Asst. Prof. of Prac.-Emerging Media Arts:Animation

This is a Full Time Job

Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Practice – Emerging Media Arts: Animation and Rigging to join our unique program.

We seek a creative individual with strong dedication to craft, technical expertise, and professional agility in a constantly changing field. We welcome applicants with backgrounds in film, television, game production, or gallery/museum installations. The successful candidate will have advanced experience in 3D animation workflows (film, television, games) and/or rigging, ideally with supplemental familiarity with game engines, and/or motion capture, and be able to creatively integrate traditional techniques with emerging technologies and platforms.

This position involves teaching courses in 3D Animation, Rigging, Motion Capture, and Game Engines. The ideal candidate will be a dynamic artist/teacher who is committed to training and inspiring the next generation of emerging media artists and storytellers.

Key Responsibilities

Teach courses in 3D Animation, Rigging, Introduction to Game Engines, Motion Capture for Real-time Performance, and others as needed.

Collaborate with faculty to develop new courses and curriculum with a focus towards interdisciplinarity.

Provide mentorship to students.

Recruit artist/industry partners and assist students transitioning into their careers.

Remain agile and keep current with advancements in 3D animation, rigging, motion capture, game engine technologies, AI, and creative applications.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree with at least five years of professional experience in 3D animation and/or rigging for film, television, games, or live performance workflows.

Working career as an animator/artist represented through a body of work that has received theatrical, network, or streaming exhibition and/or national/international festival recognition.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in an equivalent arts-related field; OR in exceptional cases, significant professional credentials and experience in lieu of a terminal degree.

Experience with game engines (Unity or Unreal) or other real-time performance systems.

Experience in custom rigging for 3D animation and/or games.

Experience with emerging forms of digital animation workflows, including AI and Machine Learning.

Proficiencies in languages such as MEL (PyMEL), Python, C++, or C#.

University teaching experience above the teaching assistant level; or equivalent experience in a non-university setting (Animation Mentor, Gnomon, VFS, etc.).

A strong network of contacts with other industry professionals and employers.

Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development and the ability to stay at the edge of industry developments.