Assistant Professor, Data Visualization

Location: USF St Petersburg Campus, Florida, USA
Role: Assistant Professor
Salary Plan: Faculty
Job Opening Number: 35706
Closing Date: 14 March 2024

Position Summary

The University of South Florida’s College of the Arts invites applications for an exciting new interdisciplinary tenure-track Assistant Professor position specializing in Data Visualization. This new position will be an active contributor and research partner in an emerging Center of Excellence in Environmental & Oceanographic Sciences, which connects a constellation of new and existing programs centered around research, coastal resiliency and sustainability, and community impact. These include: the College of Marine Science, which is a longstanding hub of coastal resiliency research; the Florida Center for Community Design & Research (part of the School of Architecture & Community Design) that offers design expertise, technical assistance, applied research, and related services; and the Graphic Design Program and the School of Art and Art History’s expanded art and design research practices, which place a premium value on the need for compelling visual communication tactics that provide a critical link between our research programs, and the spectrum of diverse stakeholder audiences and communities we serve. This position should help drive powerful, accessible visual products and programs that ensure useful visualization of data for action-focused science and design innovations.

We are seeking a creative practitioner whose research and teaching practices are focused on data visualization and visual storytelling in the context of a hybrid data science and design practice. Candidates should be able to demonstrate a promising research trajectory as well as articulate the potential for their contribution toward productive cross-disciplinary and collaborative research taking place across USF. Candidates should also be able to develop and teach curricula in their area of focus in relation to art and design, while likewise bridging experimental and practical methodologies. Teaching load will span graduate and undergraduate instruction across the College of The Arts and the College of Marine Science. Ideal candidates will be accomplished designers and researchers in graphic design and data visualization with interest and expertise in data driven design processes.

The successful candidate will maintain an active research agenda and report on it annually toward promotion and tenure. This practitioner/researcher will be comfortable collaborating with diverse teams on a variety of projects and will be expected to secure external research funding. The position requires a successful candidate to be actively involved in the College of the Arts and the College of Marine Science programs, adding their research and practice to an area focused on collaboration, research, productivity, and student success.

Responsibilities:

• Teach a variety of courses and offer directed studies in graphic design and data visualization at the undergraduate and graduate levels;
• Maintain an active research/creative practice agenda and annually report on progress toward promotion and tenure;
• Engage in service to the university. May represent the university, college/school, or department/program on university and/or state-wide committees;
• Participate in curriculum and program development and outreach.

Organizational Summary:​​​​​​

As the creative center of the University of South Florida, the College of the Arts (CoTA) provides an enriched, creative, and professional environment for tomorrow’s leaders in architecture, art, art history, music, theatre, dance, and design. The College’s three research centers, including the university’s world renowned Graphicstudio, lead the way, making meaningful contributions to their field in practical ways every day. CoTA is an engine for socioeconomic progress through research, advocacy, and engagement. The interdisciplinary ecosystem prepares creative leaders for a global society, engaging and collaborating to create lasting positive impact.

USF’s Florida Center for Community Design and Research (CDR) is an integral part of the University of South Florida's School of Architecture & Community Design. The Center provides design expertise, technical assistance, applied research, and community engagement services to address urban challenges related to the built environment. Founded in 1986 as a statewide research center, CDR has worked with over 150 communities on more than 2000 projects. The mission is to assist the citizens of Florida in the creation of more livable and sustainable communities. There are four program areas that align with this mission: Design Technology, Urbanization and Resiliency, Urban Design and Community Health, and Community Engagement.

