Instructor or Lecturer, Film and Mass Media, Nicholson School of Communication and Media

Unleash Your Potential With Us

As a next-generation public research institution, we are an inclusive community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to shape the future and solve the world’s most challenging problems. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you become an integral part of our mission to become a university for the future. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with uniquely talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses and regional locations. That means greater challenges to tackle, more meaningful opportunities to grow, and rewarding experiences that go beyond a paycheck.

The Opportunity

The Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM) in the College of Sciences (COS) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) invites applications for a full-time, nine-month, non-tenure-earning instructor or lecturer anticipated to begin August 2024.

The successful candidate will contribute to the Film and Mass Media program’s mission by teaching undergraduate and/or graduate-level courses.  Graduate-level activities may include supporting the M.F.A. degree by providing critiques, mentoring, and serving on graduate thesis committees. 

We are especially interested in individuals who are qualified, experienced, and comfortable teaching hands-on production skills related to fiction narrative cinematography and editing.  Applicants who possess only experience in screenwriting and/or producing will not be considered.  Documentary cinematography and camera experience should be accompanied by additional experience on narrative and/or commercial productions.

We seek individuals who can contribute through their creative research, teaching, and service to the excellence of our academic community and foster an environment in which faculty, staff, and students from a variety of backgrounds, cultures and personal experiences are welcomed and can thrive.

NSCM is a large, student-centered school with a collegial and friendly faculty and staff.  NSCM strives to be a premier academic program known for excellence in research, teaching and service to students and the community.  The NSCM Film and Mass Media program offers a B.A. in film production that emphasizes collaborative skills in filmmaking, a B.F.A. in film production that emphasizes creative directorial skills (limited access), and an M.F.A. in feature film production that offers students creative opportunities in fiction, nonfiction, or experimental cinematic modes.  In addition to the Film degrees, the Film and Mass Media program includes journalism and media production management (formerly radio-television) degrees.  For more information, visit https://communication.ucf.edu .

The College of Sciences (COS) houses most of the university’s natural, computational, and social sciences in eight departments, two schools and several centers.  The college’s programs play a key role in advancing UCF as a national research university that is determined to help students from all backgrounds achieve success.  For more information, visit https://sciences.ucf.edu .

UCF, located in Orlando, Florida, is classified as a Very High Research Activity university by the Carnegie Foundation.  With a diverse student body of more than 68,000 students, UCF is one of the largest universities in the country.  The university offers more than 240 degree programs. UCF is committed to diversity and is designated a Hispanic Serving Institution.  For more information, visit https://www.ucf.edu .

Minimum Qualifications:

Applicants must have an earned MFA (for a lecturer) or B.A./BFA (for an instructor) from an accredited institution by the time of hire

• In the case of an MFA (for a lecturer), this must be accompanied by at least 5 years of proven professional experience working in narrative fiction film or commercial cinematography, camera department, or lighting and grip by the time of hire.

• In the case of a B.A. or BFA degree (for an instructor), this must be accompanied by at least 10 years of proven professional experience working in narrative fiction film or commercial cinematography, camera department, or lighting and grip by the time of hire.

In addition, applicants must demonstrate two years of experience by the time of hire as an instructor of record in teaching undergraduate courses at an accredited institution of higher learning, with a demonstrated ability to teach classes in hands-on production skills such as cinematography, lighting and grip, editing, or sound design.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate a grasp of academic responsibilities and a potential for active university service, as demonstrated by previous work as a team member or as project leader with measurable outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications:

Preference will be given to applicants with experience working as cinematographers or in camera/lighting/grip departments on feature length narrative fiction film productions or commercials shot in a digital format. 

The preferred candidate will have strong connections within the contemporary narrative fiction film or commercial production industry. 

Ideal candidates will demonstrate the ability to mentor graduate students to produce independent microbudget feature-length films, from funding to production to distribution. 

Additional Application Materials Required:

UCF requires all applications and supporting documents to be submitted electronically through the Human Resources employment opportunities website, https://www.ucf.edu/jobs/ .  In addition to the online application, candidates should upload the following:

• A letter of application that includes examples of inclusion initiatives in teaching or creative work.

• A current curriculum vita (CV) that includes teaching experience and exhibition record.

• Two or three examples of creative work (specifying your role(s) in the work).

• Three academic or professional references (including address, phone number and email address).

Applicants who advance, could be requested to provide a teaching philosophy statement of no more than 300 words that addresses the ability to teach using different modes of delivery, including online and large classes, later in the process.

The selected candidate will be required to submit official transcripts (and, as applicable, U.S. degree equivalency evaluations) documenting the conferral of their qualifying academic credentials.

NOTE: Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be simultaneously uploaded.  Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Questions regarding the position should be directed to Dr. Lisa Mills, Assistant Director of Film and Mass Media, at [email protected] .

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

N/A

Job Close Date:

Open until filled.

Note to applicants: Please keep in mind that a job posted as ‘Open until filled ’ may close at any time without notice. As such, we encourage you to submit your application and all required documentation as quickly as possible to ensure consideration for the posted position.

Are Benefits Important to You?

Working at UCF has its perks!  In addition to helping drive change and having a positive impact by supporting our students, staff, and faculty, UCF offers:

• Benefit packages including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, healthcare flexible spending accounts, and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Paid time off, including annual leave (12-month faculty) and sick leave and paid holidays.
• Retirement savings options.
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando area attractions.
• Education assistance.
• Flexible work environment.

And more…For more benefits information, go to ‘Prospective Employees’ on the UCF Human Resources website (https://hr.ucf.edu/ ).

Who Are We?

Founded in 1963 to fuel the region’s talent pipeline and support the growing U.S. space program, UCF is built to make a better future for our students and society. It’s one of the reasons U.S. News & World Report ranks UCF among the nation’s top 20 most innovative colleges, while Forbes, Kiplinger , and The Princeton Review rank us a best-value university. UCF is one of 14 universities nationwide designated as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and a Research 1 university. With 13 colleges, including a fully accredited College of Medicine, UCF offers more than 240 degree programs between its main campus, downtown campus, hospitality campus, academic health sciences campus, and 11 UCF Connect centers located throughout the region. In addition, UCF extends its reach to communities in and beyond Central Florida by offering complete online programs leading to bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, Ph.D.'s., certificates, and more.

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer. Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of higher education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to employment in research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty positions (including employed visiting positions), graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, postdoctoral scholar positions, and undergraduate positions.

Department

Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM)

Work Schedule

Varies

Type of Appointment

Regular

Expected Salary

Negotiable

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The University of Central Florida is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer including Disabled/Vets.  Click on UCF's Equal Opportunity Statement to view the President’s Statement.

The UCF affirmative action plans for qualified individuals with disabilities and protected Veterans are available for inspection in the Office of Institutional Equity, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., upon request.

As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request. 

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.