfCard holders

• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.

• Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate

• No state income tax!

Grants-in-Aid for Faculty Employees

The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits, but in order to be eligible children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner.  Faculty Grants-in-Aid

Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program

The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program

Department Information

The Department of Art, Art History & Design at the University of Nevada, Reno, offers a B.A. and a minor in Art History as well as undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a range of fine art emphases including Book Arts, Ceramics, Digital Media, Drawing, Graphic Arts, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture. The Department of Art, Art History & Design functions within the School of the Arts and the College of Liberal Arts, which provides a focused environment emphasizing critical perspectives and historical knowledge leading to an informed appreciation of the world’s artistic potential. Additional opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration within the College of Liberal Arts include work with the John and Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art, the Museum Studies minor, and the Ozmen Institute for Global Studies. The Department of Art, Art History and Design has approximately 300 majors across undergraduate and graduate programs of which nearly a third are in Graphic Design.

The University of Nevada, Reno is a public Research 1 land-grant institution of the Nevada System of Higher Education with a student population of approximately 21,000, including over 3,000 graduate students with a campus also at Lake Tahoe. We are a comprehensive, doctoral university that has been designated as a Carnegie R1 institution with very high research activity and a Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. Nearly half of our students are students of color, and we are considered a Hispanic Serving Institution. In accordance with the University's land grant tier-one research institution mission, our faculty are expected to contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through research, teaching, and service in a pluralistic environment.

The University has dynamic intellectual, artistic and sports life, and a close relationship to the city of Reno Located in one of the nation’s fastest-growing innovative economies, Reno is home to a thriving technology ecosystem, attracting leading companies in advanced manufacturing, clean energy, logistics, artificial intelligence, and data infrastructure. It is a growing tech and innovation hub with a diverse population and a rich cultural history that hosts an active art, music and festival scene. Known for its proximity to Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountains, Reno is a vibrant, diverse and growing city located on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, about 200 miles east of San Francisco, about 100 miles east of Sacramento and 30 miles north of the state capital, Carson City. Combined with the neighboring city of Sparks, the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area has a population of more than 500,000. Reno is only 30-45 minutes from Lake Tahoe and major ski resorts and is rated one of the top locations in the United States for living and outdoor recreation. It has an international airport with direct flights to many U.S. transportation hubs and to Mexico. For more information about the city and the surrounding area, please visit www.cityofreno.com and www.visitrenotahoe.com.

The College of Liberal Arts is home to the humanities, social sciences, and arts, offering 13 academic units and 8 additional programs, museums, and centers, including the Center for Constitutional Law and the Center for Basque Studies, that foster creativity, critical thinking, and engaged citizenship. As one of the largest academic units on campus with just under 4,000 students and 240 faculty, the College combines a strong liberal arts tradition with innovative and interdisciplinary teaching, research, and community engagement, preparing students for meaningful careers and lifelong learning in an interconnected world. The College emphasizes inquiry, discovery, and openness to new ideas and perspectives and supports major scholarly research and creative activity in the three disciplines and offers a number of programs at the Lake Tahoe campus. Visit www.unr.edu/liberal-arts for more information about the college, faculty, and students.

Contact information

Search Committee Chair: Professor Kelly Chorpening [email protected]

Search Coordinator: Deirdre Poggi, Administrative Assistant, (775) 784-6682 [email protected]

Exempt

Yes

Full-Time Equivalent

100.0%

Required Attachment(s)

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at [email protected].

Please attach the following documents in .pdf form to your application:

1) Cover letter outlining qualifications, experience, research plans, teaching experience, and how they would contribute toward the college’s mission

2) Current curriculum vitae

3) Portfolio of work (20 images)

4) Two sample syllabi, and

5) List of three professional references

6) Finalists will be asked to share recent student evaluations of teaching

Open Until Filled

Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. Position is open until filled. First review of applications will begin October 16, 2026.

Posting Close Date

Note to Applicant

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.

Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit the University’s website.

University of Nevada, Reno