Job Opportunity: Assistant Professor of Fashion at Parsons

Parsons, The New School for Design, a division of The New School, seeks applicants for an Assistant Professor, renewable term appointment within the School of Art and Design History and Theory at Parsons. Applicants should demonstrate expertise in fashion studies including the theory, culture, histories and practices of fashion. Candidates must show evidence of innovative pedagogical approaches and be forward-thinking about what skills and literacies are now required to adeptly respond to complex global conditions. Position starts July 1, 2011.

Minimum Qualifications:
•A PhD degree or demonstrated equivalence and published work in design studies/design history and theory relevant to specific position.
•A minimum of 3 years’ teaching experience at university level
•Thorough knowledge of current scholarship in the field of fashion studies.
•Demonstrated record of excellence in research, scholarship or creative practice.
•Proven track record of working well with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, professional training and aesthetic sensibilities.
•Understanding of the implications of fashion and design practices in relationship to broader social, cultural, economic, scientific and technological forces.
•Interest in developing serious critical, historical, and theoretical discussions around the study of fashion
•Ability to develop and nurture individual student’s abilities and a strong commitment to progressive design education.
•Excellent writing and interpersonal communication skills.
•Good management skills, including the ability to meet deadlines, communicate and motivate effectively.
•An interest in working collaboratively within Parsons, the University, and with external partners towards the development of shared projects and initiatives.

Additional Information: Parsons is engaged in a Diversity Initiative and so individuals from groups under-represented in U.S. higher education are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants with an engagement with the contemporary art/design of Asia, Africa, Europe or Latin America and/or African Americans, Latinos, or Native Americans is highly desirable.

At Parsons we are continuing to strengthen our academic programs through a series of strategic faculty hires. The faculty we seek will help us expand our current and future curricular offerings at both the undergraduate and graduate levels by embracing new forms of critically engaged disciplinary and trans-disciplinary practice. In this exciting period of growth, we are redesigning our curriculum so that it encourages students to make more deliberate choices about the kinds of issues they wish to creatively address in their work, linking what they learn within the classroom to more project-based learning throughout New York City and the world.

Please see www.parsons.edu to learn more about Parsons and the School of Art and Design History and Theory.

Application Instructions: Applicants for faculty positions must apply on-line using the faculty application on The New School human resources website http://careers.newschool.edu. Applicants may be contacted at the discretion of the search committee for additional materials, such as digital portfolio/work samples.