Assistant Professor of Studio Art, Photography

The Department of Art at the University of Oregon is accepting applications for an Assistant Professor of Studio Art, Photography. This is a full-time, nine-month academic year, tenure-track faculty position, with a start date of September 16, 2025. 

We are seeking an artist whose creative practice locates the medium of photography firmly within the context of contemporary art and interdisciplinarity, while finding its footing in a lens-based practice. With an aptitude in both digital technologies and traditional analog methods, the ideal candidate for this position will also have fluency in contemporary cultural and aesthetic theory, with an interest in course development in this area. 

Primary teaching responsibilities will be focused in the photography area, with additional interdisciplinary opportunities, including graduate seminars, advanced studios and experimental courses. The University of Oregon operates on a system of three ten-week quarters with a typical load of five courses per year. Additionally, all faculty participate in graduate studio mentorship. Service responsibilities include committee contributions, advising, and participation in shared governance. In addition to teaching and service responsibilities, the successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to a sustained and developing creative practice, with an active and ongoing exhibition/publishing record.

The College of Design is dedicated to the UO’s goal of building a culturally diverse faculty committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. We strongly encourage applications from individuals whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including those from historically marginalized and currently underrepresented communities in higher education.

Department or Program Department summary
The Department of Art, part of a renowned research institution, attracts students and faculty who value studio art within a broader intellectual context. Our diverse curriculum integrates various creative practices and critical methodologies, with students exploring both interdisciplinary and the depth of disciplinary inquiry. The department hosts 9-12 visiting artists, critics, and curators annually to enrich the learning experience. Faculty, active nationally and internationally, connect their studio work with teaching while sharing a unified mission and governance model. 

Located within the School of Art + Design in the College of Design, the Department of Art offers BA/BS, BFA, and MFA degrees with a curriculum spanning ceramics, art & technology, fibers, jewelry and metals, painting and drawing, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. It includes 18 tenure-track faculty and 13 Career Instructors, serving approximately 650 undergraduates and 20 graduate students. 

The photography area, one of eight media areas, currently features one Tenure Track and two Non-Tenure Track faculty. Courses emphasize both conceptual and technical aspects of photography, blending contemporary theory with historical context to enhance students’ artistic and critical skills. 

Facilities for the photography area include a lighting studio, digital output workspaces with large-format printers, darkrooms for all film formats, an alternative process and mural printing room, a Hasselblad Flextight X-5 drum scanner, and various cameras for checkout.

Minimum requirements
–An MFA or equivalent terminal degree, or other master’s degree combined with one year of relevant experience in the field.
–Strong and active exhibition and professional record in the field.

Preferred qualifications
–Three years of college teaching experience beyond graduate school.
–Fluency in contemporary cultural and aesthetic theory, with an interest in course development in this area.
–Experience in both digital technologies and traditional analog methods