Assistant Professor, Interior Design Program

Job

9931

College of Art and Design, School of Design at Rochester Institute of Technology.

12-Aug-2026

The School of Design in the College of Art and Design invites applicants to apply for a tenure‑track Assistant Professor position to teach in the Interior Design program. RIT Interior Design is a student‑centered academic environment where burgeoning designers cultivate their unique points of view under professional faculty tutelage. Our mission is to mentor students so that they enter the field prepared to contribute with a deep‑rooted understanding of the needs of society, culture, and the environment.

The program is highly sought‑after and known for engaging students in real‑world projects locally and internationally, reshaping how we live in the world.

RIT’s CIDA‑accredited interior design program challenges students to be creative thinkers capable of responding thoughtfully to the challenges facing humanity, the environment, and emerging global conditions. The B.F.A. degree is a multi‑faceted program of study offering a comprehensive exploration of the commercial architectural interior. The curriculum synthesizes theoretical constructs with technical requirements and design processes to create inspiring, purposeful interior environments for a range of users and project typologies.

Students build upon knowledge and experience from formal instruction, internships, and program mentorship to cultivate professional skills. Retention and employment rates for B.F.A. graduates reflect the overall quality of our program.

We invite applications from accomplished interior design or interior architecture faculty and ancillary design professionals with higher‑education teaching experience and significant professional expertise. The program seeks a dynamic, creative team member who is actively engaged in the industry and committed to advocating for the program and its students within the professional community.

Successful candidates will demonstrate the capacity to teach comprehensively across the Interior Design curriculum and exhibit leadership and strategic vision in advancing the program. Ideal applicants possess a robust professional and student portfolio illustrating diverse skills and a range of expertise for the discipline. Areas of consideration include, but are not limited to, history and theory; design process and methods; space planning for a variety of commercial design typologies (healthcare, multipurpose, event and exhibition, office, retail, hospitality);

accessibility and human factors; sustainable design thinking; universal design; building systems and materiality; color and light; FF&E specifications, code compliance, and construction documentation. The body of work must demonstrate knowledge and use of current and emerging software relevant to the field, such as BIM, generative design, animation, and AI, integrated into curricula.

In addition to teaching responsibilities, the candidate will engage in research and creative scholarship, contribute to curriculum development, advise students, and provide service to the university, college, department, and profession.

Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to a community that values student‑centeredness; professional development and scholarship; integrity and ethics; innovation and flexibility; and teamwork and collaboration.

Internationally renowned, the School of Design offers five undergraduate programs in 3D Digital Design, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, and New Media Design, plus two graduate programs in Industrial Design and Visual Communication Design. SOD also includes the Vignelli Center for Design Studies with its vast archive of relevant design artifacts and their processes. It is a creative community where students discover unique talents and expressive potential while developing essential skills.

The School of Design hosts roughly half of the College’s enrollment. SOD alumni and faculty are nationally and internationally recognized, including National Design Award recipients and leaders at global companies.…