Professor Jobs in Syracuse, NY

Job # 078791

Job Title Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor, Communications Design-School of Design

Location Syracuse, NY

Campus Syracuse, NY

Commitment to On-Campus Experience

Syracuse University is committed to delivering an exceptional student experience through vibrant, engaged campus communities. This position is based at the above campus location and requires regular in-person presence to support our students, collaborate with colleagues, and contribute to our thriving academic environment. Syracuse University values the collaboration, mentorship, and spontaneous connections that happen when our community works together on campus. Remote work arrangements are limited in accordance with University policy.

Pay Range $67,000 - $72,000

Pay Determination

Salary offers at Syracuse University will be based on education, experience, and relevant skills, as well as the academic or professional discipline of the position in the context of the home department, school, or college. Salary offers may also be influenced by prior relevant work or industry experience, where applicable. Faculty pay ranges are for 8.5 months’ salary unless otherwise specified.

FLSA Status Exempt

Hours

As determined by the Director.

Job Type Full-time

Rank Assistant

Unionized Position Code Not Applicable

Job Description

The School of Design within the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University invites applications for a one-year appointment at the rank of Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor in the Communications Design program. This is a teaching-focused position, and the faculty member will be instrumental in working with the current team of practicing educators in delivering the program’s core curriculum, advising students, and actively participating in service to the program and school.

The Communications Design Program seeks to integrate a broad academic and studio-centered curriculum with the highest standards of professional practice through project-based learning. The program encourages exploration into all aspects reflective of the wide array of opportunities in our professional industry: branding and graphic identity, advertising, packaging, retail, environmental and exhibition design, direct response marketing, publication design, interactive media and web design and other related interests. Students are prepared for careers in the field of communications design, either as specialists or generalists and advised about their ethical responsibilities as shapers of public opinion and behavior, and as citizens of the world. We encourage entrepreneurial thinking and creative problem solving in search of the big idea. Our program has a strong national reputation and is proud of the success of its graduates around the world and the leadership roles they play in a multitude of creative endeavors.

The School of Design is home to six programs, offering BFA degrees in Fashion, Environmental and Interior, and Communications Design, a BID in Industrial + Interaction Design, a BS in Design Studies, as well as an MA in Museum Studies. We are very proud of our close to 100-year heritage of teaching, research, and innovation within the focused design disciplines while at the same time recognizing the reality that such disciplinary boundaries are increasingly permeable, and to be successful designers we need to have deep disciplinary knowledge and a broad range of relevant skills and experience across the creative spectrum. We seek to educate students who, upon graduation, will be prepared to join the field in a variety of categories ranging from consultancies, in-house and corporate design, to entrepreneurial start-ups as well as top graduate schools. Our commitment to excellence extends beyond the classroom, with our faculty and students encouraged to collaborate with disciplines across our Research-1 university.

The department is particularly interested in candidates who have the communication abilities and cross-cultural competencies to maximize their effectiveness with diverse groups of students, colleagues, and community members. Join us in shaping the next generation of design leaders and innovators. Become a driving force in our vibrant community of educators and scholars who are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of design education and research. Syracuse prides itself on being a university welcoming to all. We strongly encourage applicants who bring diverse perspectives and would help us to build a community of individuals from different backgrounds and walks of life. To learn more about the college, our distinguished faculty, and our program, please visit our websites at www.syr.edu, www.vpa.syr.edu.

Qualifications

As a member of the University faculty, you will be expected to teach undergraduate courses as assigned, while also serving the program, school, college and university in various capacities (advising, committee work, recruitment, curriculum development etc.).

A graduate degree in communications design or a related discipline (i.e. graphic design) and professional and/or academic experience is required.

Job Specific Qualifications

- Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, modern studio processes, and procedures
- Strong conceptual and design-based principles applied to communication and advertising design as they pertain to traditional and evolving media
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- The ability to contribute to the excellence of the academic community through teaching, advising, and service
- Interest and temperament to work within a NASAD-accredited curriculum
- A desire for cross-disciplinary collaboration – to be someone who can advance and advocate for design across campus

Responsibilities

- Teach the equivalent of 4, 3-credit classes per semester
- Provide academic advising to students in the program
- Participate in curriculum development
- Develop and support relevant programmatic initiatives, such as exhibitions, field trips, lecture series, and projects that enhance the curriculum
- Contribute to recruiting and admissions activities
- Engage in appropriate service to the program, school, college, and/or university

Physical Requirements

Not Applicable

Tools/Equipment

Not Applicable

Application Instructions

In addition to completing an online application, please attach the following:
- Cover Letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- Portfolio Website URL
- Name and contact information for a minimum of four (4) references.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but priority consideration given to candidates who apply by July 20, 2026. For further information contact Professor Marc Stress, Search Committee Chair (mvstress@syr.edu)

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings, and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and over 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience.

The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors, 100 minors, and 200 advanced degree programs offered across the University’s 13 schools and colleges; over 15,000 undergraduates and over 6,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit http://www.syracuse.edu.

About the Syracuse area

Syracuse is a medium-sized city situated in the geographic center of New York State approximately 250 miles northwest of New York City. The metro-area population totals approximately 500,000. The area offers a low cost of living and provides many social, cultural, and recreational options, including parks, museums, festivals, professional regional theater, and premier shopping venues. Syracuse and Central New York present a wide range of seasonal recreation and attractions ranging from water skiing and snow skiing, hiking in the Adirondacks, touring the historic sites, visiting wineries along the Finger Lakes, and biking on trails along the Erie Canal.

EEO Statement

Syracuse University is an equal-opportunity institution. The University prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law to the extent prohibited by law. This nondiscrimination policy covers admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in University programs, services, and activities.

Commitment to Supporting and Hiring Veterans

Syracuse University has a long history of engaging veterans and the military-connected community through its educational programs, community outreach, and employment programs. After World War II, Syracuse University welcomed more than 10,000 returning veterans to our campus, and those veterans literally transformed Syracuse University into the national research institution it is today. The University’s contemporary commitment to veterans builds on this historical legacy, and extends to both class-leading initiatives focused on making an SU degree accessible and affordable to the post-9/11 generation of veterans, and also programs designed to position Syracuse University as the employer of choice for military veterans, members of the Guard and Reserve, and military family members.

Commitment to a Respectful and Welcoming Community

Syracuse University fosters a welcoming learning environment where students, faculty, administrators, staff, curriculum, social activities, governance, and all aspects of campus life reflect a broad range of perspectives and experiences. The University community values the many similarities and differences among individuals and groups. At Syracuse, we are committed to preparing students to engage with and appreciate the richness of backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences that shape our society. To achieve this, we strive to cultivate a community that respects and encourages open dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect.