Description

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), an internationally renowned college of art and design, business and technology, of the State University of New York, invites nominations and applications for a full-time tenure-track faculty position in the Science and Mathematics Department, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The Fashion Institute of Technology, a part of the State University of New York, has been a leader in career education in art, design, business, and technology for nearly 80 years. With a curriculum that provides a singular blend of hands-on, practical experience, classroom study, and a firm grounding in the liberal arts, FIT offers a wide range of outstanding programs that are relevant to today's rapidly changing industries. Internationally renowned, FIT draws on its New York City location to provide a vibrant, creative community in which to learn. The college offers more than 45 majors and grants AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, preparing students for professional success and leadership in the global marketplace.

With close ties to industry, FIT draws faculty from the city's art, business, and design elite, and from the rich academic community of the region. The College continually seeks creative faculty members who are passionate about their field and demonstrate exceptional professional capability in the core competencies of instruction design, learning enrichment, globalism, and use of technology, as well as mastery of established and emerging industry practices.

The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences provides the foundation for a FIT degree, and is committed to providing a broad-based general education for FIT students, integrating traditional academic study with career preparation. The School is home to six academic departments, thirty academic minors, and two interdisciplinary majors. Our faculty prepare students to become reflective, critical, and engaged citizens of the world. Committed to scholarship, academic service and student-centered instruction, faculty members foster an understanding of diverse cultures and international perspectives as well as an appreciation for the richness and changing composition of American culture.

The Department of Science and Mathematics seeks to develop students' scientific and mathematical literacy, as well as critical thinking skills. Using a variety of instructional delivery methods and appropriate technologies, faculty provide students with the analytical skills necessary to locate and evaluate technical, scientific, and quantitative information, enabling them to contribute to and succeed in a global society.

Job Description:

The Department of Science and Mathematics seeks full-time, tenure-track faculty candidates with expertise and teaching experience in biomaterials, biotechnology, and/or microbiology. The ideal candidate(s) will have experience or expertise related to the creative, design, and fashion industries that have a direct connection to the pillars of sustainability. A desirable candidate will have experience teaching general biology, microbiology, bioengineering, ecology, botany, or closely related topics in the classroom with emphasis on application or innovation in these fields. Experience teaching, mentoring, and research with undergraduates is desired. Faculty are expected to design and teach new lab- or lecture-based courses in microbiology, biomaterials, or other biology-related topics (e.g., biomimicry, biodesign, biofabrication) of interest to non-science major undergraduates. As an instructor at FIT, the candidate will provide students with a foundation in the scientific method and critical thinking, and the biological understanding to be leaders and innovators in their fields. Experience in the laboratory and ensuring safe, effective lab operations with students, faculty, and staff is desired.

Successful candidates will excel in the following competencies:

Globalism

• Demonstrate appreciation for cultural diversity and inclusivity to all racial, ethnic, religious and social groups, and incorporates this understanding into teaching and learning situations involving STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines.
• Enrich student learning of basic principles in context through global issues into the classroom.

Instructional Design

• Create science curricula with a focus on biomaterials, biotechnology, and/or microbiology.
• Create interdisciplinary courses in the intersection of biology and the various art fields.

Learning Enrichment

• Demonstrate capability in utilizing a variety of classroom instructional delivery methods.
• Demonstrate capability in utilizing methodologies including collaboration, group work, active learning, team project-based learning, and interdisciplinary teaching.
• Facilitate in students' acquisition of information and knowledge related to biomaterials. Encourage students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and increase students' skill at communicating logically.

Professionalism

• Maintain active involvement in a scholarly field in an area of biomaterials, biotechnology, and/or microbiology and/or science education.
• Contribute to and participate in biomaterials, biotechnology, and/or microbiology communities, present at conferences, and maintain collaborations with other scholars in the STEM fields.
• Pursue grant opportunities in biomaterials, biotechnology, and/or microbiology and STEM-related areas.

Technology

• Utilize course management systems and demonstrate capability in utilizing science multimedia technology in the classroom.
• Educate students in effective gathering, assessing, and use of electronic information for research.
• Understand evolving technologies for delivering science content and be able to integrate these new technologies in the classroom.

