Assistant Professor of Entertainment Art/Animation

Job no: 543709
Work type: Instructional Faculty – Tenured/Tenure-Track
Location: Fullerton
Categories: Unit 3 - CFA - California Faculty Association, Faculty - Fine/Performing Arts, Tenured/Tenure-Track, Full Time

Department of Visual Arts
College of Arts
Assistant Professor
Fall 2025

The Department of Visual Arts at California State University, Fullerton, invites applications for a tenure‐track Assistant Professor position in Entertainment Art/Animation with appointment to begin Fall 2025.

California State University Fullerton is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to increasing the diversity of the campus community and the curriculum, and fostering an inclusive environment within which students, staff, administrators and faculty thrive. Candidates who can contribute to this goal through their teaching, research, advising, and other activities are encouraged to identify their strengths and experiences in this area. Individuals advancing the University’s strategic diversity goals and those from groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and longstanding are particularly encouraged to apply.

CSUF is committed to retaining all faculty and has established affinity groups you can join to support your success.

Position
CSUF faculty are committed teacher/scholars who bring research and creative discovery to life for students in classrooms, labs, studios, and individually mentored projects. They teach broadly in the curricula of their departments, advise students, and serve on departmental and university-wide committees. The primary responsibilities of the person in this position will include the development and teaching of introductory and core courses in the discipline and the development of courses in the area of Entertainment Art/Animation. The position possesses a strong commitment to teaching animation courses offered within our core. This person will also be responsible for producing scholarship and/or creative work commensurate with the requirements for tenure. The successful candidate will contribute to and participate in the life and development of the department, recruitment, and outreach efforts. They will advise students, serve on committees, and participate in the broader university and disciplinary communities.

The BFA in Entertainment Art/Animation program focuses on professional skill building in animation, while encouraging students to explore unique and personal expressions in a diverse and collaborative setting. Our program offers an intensive hands-on art-making experience combined with a broad exposure to fine arts that prepares students for a lifetime of creative work, critical thinking, leadership roles and problem-solving within the field of animation.
Job Description
The successful candidate for this tenure-track assistant professor position may be asked to teach a range of courses such as story and visual development, storyboarding, life drawing for animation, animation production, character and background design and filmmaking practices for character animation. Specific Entertainment Art/Animation courses could include:

• Life Drawing for Animation
• Principles of (2D) Animation
• Animation Pre-Production
• Animation Production
• Visual Storytelling for Animation and Games
• 2D Character Animation
• Special Studies in Entertainment Art/Animation
• Special Studies in Character Animation
• Special Studies in Storyboarding for Animation
• Special Studies in Character Design

The successful candidate is expected to have experience with Adobe Creative Suite and other high-end 2D or 3D animation software. Those with the following software/experience will receive special consideration: Toon Boom Harmony, Toon Boom Storyboard Pro, Autodesk Maya, Procreate and other animation/drawing software. In addition, those with drawing skills necessary for 2D character animation will receive special consideration.

The successful candidate will participate in the life and development of the department, recruitment, and outreach efforts. They will contribute to a dynamic animation program with a track record of growth and distinction derived from awards earned by its students, the successful art careers of its alumni, and the professional achievements of its faculty.

Required Qualifications

• MFA or equivalent terminal degree from an accredited institution in animation or related field.
• Demonstrated ability or potential to teach courses in animation principles, storyboarding, cinematic language, character/background design, advanced character animation/acting, and industry standard software.
• Sustained practice in creative, scholarly, or professional work in the field of animation.
• Proven track record of working collaboratively in culturally diverse settings, fostering an understanding of and respect for unique experiences, and cultural practices.

Preferred Qualifications

• Willingness to examine and remediate one's instructional, relational, and classroom practices to more effectively engage and support students.
• Demonstrated excellence in and commitment to teaching of a highly diverse student population, including varied socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, age, and gender identity, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to work with computers and other technologies such as Adobe Creative Suite, Toon Boom Harmony/Storyboard, which are utilized in providing high-quality instruction and support to students
• College-level teaching experience in animation or closely related disciplines
• Proficiency and/or professional experience in character animation demonstrating capability including traditional hand-drawn character animation practice and 2D digital character animation practice (e.g. layout, timing, character design, storyboarding for animation, visual storytelling, visual development, character turnarounds, model sheets, and character acting/lip sync.)
• Knowledge of and commitment to achieving CSUF's strategic plan and COTA mission and goals
• Industry relations and knowledge that may support student success in academics and career advancements
• Evidence of leadership, communication, organizational, and management skills, which might include successful recruitment and outreach efforts

Application Procedure
A complete online application must be received by electronic submission to receive consideration. To be assured full consideration, all application materials must be received by January 15, 2025. To apply, please visit https://hr.fullerton.edu/careers/faculty.php, choose full-time and search for position #543709, and provide the following required materials:

