Position:  Design Foundation Faculty – Space Studio
Position Number: F26990
Position Location: Doha, Qatar
Position Begins: August 2012
Review of Applications Begins: January 3, 2012 and continues until position is filled.

VCUQatar (www.qatar.vcu.edu) is the Qatar campus of the prestigious Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia. Established in 1998 through a partnership with the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, VCUQatar offers students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design and Painting & Printmaking and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Design Studies.  Located in Doha, the capital city of Qatar, VCUQatar is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. The current student body represents a diverse range of nationalities with students coming from more than 40 different countries.

VCUQatar strives to provide an engaged, learner-centered environment that fosters inquiry, discovery and innovation in a global setting. The university hosts the biennial international design conference Tasmeem Doha and supports the biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Islamic Art Symposium, attracting globally recognized designers, academics and thinkers while fostering sustainable, university-community partnerships that enhance the educational, economic and cultural vitality of Qatar.  The university has substantial involvement with the emerging design industries in Qatar and is a significant catalyst for that growth. It has established itself as a center of excellence for education and research in art and design.

VCUQatar has 131 full-time faculty and staff and a student body of 249. VCUQatar was the first campus established in Education City, a unique 2500-acre campus community. The university has since been joined by Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Carnegie-Mellon University, Texas A&M University, Weill Cornell Medical College, Northwestern University, and HEC Paris.

Qatar is a liberal, hospitable and progressive country in the Arabian Gulf and remains one of the healthiest economies in the Gulf region. English is the standard second language and the population of Qatar is approximately 1.65 million and growing – 350,000 Qatari, the remainder expatriates. Doha offers all the conveniences found in a contemporary and cosmopolitan city, and also maintains a traditional Arab flavor, evident in the old markets and the city’s Islamic Arab architecture. The Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I.M.Pei opened in November 2008 and the Arab Museum of Modern Art (MATHAF) opened in 2010. The US Embassy considers Qatar among the safest countries in the world for Americans.

Position Description:

The Space studio faculty will be an artist, designer, educator and active professional who will teach in the Design Foundation Program. This position is responsible for leading and teaching the foundation-level curriculum for the “Space” studio. The Space studio is designed to cultivate the ability to think, perceive, visualize, design and build in three dimensions. This position will utilize a contemporary mix of experimental design studio processes to develop a student’s ability to understand, envision and communicate effectively about space, objects, scale and the relationship of the body to the built environment. Students will acquire knowledge and skills in building, constructing, fastening and shaping via hands-on projects that introduce tools, materials, and specialized techniques vital to understanding three-dimensions.

The Space studio is built on the following principles; spatial problem solving that engages the student in spatial thinking; ability to combine conceptual thinking with development of tangible form; ability to understand and master principles of construction; technical/analytical drawing, exploration of a large variety of materials, conceptual design thinking, design and prototyping, documentation and communication; critical design thinking; innovative approaches and strategies that enable the student to understand how to utilize and apply the learning in future designs.

Applicants with expertise in design, architecture and sculpture are invited to apply from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds. This position will join an active Design Foundation faculty team which has four full-time faculty, each responsible for one area of the four pillars of the Design Foundation curriculum that represent basic tenets of Art and Design: Drawing, Surface (2D), Space (3D) and Time (storytelling through media). This position will work closely with the faculty and the Director of the program to develop and build a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to the curriculum. All faculty contribute to a culture of learning through participation and support for accreditation standards, pursuit of professional creative research, and participation in faculty governance, service, student advising, and other duties as assigned. The successful candidate will work in a team oriented small-school environment with practicing, experienced and dedicated educators. Opportunities for regional and international collaboration abound.

Qualifications

Successful candidates must have an MFA or terminal degree in design or related field and a minimum of two years teaching experience in art and design related to the principles of the Space Studio. Candidates with a demonstrated record of excellence in teaching at the undergraduate level with an established record of accomplishments in research or professional work in design strongly preferred. Strong digital, collaborative and communication skills are required. Experience teaching introductory studio level is preferred. Experience or potential for working in a culturally diverse work environment is required. Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU and VCUQatar.

Benefits

• Competitive international salary
• Tax protection for U.S. Taxpayers
• 30% Off-shore supplement to base salary
• Medical Insurance (100% employer funded premium and employer cost shared options available)
• Fully furnished villa or apartment including wireless internet
• Annual travel allowance to home of record (to include a spouse and dependents relocated to Qatar)
• Monthly transportation allowance
• Educational reimbursement for up to 4 dependent children enrolled in an accredited K-12 program
• International Professional Development and Research Opportunities

Application Process:

Qualified applicants who have a record of achievement appropriate to VCUQatar should submit a letter of interest with a curriculum vitae, twenty (20) examples of personal work and twenty (20) examples of student work, unofficial transcripts, and the names of five (5) references including email and telephone contact information to Tomaree L. Porter (tlporter@vcu.edu), Human Resources Administrator, Qatar Support Office. Only Electronic submissions will be accepted.

Virginia Commonwealth University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.