Assistant Teaching Professor

About WPI Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a vibrant and diverse community of extraordinary students, talented and dedicated staff, and world-renowned faculty. Along with its state-of-the-art research facilities, WPI offers competitive and comprehensive employee benefit programs, including paid time off, health insurance, life and long-term disability insurance, retirement savings plans, tuition assistance, flexible spending accounts, and a working environment that prioritizes mental health and well-being. It is a community committed to civility and respect—making inclusion and belonging a reality for everyone on its campus. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging at WPI WPI is committed to creating an inclusive workplace culture where everyone feels a sense of belonging; a place where every student, faculty member, and staff member is valued and respected so that they may study, live, and work comfortably, reach their full potential, and make meaningful contributions to its institutional goals. WPI thrives on innovative practice and welcomes all perspectives, insight, and people from varied lived and professional experiences. This diversity enhances community capabilities and helps propel the institution in a competitive, global marketplace. JOB TITLE Assistant Teaching Professor LOCATION Worcester DEPARTMENT NAME IMGD DIVISION NAME Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY Interactive Media and Game Development (IMGD) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) seeks to hire a teaching-track faculty member to support and grow our project-based curriculum, at a rank and title commensurate with experience and academic background. Candidates in all focus areas of interactive media and game development will be considered equally, including but not limited to user experience design, emerging creative technologies, interactive media and game programming, and/or audio for interactive media and games. WPI is a diverse campus of learners passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We are looking for candidates who can support our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. JOB DESCRIPTION Interactive Media and Game Development (IMGD) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a vibrant, growing, multidisciplinary program focused on education, creative practice, and research at the intersection of art, design, technology, and play. The program seeks a new colleague who will support and grow the curriculum in their area of interest and expertise. Applicants in all areas of IMGD—including but by no means limited to user experience design, emerging creative technologies, audio, and/or interactive media and game programming—are welcome to apply and will be given equal consideration. The successful candidate will teach existing undergraduate and graduate courses in the curriculum, with an expected teaching load of 5 courses per year. The candidate will also have the opportunity to develop new courses and curricular initiatives in topics related to their expertise. WPI’s academic calendar operates on four 7-week terms per year at the undergraduate level, meaning teaching-track faculty typically teach 1 or 2 courses at a time. In addition to teaching, the successful candidate will also be expected to advise undergraduate students in their project work. WPI’s project-based learning system requires undergraduate students to complete intensive projects in their junior and senior year. The junior year project focuses on the intersection of technology and society; the senior year project is conducted within the team’s major(s). Many teaching faculty at WPI enjoy opportunities to pursue their own research agenda and/or creative practice, as well as collaborate with colleagues, and the project-based learning system provides an additional framework for blending research, practice, and teaching. We are especially interested in candidates who align with our program’s goals for fostering an inclusive community of creative practitioners who address social and environmental challenges. IMGD celebrates and supports our students in the LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, and multi-ethnic/racial communities, and candidates should speak to their capacity to support a diverse and inclusive academic environment. Candidates whose teaching, scholarship, and/or service already demonstrates a commitment to addressing diversity and anti-racism are especially encouraged to apply. Teaching-track faculty at WPI have secured contracts. Candidates for Assistant or Associate Teaching Professor should hold a terminal degree in an area closely related to IMGD (MFA or PhD). Candidates without a terminal degree who have relevant professional experience are also welcome to apply, and would be appointed at a rank and title appropriate to their experience. All candidates should provide in their application evidence of their potential for successful teaching and project advising experience with undergraduates and/or graduate students. Applicants should submit: Curriculum Vitae / Resume A letter of application that speaks to teaching and/or project advising experience, and research and/or professional work as it relates to the union of technology, art, and design. This statement should also describe how your scholarship, teaching, and/or service contributes to diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning and working environments. Optional: Selections of creative works supporting your application (for example, a portfolio, with an online link preferred) The names and contact information of at least three references. We will ask for letters for short-listed candidates only. Founded in 1865, WPI is one of the nation's first technological universities. A highly selective private university located within an hour of Boston, WPI is consistently ranked among the top 70 research institutions by US News & World Report. The university is home to an innovative and intensive project-based curriculum that empowers students with the knowledge and skills to address real-world problems around the globe. WPI employees have competitive and comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, long-term care, retirement, tuition assistance, flexible spending accounts, good work-life balance, and much more. WPI has a strong commitment to supporting the careers of teaching-oriented faculty, including secured contracts and a new, award-winning process for supporting a teaching-track to tenure. Application review will begin on January 15, 2023, and continue until the position is filled. WPI requires that all employees to be fully-vaccinated for COVID-19 and boosted. For additional information, please go to https://www.wpi.edu/we-are-wpi/health-and-safety/vaccine-information FLSA STATUS United States of America (Exempt) WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer that actively seeks to increase the diversity of its workplace. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.