USF’s Contemporary Art Museum, Wilson Gallery, three professional theaters and two state-of-the-art concert halls support production of nearly 400 events each year, including concerts, performances, exhibitions, lectures, conferences, masterclasses, and festivals – all free of charge and open to the entire Tampa Bay community. The USF School of Art & Art History with 500 majors and more than 25 full-time faculty on two campuses (St. Petersburg & Tampa), is the design and visual arts educational hub in a diverse region of more than 3 million residents. The Graphic Arts Program is housed in Harbor Hall on the St. Petersburg campus’ beautiful Bayboro Harbor adjacent to downtown St. Petersburg. Harbor Hall has recently completed a $1 million renovation featuring state-of-the-art studios, classrooms, and research spaces. The Design faculty are nationally and internationally recognized for their high-impact creative research achievements.

The College of Marine Science (CMS) seeks to increase and apply fundamental knowledge of global ocean systems and human-ocean interactions through research, graduate education, and community engagement. The College creates and disseminates knowledge about ocean physics, chemistry, biology, geology, and fisheries through observation, modeling, and theory. CMS aims to train a well-educated work force and to create a more scientifically-informed society. CMS has 24 ranked faculty covering biological, chemical, geological, and physical oceanography and marine resource assessment, ~110 graduate students, ~$15 million in annual research, a total endowment of ~$18 million, and ~80 full-time support personnel. CMS hosts a range of state-of-the-art instrumentation and facilities, including the Marine Environmental Chemistry Laboratory (MECLab), Tampa Bay Plasma Facility, the Center for Ocean Technology, and two research vessels. St. Petersburg is home to many Federal and State environmental research and operational agencies that together comprise one of the largest marine-science research complexes in the U.S.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Terminal degree from an accredited institution in the field of specialization or professional experience equivalent;
• A demonstrated record of achievement in teaching, academic research, and service. Must meet university criteria for appointment to the rank of Assistant Professor.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in Graphic Design, Data Visualization, Visual Communication, Informatics, Architecture, or related area of study or equivalent professional experience;
• A strong record of research productivity spanning the fields of graphic design and data visualization;
• Experience teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level;
• Demonstrated interest in marine science, data science, and/or diverse visual communication methods;
• Experience translating scientific data in a socially conscious manner;
• A record of collaboration across disciplines.

Please provide the following documents when completing your application:

• Letter of interest in this position;
• Curriculum Vitae;
• Contact information for 3 references;
• Links to professional works/portfolio;
• Links to student works.

This position is subject to a Level 1 criminal background check.

How To Apply

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Apply online by completing the required information and attaching your cover letter and resume. Please include your experience as it relates to the qualifications stated above. YOUR COVER LETTER AND RESUME, PLUS ANY OTHER REQUESTED MATERIAL, MUST BE IN ONE ATTACHMENT. Only online applications are accepted for this position.

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To request an accommodation with the application or interview process, please contact Central Human Resources by telephone: 813-974-2970 or email [email protected] .

Equal Employment Opportunity
USF is an equal opportunity, equal access academic institution that embraces diversity in the workplace.

The University of South Florida does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sexual harassment. Any person may report sex discrimination, including sexual harassment (whether or not the person reporting is the person alleged to be the victim of conduct that could constitute sex discrimination or sexual harassment), in person, by mail, by telephone, or by electronic mail, using the contact information listed for the Title IX Coordinator. Reports may be made at any time either online or directly to the University's Title IX Coordinator. USF's Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Statement .

Federal Rights
Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) , Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) .

Work Location
Campus map and location overview: USF - St. Petersburg Campus

About USF
The University of South Florida is a high-impact global research university dedicated to student success. Over the past 10 years, no other public university in the country has risen faster in U.S. News & World Report's national university rankings than USF. Serving more than 50,000 students on campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee, USF is designated as a Preeminent State Research University by the Florida Board of Governors, placing it in the most elite category among the state's 12 public universities. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference.

Working at USF
With more than 16,000 employees at USF, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay region. At USF you will find opportunities to excel in a rich academic environment that fosters the development and advancement of our employees. We believe in creating a talented, engaged and driven workforce through on-going development and career opportunities. We also offer a first class benefit package that includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, tuition program and generous leave programs and more.

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