Employment: Qatar Vacancies
Virginia Commonwealth University
School of the Arts in Qatar
Positions: Fashion Teaching & Research Faculty
*Two positions will be filled from this announcement*
Department: Fashion Design
Position Numbers: F25750 & F21120
Location: Doha, Qatar
Position Begins: August 2010
Review of Applications Begins: October 15, 2009 and continues until position is filled.
VCUQatar (www.qatar.vcu.edu) is an undergraduate and graduate degree granting campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, School of the Arts, ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the leading art and design program among all U.S. public universities. Located in Doha, the capital city of Qatar, VCUQatar is affiliated with the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (www.qf.org.qa). Celebrating ten years of operation in 2008, VCUQatar offers BFA degrees in Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design and Painting and Printmaking, and an MFA degree in Design Studies. The majority of students are from the Gulf region with approximately 30% international. The School is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. VCUQatar has substantial involvement with the emerging design industries in Qatar and is a significant catalyst for that growth.
VCUQatar benefits from a funding situation that allows it to be driven by innovative programmatic needs rather than typical fiscal constraints. Externally funded student and faculty research opportunities are expanding with the rapid development of Qatar, now among the wealthiest countries in the world based upon per capita GDP. (www.qnrf.org) The VCUQatar Center for Research in Design has a contract to design the Qatar military uniforms; is involved in the World Design Report with Icograda; has research funding to develop portable, sustainable architecture for labor housing; and is expanding its collaboration with faculty and external partners. The school is the center for design education in the country by emphasizing design entrepreneurship and design awareness through lectures, exhibitions, and conferences, such as the international conference “Tasmeem Doha”.
VCUQatar’s full-time faculty and administrative staff of 120 (60% female), instruct a coed student body of 215. The school maintains an enviable student/faculty ratio of 10:1. Housed in a 96,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility, the school has 123,000 square foot addition that will open in Fall 2010. VCUQatar was the first campus established in Education City, a unique 2,500 acre campus community. VCUQatar has since been joined by Carnegie-Mellon University (Business and Computer Science), Cornell University’s Weill School of Medicine, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Northwestern University (Journalism and Communication), and Texas A & M University (Engineering). Education City is able to continue increasing its international presence as Qatar remains one of the healthiest economies in the Gulf region.
Qatar is a liberal, hospitable and progressive country in the Arabian Gulf. English is the standard second language and the population of Qatar is approximately 1.65 million and growing – 350,000 Qatari, 15,000 US citizens, the remainder expatriates. Doha with a population of 980,000 has all the conveniences found in a contemporary city, and also maintains a traditional Arab flavor, evident in the old markets and the city’s Islamic Arab architecture. The new Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I.M.Pei opened in November 2008. The US Embassy considers Qatar among the safest countries in the world for Americans.
Position Description
The successful candidates will be experienced fashion designers and/or educators who will be responsible for undergraduate instruction at the sophomore, junior and senior levels. These positions will work in a team-oriented department with four (4) other full-time practicing, experienced and dedicated educators. The candidates’ areas of expertise should include fundamental principles of fashion design with particular focus and experience in the following areas: pattern-making and draping skills; clothing construction and fine, industry-level tailoring methods; and thorough knowledge of 20th and 21st century fashion and design history. All faculty contribute to a culture of learning through participation and support for accreditation standards, pursuit of professional creative research, participation in faculty governance, service, student advising, and perform all other duties as assigned. Opportunities for regional and international collaboration abound.
Qualifications
Successful candidates must have an MFA in Fashion Design or related specialty and/or substantial equivalent industry experience as well as a documented record of accomplishments in professional practice, research, and/or teaching. Candidates with an MFA and significant (minimum 10 years) industry experience are strongly preferred. Candidates must possess demonstrable pattern-making, draping, construction, and tailoring skills as well as possess expert knowledge about 20th and 21st century fashion and design history. Experience with computer design and pattern-making software such as Gerber, Lectra, Photoshop, and Illustrator is preferred. Strong technical, collaborative and communication skills are required as well as strong experience or potential for working in a culturally diverse work environment. Experience teaching at an undergraduate level in a University setting is desired.
Benefits
• Competitive international salary
• Tax protection for U.S. Taxpayers
• 30% Off-shore supplement to base salary
• Medical Insurance (100% employer funded premium and employer cost shared options available)
• Fully furnished villa or apartment including utility allowance and wireless internet
• Annual travel allowance to home of record (to include a spouse and dependents relocated to Qatar)
• Monthly transportation allowance
• Educational reimbursement for up to 4 dependent children enrolled in an accredited K-12 program
• International Professional Development and Research Opportunities
Application Process: Qualified design applicants who have a record of achievement appropriate to VCUQatar should submit letters of interest with a curriculum vitae, 20 examples of personal work and 20 examples of student work, transcripts, and the names of five references including telephone and email contact information to Ryan Ellington (rfellington@vcu.edu), Human Resources Administrator, Qatar Support Office. Only Electronic submissions will be accepted.
Virginia Commonwealth University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
For more information on VCUQatar and this unique international opportunity, please visit www.vcu.edu/arts/employment/qatar