Additional Information:

Please note, all offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of the background check process.

Salary

The final starting salary and appointment rank will be based on education level and cumulative experience; Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) Salary Schedules pgs. 73-74.

Instructor: $69,346.37 - $80,793.82
Assistant Professor: $80,736.40 - $118,984.88
Associate Professor: $94,498.31 - $142,271.78
Professor: $115,232.32 - $173,403.37

The College reserves the right to select one or more candidates after having been duly reviewed and presented to the President in conformance with the provisions of Article 15 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Benefits

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) provides comprehensive employee benefit programs designed to help keep our faculty and staff and their families healthy, safe, happy, and productive. Our programs also include a variety of components to help our employees improve the quality and balance of their work and family lives, and to help them prepare for their futures.

• Retirement Plans
• Health Care Plan and Dental Plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Account
• Commuter Benefit Plan
• FIT Tuition Exemption Program
• Qualifying Employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program

For a full list of FIT benefits, visit our benefits webpage.

Pay Equity by State Employers

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor's Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at [email protected].

Visa Sponsorship 

This position may be eligible for visa sponsorship by the Fashion Institute of Technology. 

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

FIT is firmly committed to creating an environment that will attract and retain people from a range of backgrounds.  FIT is firmly committed to creating a learning and working environment  that encourages, utilizes, respects, and appreciates the full expression of every individual's ability. The FIT community fosters its mission and grows because of its rich, pluralistic experience. FIT is committed to prohibiting discrimination, whether on the basis of race, color, creed, age, national origin, immigration or citizenship status, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, partnership status, caregiver status, sexual and reproductive health decisions, uniformed service, height, weight, any lawful source of income, status as a victim of domestic violence or as a victim of sex offenses or stalking, whether children are, may be or would be residing with a person or conviction or arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. FIT is committed to providing equal opportunity in employment, including the opportunity for upward mobility for all qualified individuals. Applications from veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged. Inquiries regarding FIT's non-discrimination policies may be directed to the Chief Equal Employment Opportunity Officer/Title IX Coordinator, 212 217.3360.

Annual Security Report

The safety and well-being of FIT's students, faculty, staff, and visitors is of paramount importance.  Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, FIT publishes an annual report containing crime statistics and statements of security policy, accessible here: Safety Statistics. A paper copy of the report will be provided upon request by contacting Public Safety's administrative office number at (212) 217-4999.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

The working conditions for this position will be any combination of the classroom, lab, and/or office space. Certain roles may be required to handle machinery and chemicals. The physical requirement for this position will require occasional sitting, constant standing, occasional bending, frequent walking, and occasionally lifting 10 lbs. or less.

Application Instructions:

In order to considered for this position, please submit the following documents online:

• Letter of interest clearly indicating your qualifications for the position
• Curriculum Vitae
• Unofficial Transcript*
• Teaching Philosophy Statement
• Research Philosophy Statement
• A minimum of three professional references, including names, titles, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail contact information.
• A list of three references for recommendation letters; references may be contacted at a later stage.

*Official transcripts are required within the first 30 days of hire. Applicants with foreign degrees must submit a completed credential evaluation comparing their foreign academic accomplishments to standards in the U.S.

Returning Applicants - Login to your FITNYC Careers Account to check your submitted application materials.

This is a full-time, tenure-track position beginning in Fall 2026. Review of applications will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled. First consideration will be given to completed applications received by October 1, 2025.

Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to contact each applicant individually regarding his or her application status. Additional information about the Fashion Institute of Technology can be found at: www.fitnyc.edu.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

• Candidates must have a PhD in Biology or Engineering in a field related to Biomaterials and/or Microbiology/Biotechnology. ABDs will be considered with the understanding that successful defense of the dissertation is required before the start of the second semester of employment.
• Evidence of scholarly achievement, professional activities, and teaching.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Knowledge of sustainable material innovation as it relates to research and development and material impact.  
• Experience working and conducting research in a collaborative laboratory environment related to biomaterials, including but not limited to biomimicry, biodesign, and biofabrication.