Assistant Professor of Ceramics

Overview

The Department of Art and Design invites applications for a full-time, nine-month tenure-track Assistant Professor of Ceramics. We seek a dynamic ceramic artist-educator with in-depth technical skills, a strong record of creative practice, and comprehensive knowledge of ceramic history. We are particularly interested in candidates who are grounded in traditional practice while engaging in contemporary approaches. The ideal candidate will actively contribute to shaping the future of the ceramics program, teach and mentor both undergraduate and graduate students, and play a critical role in the oversight, operation, and strategic development of ceramic facilities.

Responsibilities

• Teaching load to include:
  • Ceramic courses at introductory through graduate levels. Thorough applied knowledge of all ceramic processes including throwing, hand building, moldmaking, glaze formulation, kiln design, kiln construction and management skills.
• Cross-disciplinary courses as appropriate to the needs of the area and department.
• Participate in the annual portfolio review of BFA ceramic students.
• Mentor undergraduate and graduate student projects and grants.
• Student advising.
• Serve on department, college, and university committees.
• Active studio practice as demonstrated by professional experience and exhibition record at a regional/national level.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• MFA in ceramics
• Two years of teaching experience at the university level or equivalent teaching experience
• Evidence of a successful and ongoing record of research or creative endeavors
• Effective oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to assist in student recruitment at undergraduate and graduate levels
• Ability to teach material culture and history of ceramics
• Ability to teach 3-D courses

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

Curriculum vitae to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”

Cover Letter addressing teaching philosophy, creative practice, and relevant experience to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”

Portfolio of professional and/or creative work (20–25 images or equivalent; PDF or URL). If providing a URL, please include the link in a PDF document and upload it at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1–10.”

Portfolio of student work (20–25 images or equivalent; PDF or URL). If providing a URL, please include the link in a PDF document and upload it at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1–10.”

Names and contact information for three professional references to be typed at the beginning of the application

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

Salary commensurate with qualifications. Utah State University offers a generous benefits package.

ADA

Employees typically work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.

College/Department Highlights

Ceramic Area Overview:The Ceramics area occupies roughly 15,000 square feet which includes an indoor kiln room including 7 gas kilns and 7 electric kilns. A separate covered 2500 square foot outdoor kiln area with 8 atmospheric kilns; currently 5 wood kilns and three gas fired salt soda atmospheric kilns. The studio equipment continues to improve and currently has several clay mixing and de-airing machines, clay processing crusher and grinder and pulverizer. Slab rollers, extruders, blungers, jigger-jolly, RAM press, casting area and spray booth and sand blaster. The studio maintains multiple chain saws, wood splitters and occupies approximately 15,000 square foot fenced separate wood storage location for dedicated individual woodfire research with truck for hauling wood.College/Department Highlights: Housed in the College of the Arts and Sciences at USU and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the Department of Art + Design has a century-long history and a suite of well-established and highly regarded programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. (Please see https://cca.usu.edu/art/ for a complete listing of all academic programs in the department and their curricula.) The department features approximately twelve exhibitions a year in the beautifully remodeled Tippetts and Eccles Galleries; this includes a national juried exhibition for current BFA and MFA students. The department also works closely with the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art to engage students from across the university in arts programming. In addition to programs on the Logan Campus, the department has faculty on the USU Eastern campuses in Price and Blanding, Utah, and delivers courses by electronic and hybrid instructional systems to USU’s six other regional campuses and numerous county centers around the state.Utah State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

University Highlights

As Utah’s student-centered, land-grant research university, Utah State University expands opportunity and strengthens communities across the state through learning, discovery, extension, and engagement. Founded in 1888, USU now holds two Carnegie distinctions: R1 status for very high research activity and the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. Its innovative research and scholarship is grounded in reciprocal partnerships with local, regional, and global communities, advancing knowledge and serving the public good across Utah, the nation, and the world. With over 50 world-class research facilities and the nation’s second-oldest undergraduate research program, USU prepares students to become active, civically engaged leaders who can address critical societal challenges.

USU enrolls over 29,800 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah State’s 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU educates students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. For over 100 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns, serving every county in the state.

Competing at the NCAA Division I level in 16 sports, USU is a proud member of the Pac-12 Conference, which it joined July 1, 2026. The Aggies capped a historic final season in the Mountain West by capturing nine combined regular-season and tournament titles in 2025-26, with five teams advancing to postseason play. This tradition of excellence extends to the classroom, where 232 student-athletes earned academic honors, and to the community, where USU ranked second nationally in Division I service hours, with nine teams placing in the top 10 for community service.

Utah State is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported and where diversity of thought and culture are cultivated. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when it named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU.

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and a reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at 435-797-0122 or hr@usu.edu.

*updated 10/26

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

Utah State University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination including harassment in employment including in hiring, promotion, transfer, or termination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy or any other federal, state, or local law.

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In all circumstances, Utah State University follows state and federal laws related to sex-segregated spaces.

The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Civil Rights & Title IX Office

Old Main Room 405

1475 Old Main Hill, Logan UT 84322

titleix@usu.edu

(435) 797-1266

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit crtix.usu.edu or contact:

U.S. Department of Education

Denver Regional Office

303-844-5695| OCR.Denver@ed.gov

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

800-421-3481 | OCR@ed.gov

*updated 08/2026