Painting and Printmaking: Teaching and Research Faculty

Painting and Printmaking: Teaching and Research Faculty

Virginia Commonwealth University

School of the Arts in Qatar

Position: Teaching & Research Faculty

Tenure: Ineligible

Rank: Assistant/Associate

Appointment length: 9-month faculty position

Salary: Commensurate with experience and training. Generous international benefits available.

Promotion: Eligible for promotion in academic rank

Department/Program: Painting and Printmaking Program

Location: Doha, Qatar

Position Begins: August 10, 2026

Review of Applications: Review of applications continues until position is filled. For best consideration, applications are due November 30, 2025.

The Opportunity

We are actively seeking an accomplished and dynamic Assistant/Associate Professor of Contemporary Practice in Fine Arts to join the Bachelor of Fine Arts in the Painting + Printmaking Program at VCUarts Qatar. The program seeks a research-based multidisciplinary artist working across media and disciplines, with strong conceptual and formal knowledge of artmaking, and an active exhibition record.

The ideal candidate will be an artist whose practice engages with contemporary issues in art and culture, particularly those relevant to the Arab and Muslim world, while positioning their work within the broader framework of global contemporary discourse. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to integrate a variety of teaching methods and approaches into studio teaching, fostering a critically engaged classroom environment where students from all backgrounds can explore innovative practices and develop original artistic voices.

The successful candidate will bring a broad understanding of the evolving landscape of contemporary art, with the ability to incorporate cross-disciplinary perspectives, experimental methodologies, and emerging technologies into the curriculum. Their expertise will help cultivate a studio culture that supports experimentation, critical dialogue, and research-driven creative inquiry.

The curriculum for this program is adapted from the BFA in Painting and Printmaking degree offered to students in the School of the Arts at the main campus of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia. VCUarts Qatar, a branch campus located in Doha, extends this program to its students in Doha, Qatar. Faculty are expected to collaborate with four other undergraduate art and design majors and the MFA graduate program at VCUarts Qatar.

There are generous benefits associated with this faculty position.

• Competitive international salary

• Tax protection for U.S. Taxpayers

• 30% Off-shore supplement

• Medical Insurance (100% employer funded premium and employer cost shared options available)

• Fully furnished villa or apartment including wireless internet

• Annual travel allowance to home of record (to include a spouse and dependents relocated to Qatar)

• Monthly auto allowance

• Educational reimbursement for up to 4 dependent children enrolled in an accredited K-12 program

• International Professional Development and Research Opportunities

  
  

VCUarts Qatar:
VCUarts Qatar is the international branch campus of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts (VCUarts). Located in Richmond, Virginia, VCUarts (www.arts.vcu.edu) is a top-ranked public art school in the U.S. VCUarts Qatar was established in 1998 through a partnership with the Qatar Foundation and offers students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design, interior design, painting and printmaking, or kinetic imaging; a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history; and a Master of Fine Arts degree in design. Located in Doha, the capital city of Qatar, VCUarts Qatar 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. The current student body represents a diverse range of nationalities with students coming from 34 countries.

VCUarts Qatar is dedicated to global outreach and education and provides students with an environment for cross-cultural exchange that fosters inquiry, discovery and innovation. Examples of this mission are the two significant international conferences hosted by VCUarts Qatar—the biennial design conference, Tasmeem and the biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art. VCUarts Qatar attracts globally recognized designers, artists and scholars while fostering partnerships within the region, and beyond, that enhance the educational, economic and cultural vitality of Qatar. Having established itself as a center of excellence for education and research, VCUarts Qatar has substantial involvement with the influential art and design world of the Middle East and is a catalyst for the growth and development of these fields in the region. VCUarts Qatar has over 120 full-time faculty and staff and a student body of over 300 students. VCUarts Qatar was the first campus established in Education City, a unique 2500-acre multiversity campus. VCUarts Qatar was joined by Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, Carnegie-Mellon University, Texas A&M University, Weill Cornell Medical College, Northwestern University, and HEC Paris.

