Santa Clara University
Assistant Professor in Narrative or Non-Fiction Filmmaking - Tenure Track
Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, us, 95053
Overview
Position Type:
Assistant Professor in Narrative or Non-Fiction Filmmaking - Tenure Track
Position Type:
Regular
Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $85,947 to $95,410, depending on the successful candidate's years of teaching experience at the college level. The position comes with generous benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, and University contributions toward retirement. Recognizing the high cost of housing in the local area, there are two University housing assistance programs: Rental assistance to ease the transition into the local housing market, and housing purchase assistance for tenure-stream faculty.
Purpose:
The Department of Communication at Santa Clara University, a Jesuit, Catholic university, invites applicants for a full-time tenure-track position in Digital Filmmaking. The department emphasizes values such as academic excellence, social justice, and community engagement, infused with a culture of care that upholds the dignity of all. The university is located in the greater Bay Area, including Silicon Valley.
Digital filmmaking constitutes a central part of the Communication major and is one of two minors offered by the Department. This position focuses on narrative or documentary filmmaking. We are particularly interested in applicants whose creative work and teaching focus on Black and/or Latiné experiences and/or the representation of people of color, and whose teaching addresses one or more of the following, ideally through a social justice lens: screenwriting, editing, or cinematography.
The ideal candidate will be an experienced teacher and filmmaker with knowledge about a wide range of forms, approaches, and sensibilities of filmmaking in all phases of the production process from screenwriting to post-production, and who can connect their work to the social justice mission of the University. The faculty member will primarily teach production courses in digital filmmaking and their area of specialty, preferably focusing on Latiné or Black experiences.
We especially seek candidates who are interested in qualifying one or more of their specialty courses for areas of the University's core curriculum: diversity, civic engagement, cultures and ideas 3, or another core area consistent with the candidate's preparation. Candidates must have an MFA or Ph.D. (or ABD status) in film/television production or a related field by appointment start date. The successful candidate will start on September 1, 2026 and be expected to teach, engage in creative work, and do service for the department, college, and university. SCU is on the quarter system and tenure-stream faculty are expected to teach six courses per year (two each quarter), assuming active engagement in creative work. The incumbent may be eligible to be appointed as a Sinatra Assistant Professor during their probationary period, which carries additional salary and research funding.
Responsibilities Tenure-track faculty at SCU are teaching scholars who are expected to balance teaching, creative work, and service. This is an in-person position. Duties include but are not limited to the following:
Teaching:
Teach lower- and upper-division courses in the major and university core curriculum, as assigned by the chair, including courses such as Introduction to Digital Filmmaking, Screenwriting, Cinematography, Documentary Production, Short Fiction Production, and/or Film/TV History. SCU is on the quarter system and a typical load is two courses per quarter assuming active engagement with creative work. High-quality teaching is prioritized, and significant faculty-student interaction is expected. The university offers opportunities to develop teaching skills through Faculty Development, including regular lunchtime workshops on pedagogy, teaching and technology grants, communities of practice, teaching mentors, and a scholarship of teaching and learning faculty group. Teaching will be evaluated according to the Teaching Effectiveness Standards and Evaluation (TESE) document developed by each department. Ignatian pedagogy is a hallmark of Jesuit, Catholic universities and emphasizes cura personalis, or teaching the whole person. You can find Teaching Expectations and Academic Policies at SCU in the linked resources.
Research/Creative Work:
Develop a program of creative work at SCU that meets the Communication Department's established scholarship/creative standards. The department values undergraduate involvement in faculty creative work. SCU offers significant support to early career faculty in developing their programs, including mentorship, a cohort learning community, faculty retreats, workshops, and professional development opportunities.
Service:
Provide effective service to the Department of Communication, the College of Arts and Sciences, the University, and the profession through activities beyond teaching and scholarship, such as service on committees, participation in professional organizations, leadership, and community engagement through professional expertise or affiliation with the university, as appropriate to rank and experience.
Qualifications Required Qualifications
Terminal degree (MFA or Ph.D.) or ABD status in Filmmaking or a related field by appointment start date.
