Adjunct Associate Professor of Animation and Digital Arts – Animation for Production

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is located in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles.  As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the "Trojan Family," which is comprised of the faculty, students and staff that make the university what it is.


The John C. Hench Division of Animation + Digital Arts of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts teaches animation from a maker’s point of view with a focus on creation, design and innovation.  Classes are taught by seasoned filmmakers and current industry professionals who inspire and enable students to develop as artists and embark on creative careers.

The division is seeking applicants for a faculty position at the Adjunct Associate Professor level to teach an Intermediate Animation Production course to undergraduates.  This class focuses on the tools, skills, and procedures used in animation production with an emphasis on professional execution of independent and collaborative production. Students will continue with projects developed in Introduction to Storyboarding. During Intermediate Animation Production, students will turn the sequence into a 30 second to 1 minute short with varying animation techniques by the end of the semester. This course is taught in person at the USC campus in Los Angeles.

Qualified candidates will have professional experience at major animation studios as a Storyboard Artist, Storyboard Director, Supervising Director, Animator or similar roles.  Candidates should be currently engaged in the entertainment industry and possess hands-on working knowledge of the principles and practice of storyboarding, editing and creating animatics.  Additionally, you will need to have experience with tight deadlines and production schedules. You should have hands-on experience using industry standard tools like: Adobe CC, Storyboard Pro, Dragonframe, Maya and TVPaint.  Previous teaching experience is preferred.

Please submit a CV including your credit list and a link to your current professional portfolio.

Minimum Education:   Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from an accredited university or art school or equivalent in professional experience at major studios

Minimum Experience:

5 years of professional experience working in feature and/or TV animation

At least 5 years of experience as a Storyboard Artist, Storyboard Director, Supervising Director, Animator or similar roles at major studios

Preferred Education:  Master of Fine Arts degree from an accredited university or art school

Preferred Experience:

8 years of professional experience working in feature and/or TV animation

2 years of experience as a Storyboard Director or Director

Creative supervisory experience overseeing Storyboard Artists

Demonstrated teaching experience, ideally at the college level, but inclusive of professional and community seminars, workshops, mentorships and industry conferences

USC reserves the “Adjunct” appointment for faculty teaching less than full-time at USC, who are employed full-time in a primary profession or career elsewhere. Adjunct faculty typically teach only one course per year but, in exceptional cases, may teach one course per semester, if approved by the dean.

The core salary range for this position is $38 - $43.75 per hour. This is an adjunct position. 

When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, as well as external market and organizational considerations.