INTRODUCTION

The Digital Media & Design Department in the School of Fine Arts at the University of Connecticut (UConn) invites applications for a full-time faculty appointment as a Research Assistant Professor in Data Visualization at the UConn Stamford campus. This is a full-time, 9-month, non-tenure track appointment with an expected start date of August 23, 2022. The position is renewable annually based on satisfactory performance evaluations and comes with a competitive salary and benefits package. The position is part of cluster hire for an exciting new data science initiative in Stamford.

The University of Connecticut, with additional support from the State, is embarking on an innovative multi-year data science initiative located in the city of Stamford.  The initiative is comprised of three primary components: 1) the establishment of a data science technology incubator built as an extension of UConn’s technology incubation program (TIP), the largest and most successful tech incubator in Connecticut, 2) the creation of the Stamford Startup Studio, a year-long entrepreneurial co-op experience for extremely motivated and talented undergraduates, and 3) a cluster hire of five cutting-edge data science faculty researchers spanning four schools/colleges at UConn. The components of the initiative will work closely together - students and startups alongside top data science researchers - thus building a foundation to support both the mission of the institution and the continued economic development of the State. As part of the cluster hire, this position in Data Visualization will contribute to the team’s goals of providing advanced interactive experiences to support the presentation and communication of data projects. For more information about the science initiative located in Stamford, visit https://stamforddatascience.com.

The Digital Media & Design (DMD) department is a uniquely interdisciplinary academic unit led by faculty from the fine arts, business, STEM, and humanities fields. Established in 2013, this innovative and evolving department currently has 25 full-time faculty members, 320 undergraduate and 18 graduate students (MFA and MA) and offers BFA and BA degrees in the following concentrations: Digital Film/Video Production (BFA), 3D Animation (BFA), Motion Design & Animation (BFA), Game Design (BFA), Web/Interactive Media Design (BFA), Digital Culture, Learning, & Advocacy (BA), and Digital Media Business Strategies (BA).

All of our concentrations place a strong emphasis on collaboration and experiential learning, best preparing our students for the challenges they may face when working in industry. The Department has established strong working partnerships with large and small companies, start-ups, public institutions, and charitable nonprofits, giving students hands-on, real-world opportunities that benefit the creative economy of the state.

Founded in 1881, UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.

The UConn Stamford campus is in a vibrant and exciting city – with over 400 restaurants, bars, and entertainment and art venues. With easy access to New York City and home to companies like NBC Sports, WWE, and a variety of marketing agencies, Stamford has become a prime location for any practitioner and researcher of Digital Media and Visual Design.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This is a non-tenure track, research-only position at the Assistant Research Professor level. The successful candidate will contribute to research and scholarship through receipt of extramural funding as well producing high-quality publications, presentations at prominent national and international academic conferences, impact as measured through citations, exhibitions, festivals, and/or national recognition as through honorific awards. Excellent communication skills, an ability to secure funding, and a collaborative predisposition are essential for this position. Although formal teaching is not part of duties, mentoring of students is required. Successful candidates will also be expected to broaden participation among members of under-represented groups as demonstrated through research, public engagement, and richness of diversity in the learning experience. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

• Advanced degree (Masters) in Animation, Art, Computer Science, Digital Media, Information Design, or other appropriate fields. Equivalent foreign degrees are acceptable. 
• Demonstrated success in securing extramural research funding.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating professional practice in digital visualization and information design (via animation, digital graphics, computer science, data analytics, etc.).
• Prior industry or entrepreneurial experiences/collaborations.
• Superior written and oral communication skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D, M.F.A., etc.) in Animation, Art, Computer Science, Digital Media, Information Design or other appropriate fields. Equivalent foreign degrees are acceptable.
• Experience in a collaborative environment with a diverse team
• Evidence of serving as a mentor to students and/or as an advisor to businesses.
• Experience with technology commercialization (securing patents, startup formation, etc.).
• Desire to be a part of an experimental cohort of energetic and ambitious data science research faculty who come from different disciplines, but together can contribute to substantive paradigm shifts.
• High-quality publication or exhibition record in data visualization.

APPOINTMENT TERMS 

This is a 9-month, full-time position with anticipated start date of August 23, 2022. It is a non-tenure track position with the possibility of annual reappointment, contingent upon positive annual reviews and program funding, and may lead to successive multi-year contracts.  There is an expectation that fellows are expected to be fully self-funded by way of grant activity by the end of year three and half funded by year 1.5.  The successful candidate’s primary appointment will be at the Stamford campus with occasional travel to the Storrs campus. Salary is competitive and includes the ability to supplement with 3-months summer salary from external funding and includes a startup package for research support. 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment at the University of Connecticut is contingent upon the successful candidate’s compliance with the University’s Mandatory Workforce COVID-19 Vaccination Policy.  This Policy states that all workforce members are required to have or obtain a Covid-19 vaccination as a term and condition of employment at UConn, unless an exemption or deferral has been approved. 

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

TO APPLY

Please apply online to Academic Jobs Online https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/18302 and submit the following application materials:

• A cover letter specifically addressing your credentials relative to the minimum and preferred qualifications listed above,
• Curriculum vitae,
• A one to two-page research statement, 
• A portfolio of visualization creative work,
• A one-page commitment to diversity statement,
• Names and contact information for three (3) letters of reference.

Review of applications will begin on March 28, 2022 and will continue until filled. If you have questions related to the search, please send a detailed inquiry to Stacy Webb, Administrative Assistant for the Department of Digital Media & Design, at stacy.webb@uconn.edu, with 495050 FACULTY SEARCH in the subject line. For more information regarding the Department of Digital Media & Design, visit http://dmd.uconn.edu.  

At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community.

This position will be filled subject to budgetary approval.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.

The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty, and staff. The diversity of students, faculty and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians, and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University’s teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn’s ranking as one of the nation’s top research universities. UConn’s faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural, and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.