Tenure-track Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor

The Department of Design Media Arts (DMA) within the UCLA School of Arts and Architecture invites applications for an open rank tenured or tenure-track professor position in the area of Games.

This is a broad call that encourages applications from a wide range of practices and approaches to game research, practice, and scholarship. Successful candidates will have a strong record of recognition and achievement in a game-related field as well as excellence in teaching, preferably at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

To apply, please visit https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF08835

Application Window

Next review date: Saturday, Nov 11, 2023 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Saturday, Nov 11, 2023 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Who should apply?

We seek applications from scholars, artists, and researchers who engage with critical and experimental approaches to games. Applicants should demonstrate expertise, community engagement, and international recognition for one or many critical game-related practices.

Example areas of focus might include:

• critical theory and method in game studies
• game programming and production
• experimental game art
• game writing and emerging genres
• games and performance
• virtual game environments, narrative, and worldbuilding
• networked media and multiplayer games
• games and accessibility

Ultimately, we are looking for theorists and/or practitioners whose work is socially, conceptually, and/or theoretically motivated, who would contribute to the diversity of the department and enhance its offerings with cross-cultural perspectives. Ideal candidates will contribute to further developing the vision of the Design Media Arts Department and the UCLA Game Lab, and will work to advance our goals of merging artistic practice, social responsibility, and cultural inquiry around gaming and related fields.

Working in the Department of Design Media Arts (DMA)

DMA is looking for a colleague with a commitment to working in social, critical, and cultural spaces, who believes in building nourishing and supportive communities. We prioritize diversity, accessibility, and accountability. We expect that this position will attract applicants who value teaching, academic service and leadership, humanistic practices, and collaboration, who have deep commitments to social issues, and who manifest their passions and craft within the area of games and media arts.

Responsibilities

The position involves teaching three undergraduate studio courses and two graduate seminars each academic year, contributing service to the department and the University, advancing the goals of the UCLA Game Lab, and developing independent research and creative activity appropriate for advancement within the University of California. Teaching at UCLA is on a quarterly schedule; the teaching load is 2,2,1. Service includes chairing or serving on two or three departmental or University-wide committees, involvement in departmental admissions, mentoring junior faculty, and advising graduate students.

About UCLA, The Department of Design Media Arts, and the UCLA Game Lab

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is located in the neighborhood of Westwood in Los Angeles. UCLA is an R1 research institution and part of the University of California (UC) system, and has been ranked as the No. 1 public university by the U.S. News & World Report for six consecutive years.

Situated in the School of Arts and Architecture, the department of Design Media Arts (DMA) has a population of 24 graduate students in its 3-year MFA program and approximately 200 undergraduate students in its 4-year BA program. DMA houses 12 full-time senate faculty, approximately 15 lecturers, and a range of faculty directed research centers and initiatives, which include the UCLA Game Lab, Counterforce Lab, UCLA Social Software, Media Arts Research Space (MARS), Art|Sci Center, FLAT Journal, and the Conditional Studio. DMA offers a technologically innovative and intellectually rigorous curriculum anchored around media arts, design, and games, providing a multidisciplinary education to foster critical thinking and encourage experimentation, creative exploration, and research.

The UCLA Game Lab fosters the production of experimental games and game-related research within an art and design context. We emphasize conceptual risk-taking and the development of new modes of expression, form, and critical inquiry through gaming. In addition to producing games and research, the UCLA Game Lab also functions as a center that develops public programming around critical issues in gaming, including lectures, workshops, exhibitions, a visiting artist program, a summer program, and a public game festival at the Hammer Museum, among other events.

Applications must include the following:

1. One-page cover letter with a description of creative research and teaching experience.
2. Personal statement that discusses the applicant's artistic and educational philosophy and approach to teaching.
3. Curriculum vitae.
4. Evidence of teaching effectiveness. As applicable, please include evaluations, syllabi, and examples of student work.
5. A statement with a description of past or potential contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Contributions to diversity might include teaching, mentoring, research, or service towards building an equitable and diverse scholarship environment and/or increasing access or participation of individuals from historically underrepresented groups.
6. A portfolio that is specifically curated for the search committee, prioritized with your most accomplished work, and includes, as appropriate, documentation of your artwork, your own writings or statements and notable reviews or articles discussing your work. This can be an online link to a website or PDF format file.
7. Names and contact information (mailing address, email address, and phone
   number) of three professional references. (Letters of recommendation are
   not requested at this time).

The level of appointment will be determined by the candidate’s qualifications and professional experience.

Anticipated start date is July 1, 2024.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment as well as a commitment to addressing all forms of academic misconduct, UCLA conducts targeted employment reference checks for finalists to whom department or other hiring unit would like to extend formal offers of appointment into Academic Senate faculty positions. The targeted employment reference checks involve contacting the finalists’ current and prior places of employment to ask whether they have substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University’s Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UCLA requires all applicants for Academic Senate faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into RECRUIT as part of their application. If the applicant does not include the signed authorization to release information with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete. As with any incomplete application, the application will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists (i.e., those to whom the department or other hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer) considered for Academic Senate faculty positions will be subject to targeted reference checks.

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Policy. All Covered Individuals under the policy must provide proof of Full Vaccination or, if applicable, submit a request for Exception (based on Medical Exemption, Disability, and/or Religious Objection) or Deferral (based on pregnancy) no later than the applicable deadline. New University of California employees must (a) provide proof of receiving at least one dose of a COVID-19 Vaccine no later than 14 calendar days after their first date of employment and provide proof of Full Vaccination no later than eight weeks after their first date of employment; or (b) if applicable, submit a request for Exception or Deferral no later than 14 calendar days after their first date of employment. (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.) Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy, see: UC Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action Policy.

To clarify, this call is open-rank and can be hired into as Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor

To apply, please visit https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF08835