Assistant Professor - Film Studies

Assistant Professor - Film Studies
University of North Carolina Wilmington

Job Posting Date
09/28/2023

Job Close Date
11/27/2023

Brief Summary of Work for this Position
In order to diversify its faculty and production practices, the Department of Film Studies at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Film Production to begin August 2024. The department seeks a non-fiction or documentary filmmaker and/or editor with university-level teaching experience. Said individual should have a demonstrated practice of ethical and accountable work.
Upon initial appointment, the successful candidate will teach courses in their areas of specialty, as well as the department’s foundational graduate and undergraduate production courses. Applicants who meet the above criteria and also specialize in other areas that complement the department’s existing expertise are encouraged to apply. The candidate will join a department with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusivity and will be expected to contribute actively to these efforts.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

• Candidates must possess an MFA in film production by August 1, 2024. Note: ABD will be considered; however, MFA must be obtained within the first academic year of employment.
• Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to teaching and a robust creative practice.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Preference will be given to candidates with:

• non-fiction or documentary filmmaking experience
• digital editing experience
• knowledge of intro-level production techniques applicable to a variety of filmmaking modes (e.g. narrative, documentary, experimental)

Primary Function of Organizational Unit
The UNCW Film Studies Department prepares students to participate in a world increasingly shaped by moving pictures. Through courses that offer a foundation for understanding cinema—and its relation to culture, history, technology, and aesthetics—Film Studies teaches students to create and analyze moving images, to produce research, and to make art. One of the premiere departments at UNCW, Film Studies combines critical studies with production and recently launched integrated MA and MFA programs. The department draws on the rich social and cultural heritage of the coastal city of Wilmington. Film festivals and conferences, local and visiting scholars and filmmakers, and an assortment of independent and international film screenings together create a vibrant film community. The Film Studies department hosts the Film Matters journal and has a robust working relationship with area filmmaking professionals and EUE Screen Gems Studios. A Research 2 public institution, UNCW is consistently recognized for academic excellence by publications such as U. S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review.

College/School Information
The College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts (CHSSA) is home to 14 academic departments and offers a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs including the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Master of Arts, Master of Fine Arts, and Master of Public Administration as well as combined bachelor’s/master’s degree programs in Spanish and English. The CHSSA also houses the Gender Studies and Research Center, an interdisciplinary and intersectional community of students, scholars, and advocates committed to social justice and equity.
In addition, the CHSSA offers a full complement of minors including interdisciplinary minors such as Africana studies, American studies, Asian studies, classical studies, European studies, forensic science, journalism, Latin American studies, medical humanities, Middle East and Islamic studies, Native American studies, and women and gender studies. Undergraduate certificates for professional writing and publishing, as well as a number of post-baccalaureate certificates such as conflict management and resolution, emergency and disaster management, forensic science, science and medical writing, women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, and Hispanic studies are a part of the college’s offerings.
The CHSSA contributes significantly to the curriculum that comprises UNCW’s University Studies Program, through which all undergraduates gain a foundation in the liberal arts and develop the transferable skills essential for life in the twenty-first century. The CHSSA strives in its undergraduate programs and in its University Study offerings to nurture creative thinking, intellectual curiosity, diversity and inclusion, and academic integrity in students while providing them with a solid foundation of knowledge in their chosen fields. Graduate programs in the CHSSA are designed to develop intellectual competence and to prepare the student for careers in business, industry, government, teaching or for further study at the doctoral level.

Applied learning is a hallmark of the student experience in the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts. Each of the CHSSA’s departments requires an applied learning experience as a part of the curriculum for its undergraduate majors. Examples include faculty-directed research, internships, service learning, and capstone courses and projects, all of which challenge students to integrate various strands of knowledge and to apply that knowledge to broader, real-world or real disciplinary situations.
 

Upon completion of their studies, all CHSSA students will have the necessary preparation for rewarding careers, advanced study, effective citizenship, and meaningful lives. The College of Humanities, Social Science, and the Arts offers limitless opportunities to engage in collaborative and interdisciplinary research and service while also making a positive societal impact. Come and join our vibrant academic environment that values discovery, innovation, and creativity.

University Information
The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking and a community rich in diversity, inclusion and global perspectives.

A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program focused on coastal engineering.

The university’s efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity” institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.

EEO Statement
At the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), our culture reflects our values of inclusion, diversity, globalization, ethics and integrity and innovation and we are committed to providing equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs. UNCW believes that embracing the unique contributions of our faculty, staff and students is critical to our success and paramount in being recognized for our global mindset.

Eligibility for Employment
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Number of Openings
Single Incumbent

Special Notes to Applicants
Prior to the official appointment to the university, the candidate(s) selected for hire must be able to demonstrate eligibility to teach assigned courses by successfully meeting the credentialing requirements based on official transcripts and other documentation as required.

Applications will be accepted until 11:59PM EST on November, 27, 2023, the posting closing date. To apply, please complete the online application process available at https://jobs.uncw.edu/ and attach the following materials as an Adobe PDF document including:

• Cover Letter/Letter of Application addressed to Search Committee Chair.
• Curriculum Vitae
• A statement of Teaching Philosophy and Experience
• Links to examples of Creative Work (demo reels may be included, but at least two examples of creative work should be provided in their entirety)
• List of 3 Professional references, **if ABD, one of the references must be Thesis/Dissertation Chair
• If needed, applicants may upload additional materials under the Other category.

Please note that a minimum of three references are required for all applications. **if ABD one reference must be Thesis/Dissertation Chair. Letters of reference may be requested at a later date.
Letters of application without the requested components will not meet the application requirements.
For questions about the position or online application process, contact the Search Committee Chair, Professor André Silva at silvaa@uncw.edu. For questions about the online application, contact Katherine King at katherinek@uncw.edu.