Continuing Education Instructor, The Artful Insect: Entomological Illustration

CE Overview

RISD Continuing Education functions within the larger context of RISD, an institution with an unparalleled reputation for producing highly-skilled, successful, and internationally renowned creative practitioners. With more than 100 years of expertise nurturing critical making, thinking, and innovation in art and design we facilitate personal and professional development by engaging students in sustained exploration and learning in the creative disciplines. With a commitment to centering inclusivity, diversity and equity in executing key responsibilities, RISD Continuing Education instructors plan, organize, teach, and provide feedback to promote and direct student learning in keeping with the institutional learning-centered values and in a manner that meets essential competencies of artists and designers.

Job Description

RISD Continuing Education instructors plan, organize, teach, and provide feedback to promote and direct student learning in keeping with the institutional learning-centered values and in a manner that meets the essential competencies of an artist and designer. Our instructors respond to students in a timely manner and communicate with the discipline and division via college-provided tools and resources. We welcome instructors whose teaching experience addresses historically underrepresented communities. 

The successful candidate should be prepared to teach asynchronous online courses to a diverse group of students from a range of disciplines, through online content development, including recorded video demonstrations and/or lectures provided weekly for the course duration. Candidates should be prepared to develop culturally diverse syllabi for studio and seminar courses, and weekly feedback to student work that models constructive criticism that encourages students to grow creatively and intellectually.    

We are looking for instructors whose specialty is in Entomological Illustration. The successful candidate will need to teach adult learners how to illustrate the intriguingly complex subject matter of insects through teaching the basic methods of drawing accurately, using and handling actual specimens, as well as the fundamentals of insect anatomy. Demonstrations will need to include how to generate a symmetrical image and how to "repair" a damaged specimen through illustration.  Preliminary drawings are to be done in pencil and serve as a basis for final color rendering in a medium of their choice: colored pencil, watercolor, gouache, pen and ink, acrylic or a combination. This is a required course in the Natural Science Illustration Certificate program.

Required Knowledge/Skills/Experience

• Bachelor's Degree required 

• A track record of professional experience at companies successfully doing related work, and/or a robust, creative, intellectually and critically engaged design or studio practice, as evidenced by recognition in publications, commissions, exhibitions, awards and/or collaborative projects

• Teaching experience, including the ability to create syllabi and lesson plans, and how to tie those to learning outcomes 

• Ability to accept and act upon constructive feedback from course evaluations by students and staff

• Strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skills

• Ability to meet RISD’s technology requirements  

• Experience leading classes and critiques that model inclusivity in an environment of diverse learners

• Ability to tailor instruction to meet the needs students with a wide range of pre-existing skills

• In-depth knowledge of Entomological Illustration

Preferred Knowledge/Skills/Experience

• Teaching experience in a collegiate or adult education setting that addresses underrepresented communities

• Online teaching experience, or experience utilizing an LMS 

• MFA preferred or equivalent in established professional practice in area of study

• Lifelong learning orientation with demonstrated interest in learning about new developments in their area of study

• Ability to empathically relate to a wide range of student perspectives and maturely handle interpersonal issues that may arise

• Experience in course content development, including video creation of demonstrations and lectures 

Documents Needed to Apply:

• Resume, including a URL link for your professional portfolio

• Statement of interest preferred 

Work Schedule:

Now hiring for the Winter 2027 semester, course dates: 1/11/2027 - 2/21/2027 

Union

No

Work Modality:

Remote, Asynchronous

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please upload all required documents.

The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements.

RISD recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its learning community and integral to an art and design education. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.