University of Nebraska at Kearney

Job Summary:

The Department of Art and Design at the University of Nebraska, Kearney invites applications for the tenure-track position of Assistant Professor of Studio Arts: Painting and 2D Arts to start in Fall 2026. Successful candidates will be expected to engage in sustained and ongoing creative/scholarly activities related to the visual arts. They will need to have a significant professional studio art practice and exhibition record or show promise of one through ongoing creative/scholarly activities that is in line with a tenure-track position. In addition, this position carries a teaching load split between studio painting and 2D arts, with assignments exploring emerging digital media. Faculty may also teach in areas across the department that are connected to their research interests and in our Foundations Arts. We seek an artist-educator who will support art and design majors in developing traditional skills while encouraging conceptual and critical thinking throughout their art degree and area of studies. This position’s other responsibilities include managing studio facilities, professional advising, assisting with recruitment, curriculum development, and university committees and services.

Successful Candidates:

• Teaching Load 50% Painting Emphasis and 50% 2D Art.
• Undergraduate student advising.
• Scholarly development involving studio art activities, exhibitions and/or publications.
• Participate in Department and University meetings, curriculum maintenance, and course-program development.
• Participate in professional development in local, state, and national art-affiliated organizations to foster the visual arts.
• Opportunity to teach a graduate level studio art course.

Required Qualifications:

• Master of Fine Arts
• Experience in Painting and 2D Art (drawing, illustration, mixed and digital media)
• Teaching Experience (in-person)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Relevant and successful teaching experience at the College or University level.
• Painting experience with water-based media, acyclic media, and oil media with additional 2D Art experience related to drawing, illustration, mixed and digital media.
• Successful studio art practice with accomplished scholarly activities and exhibition record.
• Experience with traditional in-person teaching and distance learning/online course delivery methods.
• Online teaching.

About Us:

The Department of Art and Design at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, involves a diverse art experience of traditional and emerging arts not only education, but also to prepare students for a career in the arts. The Department offers undergraduate art majors in areas including art education, drawing, glass, illustration, printmaking, photography, visual communication and design. In addition, the Department offers an online graduate degrees in art education: classroom emphasis, and museum education emphasis. At UNK, students have many extra opportunities to gain a richer educational experience, from visiting artists and gallery shows to workshops and national competitions, to extra-curricular art clubs and working with client-based projects in the community and state. The Art and Design Department at UNK is ever-changing with popular culture while still staying true to classical artists and emerging visual arts. Our faculty consist of 9 tenure tack, 2 lecture instructors, and 8 adjunct faculty.

Additional Information:

A Master of Fine Art in Studio Arts, emphasis in Painting and 2D Arts with a minimum of three (3) years teaching experience in a college or university setting, as well as an active practice with a record of professional accomplishments and exhibitions is expected.

To apply, please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy, artist statement, a website or pdf with a portfolio of professional work (20 images), a pdf portfolio of student work (10-20 images), and contact information for three references.

All candidates invited for a campus interview will be expected to do a 30-45 minute student and faculty presentation about their classroom instruction and their professional history and creative work.

Screening of applications will begin March 2, 2026. Completed applications received by this deadline will be given full consideration. The position will remain open until filled.