Animation Faculty – Special Appointment
Kansas City Art Institute, a national leader in visual arts education, is accepting nominations and applications for a full time Animation faculty member in its animation program. The start date will be August 15, 2008. This special appointment is a one-year position to be held while the college conducts a national search during 2008/2009 for possible appointment to the core faculty for 2009/2010. The special appointment will have opportunity to apply for the regular position, which is anticipated to go into affect beginning in the fall 2009.
The successful candidate will play a vital role in the expansion of the current Animation program. In this respect, the position is key to the future success of the program. The Animation program features a creativity driven, career-focused and technologically integrated approach to the teaching of animation; areas of instruction include traditional, experimental and computer animation, storyboarding, character development, digital media proficiency, sound design, and professional practice. Faculty members work together to expose each student to the importance of collaboration between the more conventional practices in the field, the use of experimental hybrid techniques and computer-based approaches. Accordingly, the program goal is to equip students with a diversity of skills/attributes and conceptual/ process abilities to enable them to become effective animation professionals in a rapidly evolving field.
The successful candidate will teach courses at the sophomore, junior and senior levels. Specific responsibilities may entail teaching intermediate/advanced animation studios, thesis film advisement, character development, color theory, drawing, digital editing, motion graphics, film effects and 3D computer graphics.
The successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, demonstrated in a personal portfolio/reel, should include a strong sense of animated form both 2 and 3 dimensional as well as traditional and digital proficiency. A working knowledge of drawing and painting techniques, as it relates to the human figure and strong narrative communication/ story-telling/ scriptwriting skills are required. Strong computer animation skills are highly desirable and ideally, applicants should be able to demonstrate work in Maya, After FX and Final Cut Pro (or equivalent software). Additionally, the candidate should be able to demonstrate a broad knowledge of the animation field, have a working knowledge of 20th and 21st century animation in the context of design, film, art history and culture. Applicants should be conversant with the constraints of current professional practice in the field. In addition to providing an animation reel of both personal and commercial work, the successful candidate should provide examples of supervised student work and project descriptions. Significant professional practice experience is a necessity.
MFA strongly preferred, or in lieu of MFA demonstrated professional achievement in the field. Full-time, college-level teaching experience is highly preferred.
Kansas City Art Institute is a four-year, independent and accredited college of art and design founded in 1885, and located in the cultural heart of metropolitan Kansas City. The college enrolls over 650 undergraduate students drawn regionally, nationally and internationally.
Review of applications will continue until a suitable candidate is selected. Applicants should send: letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy, and a list of 3 references we may contact. Please submit your Reel in one of the following formats only: DVD, VHS or Mac-compatible CD Rom. Applications without your Reel in one of these formats will not be considered. Also include a self-addressed stamped envelope for return of materials. Address applications to:
Kansas City Art Institute,
Animation Faculty Search,
c/o Human Resources,
4415 Warwick Boulevard,
Kansas City, MO 64111-1874
Kansas City Art Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer
5/16/2008