Assistant Professor of Practice, Industrial Design

Job Description

The School of Design at Virginia Tech invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Practice in Industrial Design. This is a full-time 9-month non-tenure track position with an initial term of three years and the possibility of renewal and promotion.

Virginia Techs Industrial Design program is a vibrant future-focused community where students learn to design products services and systems that address real-world challenges at the intersection of technology ethics and culture. With approximately 140 undergraduate majors and 10 dedicated faculty members the program emphasizes hands-on learning collaborative studio culture and experiential design practice. We equip builders to solve meaningful problems with emerging technologies.

Students work daily in our outstanding studios and maker spaces experimenting with materials processes and concepts. Together our faculty and students prototype using robots drawings and models and engage in collaborative reviews that foster growth and innovation. The program also encourages strong relationships with professional designers and industry partners preparing students to solve multifaceted problems through design.

Position Overview

We are seeking a design professional with strong industry experience and a passion for mentoring students in their journey toward professional success. The ideal candidate will bring current industry knowledge into the studio and classroom helping students build both technical expertise and transferable skills essential for a wide range of design careers. Growth areas include emerging technologies enterprise tech consumer packaging design management service and systems design energy health and transportation.

The Assistant Professor of Practice series at Virginia Tech are faculty who are successful professionals and effective teachers in their field. They bring current industry and field knowledge into the classroom helping students gain the practical and transferrable skills needed to succeed in their discipline and the future of the design practice. Professors of Practice are expected to remain professionally active through teaching consulting outreach and participation in professional societies and associations.


Responsibilities

Teach undergraduate design studios across the curriculum integrating contemporary methods into studio teaching.
Maintain current course content that reflects industry trends advances experiential learning and engages emerging technologies.
Contribute to student success through mentorship review of portfolios direction of design-build projects generation of industry partnerships.
Demonstrate industry practice: how designers work with companies production design constraints etc. implementation.
Practice in the creative industries or otherwise advance the profession through meaningful engagement with external stakeholders.
Contribute to the growth of our program through active participation in a collaborative cross-disciplinary work environment.
Participate in service at school/college/university levels and in community/industry partnerships aligned with Virginia Techs Ut Prosim mission.
Travel occasionally for conferences and meetings.


About the School and University
Notable for its studio and maker spaces the Industrial Design program shares space and synergy with programs like architecture interior design landscape architecture and fashion merchandising and design as well as various graduate programs in design and planning in the School of Design. The school resides in the College of Architecture Arts and Design with schools of architecture visual arts and performing arts. As an R1 land-grant university Virginia Tech is uniquely positioned to incorporate the creative industries into a comprehensive university ecosystem for a holistic approach to research creative achievement and outreach to the benefit of student success and community wellness.

Required Qualifications

Graduate or professional degree in Industrial Design or related discipline and/or significant professional experience
Established leadership in the design industry and an ability to bring deep real-world experience and a passion for bridging industry and academia.
Expertise in a core design discipline complemented by a strong appreciation for interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.
Proven ability to teach mentor or guide emerging designers whether in academic settings or professional environments.

Preferred Qualifications

Collaborative in nature and growth mindset recognition for leadership and systems thinking.
Experience shaping design education including curriculum development and program planning.

Materials Submission

For full consideration interested applicants are asked to submit the following:

• Letter of intent that includes the candidates proven experience the potential capacity to fulfill duties and responsibilities including both the required and preferred qualifications above.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• A one-page personal statement of teaching philosophy including the candidates ideas for supporting an educational environment consistent with the Virginia Tech Principles of Community.
• Up to 20 examples of professional work (consider including process artifacts and evaluation).
• Up to 20 examples of student work (optional).
• Three professional references (names emails and phone numbers).

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Salary range is $65000 - $75000 per year

Hours per week

40 hours per week; as needed

Review Date

February 15 2026

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its mottoUt Prosim(That I May Serve) Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world Virginia Tech is aninclusive communitydedicated to knowledge discovery and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36000 undergraduate graduate and professional students in eightundergraduate colleges aschool of medicine aveterinary medicinecollegeGraduate School andHonors College.The university has a significant presence across Virginia including Blacksburg the greater Washington D.C. area the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke sites in Newport News and Richmond and numerousExtension officesandresearch institutes.A leading global research institution Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.