Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Assistant Professor of Animation and Interactive Media

Department:
Humanities & Arts

Location:
Salisbury Labs

Position Status:
Faculty/Research Positions

Position Description: Do you want to teach smart, talented, eager university students how to animate, develop computer games, including serious games, and other interactive media? Are you interested in character animation in a discipline that combines art with computer science? Do you embrace the incorporation of technology into your art? Do you want to work in an environment that fosters interdisciplinary education? If so, you should consider joining the faculty at WPI.

The Interactive Media and Game Development (IMGD) program (imgd.wpi.edu) and the Humanities and Arts department at WPI are jointly seeking a unique individual whose talents and interests center on artistic computer animation but with a deep understanding of the underlying technology.

The IMGD program provides an outstanding education in the principles and techniques of interactive applications and computer-based game development. Nationally recognized as a top game design program in the country by the Princeton Review, the IMGD program grants Bachelor and Master of Science degrees, with approximately 200 students nurtured by more than a dozen dedicated faculty. IMGD undergraduates build a solid foundation in game design and then specialize in either the technical (programming) or artistic (art, music, story) aspects of game development, combining both disciplines in their own work and in teams. IMGD graduate students focus on technical game development, game development management or serious games. Please visit imgd.wpi.edu or http://www.wpi.edu/academics/hua/ for more information.

WPI, founded in 1865 and located one hour west of Boston, is a highly selective private university with an undergraduate student body of over 3,800 and 1,500 full-time and part-time graduate students enrolled in more than 50 Bachelor's, Master's, and Ph.D. programs. WPI is consistently ranked among the top 60 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, an approach repeatedly cited for excellence by the Fiske Guide to Colleges and the Princeton Review. Faculty collaborate with various regional institutions, including Worcester's WICN Public Radio, the Worcester Art Museum, Harvard Medical School, Berklee College of Music, and the Colleges of Worcester Consortium.

The greater Boston area is a thriving region for game development, with over 75 game companies.

Requirements:
Candidates should have an MFA in Art or a closely related field, and the potential for excellence in scholarship and teaching in Art.

Applicants must demonstrate traditional animation skills, such as character animation as applied to storytelling, as well as have experience with 3D animation tools. The ideal candidate will also be a creative teacher and scholar with a passion for computer games and other forms of interactive media. Knowledge of coding, scripting, and game development are a plus.

Posting Date: 08-21-2012

Closing Date: 12-15-2012

Special Instructions to Applicants:
To apply, please submit Vitae
Digital material supporting your application (for example, a portfolio)
Research statement
Teaching statement
Contact information of at least three references to be contacted for letters

For full consideration, applications should be received by December 15th, 2012.

Electronic applications should be submitted online via:
http://apptrkr.com/294852

Questions about the hiring process should be sent to:
imgd-hiring@wpi.edu

To enrich education through diversity, WPI is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.

A Member of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium

Applicants for this position must apply with the department directly. See instructions for applying outlined in the job details.
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This job listing originated on Gamasutra.com, the game industry's leader.