• Letter of application responding to your experience related to the required and preferred qualifications within the Entertainment Art/Animation discipline
• A teaching philosophy describing your pedagogical practices
• Curriculum Vitae in an academic format or Resume with working experience in the field
• Portfolio of the candidate’s expertise related to the position (requirements below)
• 12-15 examples of student work relevant to the position. Please upload a PDF with a link to animated work (if applicable).
• Sample Syllabi, Sample Assignments and Sample Teaching Materials if applicable
• Candidate Statement on Commitment to Inclusive Excellence:
  • Diversity, Inclusion and Equity are fundamental to the mission of CSUF. Diversity, as reflected in our student body, refers to the variety of personal experiences, values, and viewpoints that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. Such differences include race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, religion, language, differing abilities, socioeconomic status, geographic region, and more. Please discuss how you would include anti-racist and inclusive policies in your teaching and pedagogy, to create a just and equitable classroom. Explain how your experiences and/or qualifications enhance your ability to contribute to the students, faculty, and staff who are members of our diverse CSUF community.
    
    Your Statement on Commitment to Inclusive Excellence should address one or more of the following criteria:
    • The candidate has acquired knowledge of barriers for underrepresented students and faculty in higher education.

    • The candidate has experience in and is committed to engaging in service with underrepresented populations in higher education.

    • The candidate has experience in and is committed to teaching and/or mentoring underrepresented students in a higher education environment.

    • The candidate has experience integrating underrepresented populations and communities into scholarly and creative activities.

• Portfolio Requirements:
  • The Portfolio can be a combination of independent and professional work in the field of character-based animation.
  • The Portfolio must feature current work and include at least 12-15 examples. In addition, animated reels are strongly encouraged. Reels should not be longer than 2 minutes. Please show work that reflects solid drawing skills (figure/character construction, animation, storyboard, etc.) and digital skills (current industry software) as well as your areas of expertise.
  • Please upload a PDF with a link to reels (if included) and links to your online portfolio or webpages (for example, ArtStation, IG, LinkedIn, etc.)
  • Reels must include a shot breakdown clearly specifying what you were responsible for in the material presented.

Semi-Finalists

• Semi-finalists will be invited to a zoom interview.

Finalists:

• Over a one-day period, finalists will be invited to participate in a series of interviews, a teaching demonstration, and an artist talk on campus.
• Additional material such as current course outlines, course assignments, and rubrics may also be requested.
• Finalists will be required to have three letters of recommendation submitted.
  • Please have these ready for the referents to submit. On the References page of the online application, enter information and email addresses for three referents who will provide a confidential letter of reference for your application. At the appropriate time in the search process, they will receive a request via email along with instructions for uploading the letter. You will be able to verify that each letter has been received by CSUF by logging back into your applicant portal.
• Finalists will be required to submit official transcripts.

Please do not send additional materials until requested to do so. The finalists for the position will be contacted when to submit and are required to submit all materials for full consideration.

Please direct all questions about the position to: Michelle Murillo, Chair of the Department of Visual Arts at michellemurillo@fullerton.edu with “Entertainment Art/Animation” in the subject line.

Application Deadline
To be assured full consideration, all application materials must be received by January 15, 2015. The anticipated appointment date is August 2025.

The Department of Visual Arts
The Department of Visual Arts serves approximately 2,600 undergraduate art majors and 20 graduate students, with 36 full-time and 90+ lecturer faculty. The department offers both a BA in Art and BFA in Art with 13 areas of concentration, in addition to an MA and MFA in Art with 9 areas of concentration. CSUF is located about 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles in metropolitan Orange County and presents a full range of fine arts and professional programs including a nationally recognized art gallery located in the Visual Arts complex and the Grand Central Art Center, a 45,000 sq. ft. graduate studio/residence/exhibition facility located 25 minutes from campus. The Department of Visual Arts at California State University, Fullerton, is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. For more information about the Department of Visual Arts and the College of the Arts, please refer to the website https://www.fullerton.edu/arts/art/

Compensation
The Assistant Professor (Academic Year) classification salary range is $6,221 to $13,224 monthly (12 monthly payments per academic year). The anticipated hiring range is $6,884 to $7,022 per month.

Salary offered is commensurate with experience and qualifications. In addition, the California Equal Pay Act prohibits employers from paying its employees less than those of the opposite sex and/or another race or ethnicity for substantially similar work (https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/california_equal_pay_act.htm.

Additional Information
Multiple positions may be hired from this recruitment based on the strength of the applicant pool.

CSUF Benefits
An excellent comprehensive benefits package is available that includes/health/vision/dental plans; spouse, domestic partner and dependent fee‐waiver; access to campus child‐care; and a defined‐benefit retirement through the state system along with optional tax sheltering opportunities. For a detailed description of benefits, please visit https://hr.fullerton.edu/total-wellness/.

CSU Policies
The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be formally offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self‐disclose.

Notice of Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender or Sex and Contact Information for Title IX Coordinator (http://www.fullerton.edu/titleix/about/notice.php)

In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy, the CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California. It requires hiring employees to perform CSU-related work within the State of California.