Posting Details

Position Information

Title

Assistant Professor-in-Residence, Industrial Design

Department

Industrial Design

Division

Architecture & Design

Employment Type

Full-Time

Critical Review Track (similar to tenure track)

Position Description

The Department of Industrial Design, in the Division of Architecture and Design at Rhode Island School of Design ( RISD ), invites applications for two full-time faculty appointments at the rank of Assistant Professor-in-Residence, beginning fall 2026. Both positions are one-year appointments.

RISD recognizes principles of social equity, inclusion, and diversity as fundamental to its mission as an art and design school. These principles require sustained attention to a multiplicity of differences and call for an expansion of the forms of knowledge that shape our curricula and pedagogy. RISD is committed to the collective work of institutional transformation and values applicants whose teaching, pedagogical and professional experiences have prepared them to foster and sustain equitable learning environments. We especially welcome faculty whose pedagogy engages diverse perspectives, expands forms of knowledge, and helps foster a culture of belonging where all students, staff, and faculty can thrive.

The department seeks applicants who demonstrate excellence in industrial design and can contribute to RISD’s collegial culture and curricular innovation. We welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds who are dedicated to teaching and student development while maintaining an active professional practice. The RISD ID Department guides students to discover their potential through a pedagogy that unifies thinking and making. Applicants should demonstrate the capacity to inspire students to develop unique personal design approaches, advise them on skill-building, and support them in creating highly resolved work from concept to finished object. Candidates should be open to diverse topics, cultures, and methodologies in research and design.

In the 2026-27 academic year, appointed candidates will teach a combination of one-credit, three-credit, and six-credit studios in the undergraduate program. Professors-in-Residence are also responsible for student advising and college and departmental committee service.

Required Qualifications

A BFA or BID in Industrial Design or equivalent experience
Demonstrated experience teaching at the college or university level as an instructor of record

Preferred Qualifications

We’re seeking candidates with demonstrated strength in several of the following areas:

Design & Visualization:

Foundational design principles including perspective drawing and spatial reasoning
Physical model making and tabletop prototyping
3D modeling software (Rhino, Fusion 360, and/or SolidWorks)

Materials & Fabrication:

Hands-on experience with material manipulation and fabrication techniques
Working knowledge of wood and/or metal materials, their properties, and applications
Prototyping skills across various mediums
Experience with 3D printing and digital fabrication tools, including CNC

Process & Communication:

Understanding of iterative design process from concept through execution
Strong presentation skills with ability to communicate design intent effectively

We recognize that expertise across all these areas is rare. Candidates with deep knowledge in some areas and familiarity with others are encouraged to apply. We value both breadth of experience and specialized depth.

RISD/ Department Description

RISD is a nonprofit college and museum of art and design founded in 1877 in the city of Providence, RI. Today 2,606 students from 62 countries engage in more than 40 full-time bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, supported by a committed faculty and worldwide network of more than 33,000 alumni.

By cultivating expansive and elastic thinking, RISD equips artists, designers and scholars to generate and challenge the ideas that shape our world.

With 16 full-time faculty and 40 part-time faculty, the Industrial Design departments runs 138 classes (per year) for 265 BFA candidates, 35 MID candidates, students from the joint Masters of Arts and Design Engineering ( MADE ) with Brown University, and a limited number of non-major students from across RISD and Brown.

In Industrial Design we believe that designers must be critical makers and critical thinkers. To enable our students to learn, think, and lead, we use material making and material design to gain hands-on design experience; to explore how to apply these processes to new products, services, and systems; and to gain mastery of the mindsets and methods to create new and meaningful innovation. For more about the department visit: https://id.risd.edu/

Our alumni go on to become professional and academic leaders in a field that is no longer narrowly focused on the creation of industrial goods. They design the objects, experiences, services and systems that give shape to contemporary life and beyond.

Faculty Responsibilities

The full-time faculty teaching load is five 3-credit courses per year or its equivalent. In addition to teaching, full-time faculty are expected to maintain a dynamic professional practice, serve on college committees, advise students, participate in curriculum development and other departmental and/or divisional activities and projects, and contribute to the vibrancy of the intellectual life of the college.

Union

Yes

Salary Information

For information about base pay for this position, please refer to Article XII “Salaries” (p. 19-22) in the Faculty Association Collective Bargaining Contract 2025-2028 . The contract indicates the minimum base salary for each rank.

Pre-employment Requirement

The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please attach the following to the appropriate links in the section labeled “Documents Needed to Apply”:

1.) Letter of intent

2.) Curriculum vitae

3.) One syllabus. Please select a syllabus that demonstrates your expertise and areas of interest.

4.) Digital portfolio with images or samples of professional work (10 pages maximum saved as one PDF, file size is limited to 10MB) Please include brief captions or descriptions of your work. The portfolio may link to URLs of interactive and motion work.

5.) Digital portfolio with images or samples of student work (10 pages maximum saved as one PDF, file size is limited to 10MB) Please include brief captions or descriptions of your work. The portfolio may link to URLs of interactive and motion work.

Applications may not be edited once they are certified and submitted.

Only materials that have been requested will be considered.

Names and contact information for two references are requested as part of the application process at the semifinalist stage.

Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the position is filled. Candidates who submit their materials by March 1, 2026 are assured full consideration.

EEO Statement

RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.

Posting Detail Information

Posting Number

F00127P

Open Date

Close Date

Open Until Filled

Yes

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Documents Needed To Apply

Required DocumentsCover Letter
Curriculum Vitae
Portfolio of Professional Work
Portfolio of Student Work
Sample Syllabi

Optional Documents

Rhode Island School of Design

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Assistant Professor-in-Residence, Industrial Design