Home to one of the nation’s oldest Interior Design programs, the American School of Architecture, and a DesignIntelligence-ranked Interior Design program, the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track or tenured faculty position at the rank of Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor in Interior Design beginning in August 2023. Please note that the Gibbs College of Architecture is also hiring faculty members in Architecture http://apply.interfolio.com/113914 and Construction Science http://apply.interfolio.com/113145. 

We seek emerging or established scholars and/or design practitioners who share our mission to prepare students to become interior design professionals by providing a student-centric, collaborative learning environment that emphasizes excellence in education, research, and service to the community while supporting the Gibbs College of Architecture’s strategic plan.  

About the Gibbs College of Architecture

The Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma, whose Interior Design program was established in 1916, supports a future in which all communities are designed for resiliency and empowered to maximize their social, economic, and environmental well-being. Gibbs College educates more than 650 students through undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs across seven academic units in Architecture, Construction Science, Environmental Design, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, and Regional and City Planning. Gibbs College is also home to the Institute for Quality Communities, a community engagement program that has completed numerous community projects across Oklahoma. For more information about college programs, please visit architecture.ou.edu.

About the University of Oklahoma

Established in 1890, the University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Carnegie R1 Institution (Very High Research Activity) known for its excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement, including its service to the educational, cultural, economic, and healthcare needs of the state, region, and nation from three campuses located in Norman, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa. OU enrolls over 30,000 students and has more than 2,700 full-time faculty members in 21 colleges. In 2014, OU became the first public institution ever to rank #1 nationally in the recruitment of National Merit Scholars; today, it is home to over 600 National Merit Scholars. Its 277-acre Research Campus in Norman was named the No.1 research campus in the nation by the Association of Research Parks in 2013; in 2017, Architectural Digest named OU’s Bizzell Library among the 18 most stunning university libraries in the world. Learn more about OU’s aims and purpose in our “Lead On” strategic plan (2020).

Norman, Oklahoma, is a culturally rich and vibrant town located just south of Oklahoma City. With outstanding schools, amenities, and a low cost of living, Norman is a perennial contender in “Best Places to Live” rankings. Oklahoma City was recently named one of the “50 Best Places to Travel” by Travel + Leisure magazine. Visit ou.edu/facultyrecruitment for more information about what OU and the local communities have to offer.

The successful candidate’s responsibilities may include:

• Working as a collaborative scholar and educator in concert with a close team of faculty and students in our CIDA-accredited Interior Design program to help maintain a curriculum consistent with program goals and related accreditation guidelines
• Teaching undergraduate and graduate Interior Design courses including lecture courses and design studios with opportunities for community-engaged design projects
• Advancing a research and/or creative activity agenda including collaborating across disciplines for tenured and tenure-track candidates.  
• Offering mentored research and or practice opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students in the program
• Contributing to University and community-based service; this service work is highly valued and critical to the University’s mission

Required Qualifications:

• A minimum of:
  • An accredited professional degree in Interior Design (CIDA formerly FIDER), or Architecture (NAAB or international equivalent such as RIBA) with a master’s degree in Interior Design or a related field OR
  • A PhD. in Interior Design or a related field.
  • One degree must be in Interior Design.    
• Demonstrated expertise related to the Interior Design curriculum supportive of teaching undergraduate and graduate Interior Design courses
• Potential for research productivity or evidence of contributing to a successful design practice
• Ability to support a collegial and collaborative working environment in addition to possessing effective communication and interpersonal skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Evidence of interdisciplinary collaborative professional practice, teaching, scholarship/creative activity, and/or service 
• Evidence of innovative teaching strategies across undergraduate and graduate Interior Design studios including, but not limited to, foundation-level design, foundation-level graphics, design process, human behavior, and/or community-engaged design projects
• Expertise in one or more Interior Design specialty areas including but not limited to design portfolios, hand drawing skills, design communication software, evidence-based design, and/or furniture design
• Record of peer-reviewed research, design awards, or other publicly acknowledged design or community engagement work
• Ph.D. in Interior Design, Architecture, or a related field
• NCIDQ certification
• Professional registration, licensure, and/or certifications

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit the following materials via Interfolio as soon as possible: 

• A comprehensive cover letter that highlights teaching, research and/or creative activity interests and accomplishments
• Current curriculum vita
• Digital portfolio that demonstrates the potential for success in teaching and scholarly/creative activity, community engagement, and service work including but not limited to teaching examples, students’ work, and professional work.  Please limit the digital portfolio submission file size to less than 100MB and a max of 25 pages.
• Full contact information from four professional references (please indicate if these are to remain confidential)
• All application materials may be submitted online through the Interfolio website at: https://apply.interfolio.com/113915. 

Application review will begin on January 3rd and the search will remain open until the position is filled. Please submit questions by email to Elizabeth Pober ([email protected]).