Description
Assistant Professor of
XR Technologies - Media and Immersive eXperience Center
Herberger Institute
for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University
Description:
The School of Arts,
Media and Engineering at Arizona State University seeks a dynamic developer and
technologist for a tenure-track assistant professor appointment in XR
Technologies. This expert in technologies for extended reality (XR) will be a
critical part of a highly collaborative team devoted to transdisciplinary
approaches to public impact through the creative use of technology. They will
join the team in Fall 2023 as part of the Arts, Media and Engineering faculty
and the Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center (mix.asu.edu). This
appointment requires in-person instruction on both the Tempe Campus and at the
MIX Center in downtown Mesa.
About ASU
Arizona State
University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented
combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy and broad access.
This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four
differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and
environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by
real world application blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate
academic disciplines. ASU serves more than 80,000 students in metropolitan
Phoenix, Arizona, the nation's fifth largest city. ASU champions intellectual
and cultural diversity, and welcomes students from all fifty states and more
than one hundred nations across the globe.
About the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the
Arts is the largest comprehensive design and arts school in the country,
located within a dynamic research university focused on transformative change.
Built on a unique combination of disciplines, the Herberger Institute comprises
the Schools of Art;
Arts, Media and Engineering;
Music, Dance and Theatre;
The Design School; The Sidney
Poitier New American Film School, and the ASU Art Museum. The Herberger Institute is committed to redefining
the 21st-century design and arts school through developing and scaling ideas
that strengthen the role of designers and artists across all areas of society
and culture, increasing the capacity of artists to make a difference in their
communities. For more information on the Herberger Institute for Design and the
Arts, visit herbergerinstitute.asu.edu.
The primary
responsibilities for this position will be in the programs of the MIX Center, a
cross-disciplinary trio of graduate programs bringing together researchers,
designers and engineers to leverage XR technologies, immersive experience
design, and practices for public impact. The successful candidate will be
expected to develop an independently funded and collaborative research program,
teach and mentor students, participate in professional and university service,
engage stakeholders in the university and the community, and demonstrate
national and international leadership in their field. We
are interested in cultivating a pool of candidates who want to join a
connected, mission-driven, hard-working team of practitioners driven by
creativity, curiosity, justice, and equity. If this describes you, we encourage
you to apply.
Required
Qualifications:
Candidates for this
position must have:
·
Demonstrated excellence in teaching in higher
education or other settings, and commitment to teaching in higher education;
·
Demonstrated dedication to equity, diversity, and
inclusion.
·
A PhD or other terminal degree in computer science,
engineering, computational media, media arts or related fields by the start
date of the appointment.
·
Demonstrated expertise in and experience with research
in software and content development for XR, game design and/or interactive
media, as well as demonstrated proficiency in one or more of the following
tools and practices: building 3D applications in Unity, Unreal or equivalent
game engines; C#; C++, XR optimization; motion graphics; motion
capture, Machine Learning (ML) and/or computer vision (CV).
Desired
Qualifications:
Research shows that people from groups closest to the harms of
institutional racism and inequality often apply to jobs only if they meet 100%
of the qualifications. Highly
qualified candidates for this position may possess a combination of some of the
following skills, however, the search committee does not anticipate that
applicants will meet all of the desired qualifications listed.
- Commitment
to research, creative activity and/or scholarship that has public impact
outside of the academy, including work related to community engagement,
social justice, communication of science, cross-cultural communication or
similar endeavors.
- Evidence
of ability to inspire and instruct learners from diverse
backgrounds.
- Ability
to communicate effectively in and across multiple disciplinary cultures;
expertise in engaging multiple viewpoints and audiences in a variety of
formats.
- Advanced
proficiency in using computer languages and
technologies including, but not limited to C++, C#, JavaScript,
Python, HTML5, AWS, and PostgreSQL.
- Proficiency
in one or more of the following tools, practices, and systems: cloud
infrastructure for XR and mobile application development; iOS and/or
Android development; developments for VR/AR frameworks like Oculus,
Hololens, SteamVR, ARKit/ARCore, MRTK, ARFoundation;
and hardware/interface development for XR.
- Knowledge
of virtual production environments and tools and workflows.
- Demonstrated
interest and/or experience in UI/UX design.
- Experience
with 3D software workflows including Maya, Max, Blender, Revit, Navisworks
or similar.
- Advanced
experience designing managed plug-ins and/or native plug-ins for game
engines or related software.
- Experience
collaborating with colleagues from different disciplines (including
engineers, game designers, and/or artists, among others) to develop and
grow dynamic research and academic programs.
- Demonstrated
experience in working with external stakeholders and communities in a
highly collaborative or co-creative manner.
- Experience
teaching online or creating resources for training/education in an online
environment.