Faculty in Fine and Industrial Design - Cranbrook Academy of Art

Cranbrook Academy of Art, ranked nationally as one of the top graduate programs in design, art, and architecture and is now accepting applications for a full-time faculty member with expertise in Fine and Industrial Design. This full-time faculty position will be offered for a three-year term. The position will commence in August 2025.

As we embark on a strategic plan to reimagine the Academy for the 21st century, we seek a designer to work with colleagues and graduate students in our Architecture and Design department, which encompasses tracks in Architecture, Industrial/Product, and Interactive Design. We are seeking an innovative designer to contribute specific expertise in product, industrial, furniture, or lighting design. This position requires a highly collaborative, future-focused, entrepreneurial thinker who can serve as a leader among colleagues and change agent for design and its pedagogy within the Academy.

The Industrial Design program (formerly named 3D Design) grew out of the influential interdisciplinary design program in which Charles Eames taught and contemporary designers such as Cas Holman, Jay Sae Jung Oh, and Chris Schanck studied. The program is an experimental laboratory exploring human needs as expressed in the objects and furniture of daily life. Industrial Design at Cranbrook straddles the intersection of design, art, and craft with an approach informed by architecture and interior design. Driven by exploration and risk-taking, and through active questioning and making, students develop an understanding of the connections between forms and ideas creating a framework for process and idea generation that can transition to projects at a variety of scales, including furniture, lighting, and objects for daily use. The program nurtures designers who wish to develop an architectural and spatial awareness in their work.

This position will work alongside faculty with expertise in Interaction Design and Architecture to mentor graduate students in architecture, interior, urban, landscape or interaction (UI/UX) design. Together with these colleagues, this position will curate interdisciplinary experiences for students with a host of prominent guest designers. The Academy seeks a candidate with a broad background in either fine or industrial design, a commitment to interdisciplinarity and pedagogical innovation, facility in strategic planning, and a strong understanding of challenges and opportunities in post-industrial, post-pandemic product design.

Cranbrook faculty mentor up to 15 graduate students in a supportive environment composed of eight other departments: Graphic Design, Ceramics, Fiber, Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Print Media, and Sculpture and academy-wide programming in Critical Studies and Professional Practices.

In collaboration with department colleagues, the faculty member is given the responsibility to determine the curriculum and pedagogy for students in Industrial Design, while working collaboratively to ensure high-impact, multi-disciplinary and innovative experiences for students across all disciplines of the department. They are also responsible for recruiting incoming Industrial Design students. It is expected that the faculty will maintain an active professional practice evidencing influence at the national or international scale. Practice may include some combination of client work, exhibitions, publications, and speaking engagements.

Primary responsibilities of this position include mentorship and teaching as well as management of the facilities and active recruitment of students. Successful candidates will meet the following requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

Terminal degree in art, design or related field, or equivalent professional experience
Teaching/mentoring experience in higher education
A vibrant design practice with a national reputation
Excellent communication skills
Excellent leadership skills
Demonstrated ability to foster an inclusive, diverse and equitable learning environment

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with student recruitment, ideally at the graduate level
A vibrant design practice with an international reputation
5 years teaching/mentoring experience in higher education at the graduate level
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary environment
Demonstrated ability to build partnerships
Capacity to contribute significantly to the field of Industrial Design or design pedagogy
Demonstrated administrative or business management experience
Proven experience in entrepreneurial design

The Cranbrook Academy of Art seeks a colleague who can prepare students to be leaders, not only in their field but in positioning artists and designers as catalysts for change toward a more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive world. We seek a colleague who can bring diversity, inclusion, and increase access for our students through their teaching, research, or personal or professional experiences.

Through its unique educational model, Cranbrook Academy of Art has made a substantial artistic, educational, and institutional impact since it was founded in 1932. The Academy of Art is part of the larger Cranbrook Educational Community, situated on a 300-acre campus located just outside of Detroit. Founded by George G. Booth and designed by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen, Cranbrook is a community of educators, artists, architects and designers, living and working together. Comprising the Cranbrook Art Museum, the Center for Collections and Research, the Institute of Science, and a private school serving students from kindergarten through high school, the Cranbrook Educational Community offers a unique backdrop for teaching and learning.

This faculty member is provided with a private studio and housing on campus. In addition, Cranbrook offers competitive compensation and benefits that include medical, dental, life insurance, long-term and short-term disability, and retirement programs with employer contribution.

Application Process:

Applications received by December 1, 2024, will be given priority consideration and applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Applications consist of two pieces: a single PDF document of candidate materials and a completed Cranbrook Application. All fields in the application form must be completed and ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED AT ONE TIME. Applicants will be unable to add additional materials once submitted.

The PDF should contain a cover letter, a statement that outlines your approach and curriculum for teaching product design at the graduate level, and a statement on how your teaching supports an inclusive and diverse community, a curriculum vitae, name and email contact for three professional references, a portfolio of the candidate’s work (20 image samples) and links to relevant websites. This single PDF should be labeled as FirstInitial.LastName.pdf.

Click here to apply: Faculty in Fine and Industrial Design - Cranbrook Academy of Art | Cranbrook Employment Opportunities

Please visit the following websites for additional background on the Cranbrook Academy of Art and the larger resources of the Cranbrook Educational Community.

Cranbrook Academy of Art: Faculty in Fine and Industrial Design jobs

Cranbrook Academy of Art: Faculty in Fine and Industrial Design