Full-Time Faculty Position in Film Production, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Job Description:

The Department of Film, Media, and Performing Arts at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) has a full-time tenure-track position in Film Production to begin fall 2024. Our ideal candidate will have significant experience in narrative and/or documentary production, and experience teaching both filmmaking technologies and the development of personal vision. Applicants should be innovative thinkers with industry connections, and adept with multiple forms of the moving image. We are searching for candidates dedicated to their craft and pedagogical practice. The new faculty member will work closely with other department members to set the direction of the program and be involved in major decisions concerning curriculum development, equipment, facilities, pedagogy, and industry outreach while expanding the profile of the program.

Teaching 12 contact hours per semester (typically three courses), duties include:

• Teaching narrative and/or documentary filmmaking, cinematography, screenwriting, sound production, editing, and related courses at various levels in an undergraduate Bachelor of Science Film and Media program.
• Organizing student screenings and the FIT Film + Media Special event.
• Working with the Study Abroad and Internship Offices to develop opportunities for students.
• Representing the department at Open House and Accepted Students day.
• Advising students on film festival participation and career outreach.

The successful incoming faculty member will be expected to:

• Instill in students a global perspective on film and an understanding of the power of film to effect change, enabling students to use images and narratives for social as well as artistic benefit and to communicate across cultural and linguistic boundaries;
• Lead students to integrate skills of writing and organization with the power of visual narrative to create films that are intelligent as well as technically polished, reflecting critical thinking, analysis, and skepticism, as well as passion, commitment, and a sense of beauty;
• Serve as a working professional, fully knowledgeable of current industry practices, able to aid the department in multiplying professional relationships for student internships and career paths, as well as for adjunct faculty hiring;
• Balance theory and practice, an essential quality in a hybrid academic/production program such as FIT's. Collegiality is especially important within the production area, but the filmmaking faculty must also embrace excellence in academic film study as a goal for students in the department;

As a forward-looking filmmaker, have a thorough command of digital production technologies, as well as being able to address the range of learning styles in any pool of applicants for a program such as ours.

Requirements:

Successful candidates will excel in the following competencies:

Globalism

• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the global nature of film and media financing, production, and dissemination practices;
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the role of media in national and international dialogue and in the ongoing process of globalization;
• Demonstrate an awareness of the importance of cultural differences in media expression and in understanding works in film and media, as well as of the FIT classroom as a manifestation of globalism;
• Demonstrate an ability to take advantage of the resources of New York City as a global media and independent cinema hub.

Instructional Design

• Encourage the integration of theory and practice, whether in media criticism that considers production history or in thoughtful filmmaking;
• Update curriculum regularly to reflect professional film/media production and distribution practice;
• Create synergies with Art and Design elements in the program and outreach to develop Business and Technology links related to the film/media industry;
• Collect and compile feedback from students, industry, and colleagues in programs at other colleges and universities as part of ongoing assessment of the program.

Learning Enrichment

• Understand the importance of active engagement in the student-centered classroom;
• Encourage engagement with the full range of film and media practices;
• Emphasize the development of critical thinking capabilities through an emphasis on planning, critique of work in progress, and sustained attention to a subject over time;
• Inspire through enthusiasm for the subject and provides a model of teaching as leadership in a collective pursuit of knowledge.

Professionalism

• Demonstrate an awareness of current industry practices and of their importance for students graduating from FIT;
• Demonstrate an ability to model successful participation in the field for students and to mentor them in ways that will lead to their first steps in a successful professional career;
• Demonstrate an ability to lead collaborative work through team building and an understanding of the collaborative nature of learning and professional achievement;
• Cultivate and maintain engagement with production programs at academic institutions across the country and globally.

Technology

• Demonstrate mastery of a range of technologies for the production and exhibition of film and media, including cinematography, lighting, audio recording, and editing programs;
• Demonstrate an understanding of uses of social media as an effective tool for learning and community building;
• Demonstrate an eagerness and curiosity concerning new and ever-evolving technologies in the field, including those of digital distribution across Internet platforms.

Minimum Qualifications:

Candidates must have an MFA in film production with at least two years of college-level teaching experience, and at least three years of professional filmmaking experience, of which a substantial amount is in connection] with commercial projects and companies.

Preferred Qualifications:

Areas of expertise including narrative filmmaking, scriptwriting, or documentary cinema. Expertise in cinematography and/or editing is strongly preferred.

Additional Information:

Please note, all offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of the background check process.

