Job description

The Department of Furniture Design at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) invites applications for a full-time faculty appointment at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, to commence in fall 2027. Rank will be dependent on professional status and teaching experience.

RISD recognizes principles of social equity, inclusion, and diversity as fundamental to its mission as an art and design school. These principles require sustained attention to a multiplicity of differences and call for an expansion of the forms of knowledge that shape our curricula and pedagogy. RISD is committed to the collective work of institutional transformation and values applicants whose teaching, pedagogical and professional experiences have prepared them to foster and sustain equitable learning environments. We especially welcome faculty whose pedagogy engages diverse perspectives, expands forms of knowledge, and helps foster a culture of belonging where all students, staff, and faculty can thrive.

The Department of Furniture Design seeks candidates who exemplify excellence in the field of furniture and object design. Applicants should be capable of guiding students through idea generation, design development, and object-making with a variety of fabrication technologies and processes, applied to a wide range of materials. Faculty in the Department of Furniture Design are expected to teach across the curriculum, including introductory courses, special topics studios, and senior degree project/graduate thesis. The department’s pedagogy and curriculum seeks to unify thinking and making, and faculty engagement with students requires fluidity between pragmatic, conceptual, technical, and aesthetic concerns. With studio facilities for wood, metal, plastics, upholstery, digital fabrication, design, and drawing, faculty work closely with students in developing their work from initial concept to highly resolved object.

The department actively engages with the broader networks of art, design, craft, and industry, fostering relationships that connect students and faculty to diverse practices, communities, and professional contexts. We value applicants who bring experience and interest in developing curricular initiatives, partnerships, and collaborations, and who thrive in environments where knowledge is shared across disciplines and between academic, cultural, and professional spheres. Applicants should see the expansive field of furniture design as an opportunity to build connections across practices and contribute to evolving conversations within the field and its wider networks.

Required Qualifications
A Master’s degree or Bachelor’s degree.
Evidence of a high level of creative practice demonstrated by all or some of the following: a record of exhibitions; commercial work with industry; receipt of grants, fellowships, prizes or residencies; coverage in relevant media; lectures and other presentations; credible research activity.
A minimum of 2 years of experience teaching at the college level with responsibility for authoring syllabi and course design.
Proficiency with design processes, including: research, drawing, model-making, prototyping, and digital design methods.
Broad knowledge, skills, and experience in industrial and craft-based production techniques.
A collaborative approach driven by proactive participation and a shared commitment to institutional excellence.
Strong spoken and written communication skills.
Demonstrated commitment to fostering equitable learning environments where a diverse student body can thrive, using inclusive, culturally responsive, and accessible pedagogies to support critical engagement with art and design.

Preferred Qualifications
A terminal degree in Furniture Design or related field.
5 years experience in teaching or professional practice with demonstrated leadership skills.
Active participation in contemporary cultures of design, craft, and/or art, and a network of professional connections within and beyond these disciplines.
Evidence of involvement in co-curricular program development including but not limited to: partner and sponsored studios, collaborative teaching and/or organizing off campus exhibitions
Accomplishments in writing and/or scholarly work related to design criticism, design history, material culture, etc.
Expertise with CAD and digital fabrication.

Please find all information and apply directly at https://careers.risd.edu/postings/2414.