Associate or Full Professor, Head of Industrial Design Program

Associate or Full Professor, Head of Industrial Design Program The School of Visual Art and Design (SVAD) in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Carolina invites applications for a full-time, nine-month tenured faculty position at the rank of Associate or Full Professor in Industrial Design, to begin August 16, 2027. The selected candidate will also serve as the inaugural Head of the new Industrial Design Program. The University of South Carolina's Industrial Design degree (B.S.I.D.) is set to launch in Fall 2027 and was designed at the university president's initiative to be a sibling program to the Industrial Engineering degree in the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing in response to the growth of several industrial and manufacturing sectors in the state. The program curriculum is in place and SVAD will soon occupy a nearly 3900 sq ft makerspace with three faculty offices, directly next door to the main SVAD building. The college will outfit the space with industrial design and digital fabrication equipment. The nearby wood and metal shops and ceramics studio will complement the resources in the makerspace. This tenured position is part of a cluster of presidential hiring in both colleges for Industrial Engineering (INDE) and Industrial Design (IDEA). This position is the lead faculty person in a group of three in Industrial Design. Two Assistant Professor positions in Industrial Design are being listed simultaneously, also to begin in August 2027. The tenured faculty member will be the inaugural Head of the Industrial Design Program. The ideal candidate will have demonstrable research expertise in the form of publications and/or an extensive design portfolio. The Head of the IDEA Program will lead the launch of the new degree, including the direction of two Assistant Professors (to be hired simultaneously); administrative oversight of an approx. 3900 sq ft makerspace and its contents; strategic planning for major recruitment and program growth; forming and cultivating industry relations in South Carolina; and collaborating with colleagues in the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing (MCEC). The Head of the Industrial Design Program will report directly to the Director of SVAD and the Area Coordinator of Studio Art & Design. In addition to teaching, the tenured faculty member will maintain an active research agenda (including creative production), mentor students and colleagues, and undertake institutional and professional service. Required Education and Experience - Master of Industrial Design (MID), Master of Design (MDes), or equivalent, or Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in related discipline, or PhD in Industrial Design or closely related field. Demonstrable record of scholarship (including creative production) of national or international significance, grant and/or industry funding, and teaching and service appropriate to the rank of tenured Associate or Full Professor.