Salary

The final starting salary and appointment rank will be based on education level and cumulative experience; Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) pg. 72

Instructor: $59,673- $69,524
Assistant Professor: $69,475- $102,388
Associate Professor: $81,317- $122,427
Professor: $99,159- $149,217

The College reserves the right to select one or more candidates after having been duly reviewed and presented to the President in conformance with the provisions of Article 15 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Benefits

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) provides comprehensive employee benefit programs designed to help keep our faculty and staff and their families healthy, safe, happy, and productive. Our programs also include a variety of components to help our employees improve the quality and balance of their work and family lives, and to help them prepare for their futures.

• Retirement Plans
• Health Care Plan and Dental Plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Account
• Commuter Benefit Plan
• FIT Tuition Exemption Program

For a full list of FIT benefits, visit our benefits webpage .

Pay Equity by State Employers

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor's Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov .

Visa Sponsorship

This position is eligible for visa sponsorship by the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

FIT is firmly committed to creating an environment that will attract and retain people of diverse racial and cultural backgrounds. By providing a learning and working environment that encourages, utilizes, respects, and appreciates the full expression of every individual's ability, the FIT community fosters its mission and grows because of its rich, pluralistic experience. FIT is committed to prohibiting discrimination, whether based on race, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, religion, ethnic background, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military service status, genetic information, pregnancy, familial status, citizenship status (except as required to comply with law), or any other criterion prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local laws. FIT is committed to providing equal opportunity in employment, including the opportunity for upward mobility for all qualified individuals. Applications from minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged. Inquiries regarding FIT's non-discrimination policies may be directed to the Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX Coordinator, 212 217.3360, titleix@fitnyc.edu .

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Requirements

This position will be required to constantly read and comprehend, occasionally perform calculations, constantly verbally communicate, frequently analyze, and constantly write. The working conditions for this position will be any combination of the classroom, lab, and/or office space. Certain roles may be required to handle machinery and chemicals. The physical requirement for this position will require occasional sitting, constant standing, occasional bending, frequent walking, and occasional lifting 10 lbs. or less.

Application Instructions:

In order to considered for this position, please submit the following documents online:

• Letter of interest clearly indicating your qualifications for the position;
• Curriculum Vitae/Resume
• Unofficial Transcript*
• Links to substantive examples of film/video work.
• A minimum of three professional references, including names, titles, addresses, phone numbers, and email contact information.

*Official transcripts will be required within the first 30 days of hire. Applicants with foreign degrees must submit a completed credential evaluation comparing their foreign academic accomplishments to standards in the U.S.

Returning Applicants - Login to your FITNYC Careers Account to check your submitted application materials.

This faculty position will begin Fall 2024. Review of applications will commence in October 2023 and continue until the position is filled, or until April 2024. First consideration will be given to completed applications received by October 1, 2023.

Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to contact each applicant individually regarding his or her application status.

Additional information about the Fashion Institute of Technology can be found at: www.fitnyc.edu .

About Fashion Institute of Technology:

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), an internationally renowned college of art and design, business and technology, of the State University of New York, invites nominations and applications for a full-time tenure-track faculty position in the Film, Media and Performing Arts Department of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The Fashion Institute of Technology, a part of the State University of New York, has been a leader in career education in art, design, business, and technology for nearly 70 years. With a curriculum that provides a singular blend of hands-on, practical experience, classroom study, and a firm grounding in the liberal arts, FIT offers a wide range of outstanding programs that are relevant to today's rapidly changing industries. Internationally renowned, FIT draws on its New York City location to provide a vibrant, creative community in which to learn. The college offers more than 45 majors and grants AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, preparing students for professional success and leadership in the global marketplace.

With close ties to industry, FIT draws faculty from the city's art, business, and design elite, and from the rich academic community of the region. The College continually seeks creative faculty members who are passionate about their field and demonstrate exceptional professional capability in the core competencies of instruction design, learning enrichment, globalism, and use of technology, as well as mastery of established and emerging industry practices.

The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences provides the foundation for an FIT degree, committed to providing a broad-based general education for FIT students, integrating traditional academic study with career preparation. Home to six academic departments, 17 minors, and two interdisciplinary majors, our faculty prepare students to become reflective, critical, and engaged citizens of the world. Committed to scholarship, academic service and student-centered instruction, faculty members foster an understanding of diverse cultures and international perspectives as well as an appreciation for the richness and changing composition of American culture.

The Film and Media program within the Department of Film, Media and Performing Arts is a four-year AAS/BS program housed in the School of Liberal Arts that combines filmmaking practice with extensive study of the history and theory of film and media. The approach is interdisciplinary, with production courses in narrative, documentary, experimental, and web-based work. Targeting an industry with deep roots in New York City, students from the program will seek employment in a wide range of industries, from independent film to television production to advertising and the creation of content for a wide range of media platforms.

The department's primary goal is to continue to build a distinctive and strong program that is among the best of the Film and Media alternatives in New York City. A stable core of excellent full-time faculty is crucial to the success of the project.