Demonstrated potential for effective and inclusive teaching and mentoring of a diverse undergraduate student population.
Demonstrated ability to complete films or television shows that are accepted to film festivals, broadcast on television or streaming services, or released in theaters.
Special Instructions:
Applicants should provide: 1) Cover letter that summarizes qualifications, addresses experience, and describes how their creative work and teaching connect with the university's mission and values; 2) Curriculum Vitae; 3) Creative Work Statement, which should include a discussion of how candidate's program will be implemented at an undergraduate institution like SCU and how their creative work may fit with other faculty members in the Communication Department; 4) Teaching Statement, which should include teaching philosophy or approach, and courses interested in teaching; 5) Online links to creative work. The candidate should include at least one sample of a film or television project that was screened, broadcast, or peer reviewed that they consider representative of recent scholarship. The candidate should also arrange to have three letters of reference available upon request by the search committee chair. Applications must be received by October 31, 2025.
Contact for Queries Email queries: Co-chair Nico Opper (nopper at scu.edu) or Co-chair Mike Whalen (mwhalen at scu.edu).
Application Timeline Applications must be received by October 31, 2025.
Additional Details Telecommute:
Santa Clara University is registered to do business in the following states: California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Illinois. Telecommute arrangements require work within one of these states.
Work Authorization:
A foreign national who is appointed to a tenured or tenure-track faculty position is eligible for visa sponsorship assessment by Santa Clara University together with its legal counsel.
EEO and Discrimination Notices Equal Opportunity/Notice of Nondiscrimination:
Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity employer. For a complete copy of SCU’s equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, this information is available from the university directly.
Title IX:
Santa Clara University does not discriminate in its employment practices or in its educational programs or activities on the basis of sex/gender. Information about Title IX, Section 504, and the ADA is available from the university's official sources.
Clery Notice:
Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Act. The report is available from Campus Safety Services.
Americans with Disabilities Act:
Santa Clara University affirms its commitment to employing qualified individuals with disabilities. Applicants desiring accommodations should contact the Department of Human Resources.
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Assistant Professor in Narrative or Non-Fiction Filmmaking - Tenure Track
Position Type:
Regular
Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $85,947 to $95,410, depending on the successful candidate's years of teaching experience at the college level. The position comes with generous benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, and University contributions toward retirement. Recognizing the high cost of housing in the local area, there are two University housing assistance programs: Rental assistance to ease the transition into the local housing market, and housing purchase assistance for tenure-stream faculty.
Purpose:
The Department of Communication at Santa Clara University, a Jesuit, Catholic university, invites applicants for a full-time tenure-track position in Digital Filmmaking. The department emphasizes values such as academic excellence, social justice, and community engagement, infused with a culture of care that upholds the dignity of all. The university is located in the greater Bay Area, including Silicon Valley.
Digital filmmaking constitutes a central part of the Communication major and is one of two minors offered by the Department. This position focuses on narrative or documentary filmmaking. We are particularly interested in applicants whose creative work and teaching focus on Black and/or Latiné experiences and/or the representation of people of color, and whose teaching addresses one or more of the following, ideally through a social justice lens: screenwriting, editing, or cinematography.
The ideal candidate will be an experienced teacher and filmmaker with knowledge about a wide range of forms, approaches, and sensibilities of filmmaking in all phases of the production process from screenwriting to post-production, and who can connect their work to the social justice mission of the University. The faculty member will primarily teach production courses in digital filmmaking and their area of specialty, preferably focusing on Latiné or Black experiences.
We especially seek candidates who are interested in qualifying one or more of their specialty courses for areas of the University's core curriculum: diversity, civic engagement, cultures and ideas 3, or another core area consistent with the candidate's preparation. Candidates must have an MFA or Ph.D. (or ABD status) in film/television production or a related field by appointment start date. The successful candidate will start on September 1, 2026 and be expected to teach, engage in creative work, and do service for the department, college, and university. SCU is on the quarter system and tenure-stream faculty are expected to teach six courses per year (two each quarter), assuming active engagement in creative work. The incumbent may be eligible to be appointed as a Sinatra Assistant Professor during their probationary period, which carries additional salary and research funding.