Qatar, with English as the standard second language, is a progressive country in the Arabian Gulf and remains one of the healthiest economies in the Gulf region. Doha offers all the conveniences found in a contemporary and cosmopolitan city, while honoring a rich tradition that is evident in the old markets and the city’s Islamic Arab architecture. Al-Wakrah Stadium, a venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, designed by the defunct deconstructivist architect Zaha Hadid was inaugurated in 2021. The National Museum of Qatar, designed by Jean Nouvel, opened in March 2019 while the Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I.M.Pei opened in November 2008 and the Arab Museum of Modern Art (Mathaf) opened in 2010. The U.S. Embassy considers Qatar among the safest countries in the world for Americans.

VCUarts:

Ranked by US News & World Report as a top five arts and design school, VCUarts (arts.vcu.edu) includes over 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students with nationally recognized programs in design, visual and performing arts, and has an annual budget of $38 million and an endowment of more than $13.5 million. Students are taught by 180 full-time teaching and research faculty members and the school is supported by over 70 staff members that assist in daily processes. The school includes two campuses; one in Richmond and one in Doha, Qatar. The Richmond campus is located on the university’s 75-acre Monroe Park campus situated in the city’s historic Fan District. Ultimately, the work of the School of the Arts extends globally with partnerships throughout the world and across fields as diverse as the humanities, health care and business.

Major Responsibilities:

• Contribute to creating a dynamic, exploratory, interdisciplinary studio-based environment for expanded media practices

• Promote excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement

• Engage in curriculum development for courses in Visual Arts, Expanded Media, New Genres, and Technology

• Ensure that the curriculum aligns with industry best practices and standards

• Teach courses within the Painting and Printmaking Program corresponding to the needs of the program and the candidate’s expertise

• Contribute to teaching in academic units outside the Painting and Printmaking Program, as assigned, including the Art Foundation Program, BFA programs, and the MFA program

• Contribute to new knowledge in the field through research and/or creative work, with impact at the national and/or international level

• Participate actively in institutional service, including governance committees and special task forces, as well as service to the creative/academic discipline

• Engage in collaborative relationships across VCUarts Qatar departments and Qatar Foundation partner universities in Education City

• Support collaborative relationships with the VCUarts Department of Painting and Printmaking and the VCU School of the Arts at large

• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• MFA required. Alternatively, candidates with a combination of significant professional experience (10 or more years), technical training, and education that equates to an MFA will be considered.
  
• A well-established record as a practicing artist, with a strong portfolio of contemporary work and a history of exhibitions at reputable international venues
• Demonstrated contributions to regional and global art discourse through exhibitions, publications, collaborations, or critical engagement
• Professional experience with established art and cultural institutions, including non-profits in the arts sector, is a plus
• Knowledge of higher education systems, research, and professional practices in expanded visual arts
• A demonstrated ability to work effectively in culturally diverse environments, with teaching methods that are globally engaged while contextually relevant to the Gulf region
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.
• A clearly articulated research agenda, with potential for securing external funding, and a demonstrated record of scholarly work or creative practice that expands and complements departmental expertise
• Proficiency in spoken and written English (all courses at VCUarts Qatar are taught in English)
• Strong collaboration, communication, and time-management skills, with enthusiasm for contributing to a dynamic academic and artistic community.

Application Instructions:

To apply, please submit application materials via VCU Jobs Website at vcujobs.com.

Only electronic applications will be accepted.

The following documents should be submitted:

• Letter of Interest, which conveys relevant academic and professional experience and describes experiences and/or professional service that inform a collaborative and community-engaged approach to teaching

• Current CV

• List of three current references including names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses (references will not be contacted prior to applicant’s approval)

• Portfolio of work— a link to appropriate selections of documentation of the applicant's experience in their area(s) of expertise. This could include traditional and/or non-traditional examples of one's work from a broad cross-section and/or combination of experience from a variety of roles.

• Portfolio of student work- a link to appropriate selections of documentation of student work. This could include traditional and/or non-traditional examples from a broad cross-section and/or combination of student work from a variety of settings.

Restricted Position: No

ORP Eligible: Yes

Rank: Open

Tenure: Ineligible

Months: 9-months

Contact Name: VCUarts Human Resources
Contact Email: artshr@vcu.edu