Virginia Commonwealth University
School of the Arts in Qatar
Position: Photography Faculty
Position Number: F28300
Position Location: Doha, Qatar
Position Begins: August 11, 2013
Review of Applications Begins: October 7, 2012 and will continue until position is filled.
VCUQatar (www.qatar.vcu.edu) is the Qatar campus of the prestigious Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia. Established in 1998 through a partnership with the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, VCUQatar offers students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in fashion design, graphic design, interior design, painting & printmaking; a Bachelor of Arts in art history; and, a Master of Fine Arts degree in design studies. Located in Doha, the capital city of Qatar, VCUQatar is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. The current student body represents a diverse range of nationalities with students coming from more than 40 different countries.
VCUQatar strives to provide an engaged, learner-centered environment that fosters inquiry, discovery and innovation in a global setting. The university hosts the biennial international design conference Tasmeem Doha and supports the biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Islamic Art Symposium, attracting globally recognized designers, academics and thinkers while fostering sustainable, university-community partnerships that enhance the educational, economic and cultural vitality of Qatar. The university has substantial involvement with the emerging design industries in Qatar and is a significant catalyst for that growth. It has established itself as a center of excellence for education and research in art and design.
VCUQatar has 131 full-time faculty and staff and a student body of 249. VCUQatar was the first campus established in Education City, a unique 2500-acre campus community. Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Carnegie-Mellon University, Texas A&M University, Weill Cornell Medical College, Northwestern University, HEC Paris and UCL have since joined Education City..
Qatar is a liberal, hospitable and progressive country in the Arabian Gulf and remains one of the healthiest economies in the Gulf region. English is the standard second language and the population of Qatar is approximately 1.65 million and growing – 350,000 Qatari, the remainder expatriates. Doha offers all the conveniences found in a contemporary and cosmopolitan city, and also maintains a traditional Arab flavor, evident in the old markets and the city’s Islamic Arab architecture. The Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I.M.Pei opened in November 2008 and the Arab Museum of Modern Art (Mathaf) opened in 2010. The US Embassy considers Qatar among the safest countries in the world for Americans.
Position DescriptionQualifications
Benefits
- Competitive international salary
- Tax protection for U.S. Taxpayers
- 30% Off-shore supplement to base salary
- Medical Insurance (100% employer funded premium and employer cost shared options available)
- Fully furnished villa or apartment including wireless internet
- Annual travel allowance to home of record (to include a spouse and dependents relocated to Qatar)
- Monthly transportation allowance
- Educational reimbursement for up to 4 dependent children enrolled in an accredited K-12 program
- International Professional Development and Research Opportunities
This new 9-month faculty position will support the visual art and design programs at VCUQatar and assist in the creation of a contemporary studio environment for photography, including the teaching of both analog and digital photography, contemporary photographic theory, and studio lighting. The successful candidate will teach photographic courses to students in the four undergraduate art and design majors offered at VCUQatar: Painting and Printmaking, Graphic Design, Interior Design, and Fashion Design. Teaching a course or courses in the MFA in Design program may be included in the faculty load, depending on program needs and the experience and qualifications of the successful candidate.
The teaching load will be 15 credits (5 courses) per year, with the courses offered as electives to students from across the university. It is therefore essential that the successful candidate feels comfortable teaching photography across disciplines, and can offer an educational approach that will suit students with diverse educational backgrounds in both art and design. Additional responsibilities include engaging in the development and delivery of significant research or creative activity, participating in academic advising, and providing service to the department, university, the community in Qatar, and the profession, and other duties as assigned. Another important responsibility will be to assess the photographic facilities and make recommendations about future photographic facilities and equipment needs relative to the existing art and design programs.
The successful candidate will possess comprehensive knowledge of photographic technical processes and applications. Applicants will have an MFA or equivalent professional experience and an academic career distinguished by a compelling exhibition record, research, or equivalent professional accomplishments. Applicants are invited to apply with a broad range of expertise in the art and design fields that may include fine art photography, reportage, photojournalism, fashion, advertising or architectural photography. Knowledge of critical theory and contemporary practices is required. Experience in University-level academic instruction beyond the TA level is required. Strong collaborative and communication skills are required. Experience or potential for working in a culturally diverse work environment necessary to support the VCU emphasis on global sensibility and a focus on teaching methods, techniques and theories with a historic and contextual reference to the Gulf region. Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU and VCUQatar.
Application Process: Qualified applicants who have a record of achievement appropriate to VCUQatar should submit a letter of interest with a curriculum vitae, twenty (20) examples of personal work and twenty (20) examples of student work and the names of five references including email and telephone contact information to Tomaree Porter (tlporter@vcu.edu), Human Resources Administrator, Qatar Support Office. Only Electronic submissions will be accepted.
Virginia Commonwealth University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
