POSITION TITLE: Lecturer (Adjunct Faculty Pool)

DIVISION: Academic Affairs

DEPARTMENT: Foundation

REPORTS TO: Chair of Foundation Department

PAY TYPE: Exempt

WORKER TYPE: Part-Time

UPDATED: April 2025

PAY: $20,000 (fall semester) + $4000 (per spring semester 5-week workshop)

The Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI), a national leader in visual arts and design education, invites applications from candidates interested in joining KCAI as Adjunct Faculty in Foundation Studies.

This is a part-time, non-tenure-track teaching position equivalent to a 3/3 teaching load in the fall, with the potential to teach one to two five-week workshops during the spring semester.

The Foundation Department adopts a holistic approach to education that transcends traditional disciplines, emphasizing the growth of the next generation of contributors to our culture through design and visual arts. Applicants should possess knowledge in various creative disciplines beyond their primary area of research and be able to address fundamental studio issues using a range of media, creative processes, and conceptual frameworks, with a particular emphasis on first-year pedagogy.

Essential Functional Responsibilities:

• 3/3 Teaching Load in the Fall semester (9 credit hours)
• Potentially 1-2 Workshops during Spring Semester (3, 5-week workshops – 3 credit hours each).
• Course assignment design and sequencing within the structure of existing learning objectives and the overarching Foundation curricular sequence; preparation and delivery of related material such as lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and critique.
• Regular attendance for all courses throughout the semester

Supervises the following:

Knowledge, Skills, and Qualifications:

• Interest in Foundation pedagogy through experiential learning and teaching
• Substantial knowledge of art and design fundamentals in terms of theory and practice – balance, unity, compositional strategies, color theory, gestalt theory, etc.
• Ability to teach perceptual and observational skill development
• Proficiency in working in and teaching to 2-D, 3-D, and 4-D frameworks
• Capacity to develop innovative projects and curricula
• Basic working knowledge of the Adobe Creative Suite and the ability to lead projects that utilize Photoshop and Illustrator
• Excellent verbal, written, visual, and spatial skills

Required Experience/Education:

• M.F.A., M.Des, MArch, or equivalent degree/experience related to one of the following degree programs: Animation, Ceramics, Fiber, Filmmaking, Graphic Design, Illustration, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Product Design, Sculpture
• Interdisciplinary artist and/or designer with an active professional practice
• Interest in being a part of a vibrant, inclusive, and collaborative community

Preferred Experience/Education:

• Foundation-level college teaching experience
• Evidence of successfully working with a diverse student community with a range of individual needs and skill sets
• Record of innovative, inclusive, and empathetic pedagogy
• Evidence of productive, collegial collaboration in an academic or professional environment

Application Deadline and Required Materials:

Applications for Fall 2025 semester: Due by Monday, May 12

The number of Adjunct Faculty position openings varies yearly, but at least one position is currently available for the upcoming fall semester. Applications are considered active for two years after they are received.

All application materials should be received by Monday, May 12, for full consideration. This position is considered open until an offer of employment has been accepted. Inquiries and applications received after this date are not guaranteed consideration.

• Letter of application
• Curriculum Vitae
• Statement of teaching philosophy
• List of three professional references with contact information
• PDF of 20 examples of current work or a link to an online portfolio.
• PDF of 20 examples of student work or a link to an online portfolio

Statement

Kansas City Art Institute is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing, and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to their race, gender, gender identity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by federal, state or local law. KCAI provides reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in the job application process. If you have any difficulty using our online system and you need accommodation due to a disability, you may contact the Human Resources Department about your interest in employment. Any questions or concerns can be directed to Kansas City Art Institute’s Human Resource Administrator.

EOE/AA: Minorities/Females/Disabled/Vets

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.

We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.