Responsibilities Tenure-track faculty at SCU are teaching scholars who are expected to balance teaching, creative work, and service. This is an in-person position. Duties include but are not limited to the following:
Teaching:
Teach lower- and upper-division courses in the major and university core curriculum, as assigned by the chair, including courses such as Introduction to Digital Filmmaking, Screenwriting, Cinematography, Documentary Production, Short Fiction Production, and/or Film/TV History. SCU is on the quarter system and a typical load is two courses per quarter assuming active engagement with creative work. High-quality teaching is prioritized, and significant faculty-student interaction is expected. The university offers opportunities to develop teaching skills through Faculty Development, including regular lunchtime workshops on pedagogy, teaching and technology grants, communities of practice, teaching mentors, and a scholarship of teaching and learning faculty group. Teaching will be evaluated according to the Teaching Effectiveness Standards and Evaluation (TESE) document developed by each department. Ignatian pedagogy is a hallmark of Jesuit, Catholic universities and emphasizes cura personalis, or teaching the whole person. You can find Teaching Expectations and Academic Policies at SCU in the linked resources.
Research/Creative Work:
Develop a program of creative work at SCU that meets the Communication Department's established scholarship/creative standards. The department values undergraduate involvement in faculty creative work. SCU offers significant support to early career faculty in developing their programs, including mentorship, a cohort learning community, faculty retreats, workshops, and professional development opportunities.
Service:
Provide effective service to the Department of Communication, the College of Arts and Sciences, the University, and the profession through activities beyond teaching and scholarship, such as service on committees, participation in professional organizations, leadership, and community engagement through professional expertise or affiliation with the university, as appropriate to rank and experience.
Qualifications Required Qualifications
Terminal degree (MFA or Ph.D.) or ABD status in Filmmaking or a related field by appointment start date.
Demonstrated potential for effective and inclusive teaching and mentoring of a diverse undergraduate student population.
Demonstrated ability to complete films or television shows that are accepted to film festivals, broadcast on television or streaming services, or released in theaters.
Special Instructions:
Applicants should provide: 1) Cover letter that summarizes qualifications, addresses experience, and describes how their creative work and teaching connect with the university's mission and values; 2) Curriculum Vitae; 3) Creative Work Statement, which should include a discussion of how candidate's program will be implemented at an undergraduate institution like SCU and how their creative work may fit with other faculty members in the Communication Department; 4) Teaching Statement, which should include teaching philosophy or approach, and courses interested in teaching; 5) Online links to creative work. The candidate should include at least one sample of a film or television project that was screened, broadcast, or peer reviewed that they consider representative of recent scholarship. The candidate should also arrange to have three letters of reference available upon request by the search committee chair. Applications must be received by October 31, 2025.
Contact for Queries Email queries: Co-chair Nico Opper (nopper at scu.edu) or Co-chair Mike Whalen (mwhalen at scu.edu).
Application Timeline Applications must be received by October 31, 2025.
Additional Details Telecommute:
Santa Clara University is registered to do business in the following states: California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Illinois. Telecommute arrangements require work within one of these states.
Work Authorization:
A foreign national who is appointed to a tenured or tenure-track faculty position is eligible for visa sponsorship assessment by Santa Clara University together with its legal counsel.
EEO and Discrimination Notices Equal Opportunity/Notice of Nondiscrimination:
Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity employer. For a complete copy of SCU’s equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, this information is available from the university directly.
Title IX:
Santa Clara University does not discriminate in its employment practices or in its educational programs or activities on the basis of sex/gender. Information about Title IX, Section 504, and the ADA is available from the university's official sources.
Clery Notice:
Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Act. The report is available from Campus Safety Services.
Americans with Disabilities Act:
Santa Clara University affirms its commitment to employing qualified individuals with disabilities. Applicants desiring accommodations should contact the Department of Human Resources.
#J-18808-Ljbffr