Design Assistant Jobs in Layton, UT (NOW HIRING)

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The School of Architecture (SoA) within the University of Utah's College of Architecture + Planning invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in structures, artificial intelligence, and design. SoA is highly interested in candidates with expertise in contemporary technologies, such as innovative structural and construction systems, and who are interested in integrating artificial intelligence and interdisciplinary collaboration to advance innovative design and performance of buildings. This position will be a full-time, nine-month appointment (1.0 FTE) to begin on July 1, 2026.
The School of Architecture (SoA) has a long history of excellence in education, research, and societal impact with our original architecture degree program dating back over 75 years. As home of the only professionally-accredited architecture degree in the state, the school is known for leading transformative changes, most recently through an integrated curriculum, award-winning design-build programs, and sustained enrollment growth. The school aims to be a national leader in architectural education, research, and practice, in strong alignment with goals of the University of Utah. The School of Architecture is committed to teaching the practices of creative critical thinking, community engagement, design excellence, design research, innovative building and structural systems, pedagogies, and practices in architecture, ecological resilience, global citizenship, leadership/collaboration, risk-taking/exploration, among others. The school aims to expand on these areas to emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
The school anticipates the successful candidate will be part of these initiatives. The SoA offers a professionally accredited Master of Architecture (M.Arch) program, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies (BSAS), a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies (BAAS), and a Master of Science in Architectural Studies (MSAS). The SoA is expanding its student enrollment, faculty portfolio, and resources, with a strong vision to sustain the growth. The SoA began offering a new Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies (BAAS) in Fall 2025. In the near future, the SoA will add a new Ph.D. program in Architecture to its portfolio of programs. In the last several years, a new integrated curriculum has been developed with a sequence of immersive design studios with integrated courses (technology, research, theory, design communication, etc.), building up from bachelor's to master's to a capstone experience of a student-driven individual design project prepared and supported by architectural research.
Our work is interdisciplinary and integrated. We are known as champions of place-based engagement (including our signature DesignBuildUTAH program), social justice, and environmental stewardship. We convene critical conversations, host national conferences, foster community dialogues, publish the critical journal Dialectic, and serve as a test bed for ideas on the university campus. We are risk-takers and innovators, driven by our ethic of care, which underlies all that we do in our teaching, scholarship, and service. For more information, please visit http://soa.cap.utah.edu.
Position Description

The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate background in architectural design at the intersection of structures and artificial intelligence. Successful candidates should also demonstrate a proven record of bringing innovative approaches to teaching and research. Prior teaching experience and scholarly or creative work are essential, particularly in areas that demonstrate the integration of architectural design, structures, and artificial intelligence. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to engage students through hands-on learning and critical thinking. The application and integration of emerging technologies and trends in the core area (structures and artificial intelligence) will be highly valued. Successful candidates will teach across all our programs (undergraduate and graduate), including design studios and core courses in material performance, construction materials, innovative building, and structural systems to attain architectural design excellence, with opportunities to integrate knowledge of artificial intelligence into those courses. Expertise and a critical understanding of design studios, structures, and artificial intelligence are essential. There will be a high level of integration with studios and other core courses, and the ability to take a leadership role in this area of the curriculum is critical for this position.
Candidates will be required to conduct quality research and produce scholarly work within an R1 university setting. Based on the research expectations for this position, successful candidates will have a strong research trajectory and may hold a Ph.D. degree. The SoA's expectations of candidates' during retention and promotion reviews include (1) seeking competitive external funding to support research and creative work, (2) maintaining strong publication and creative works of the highest quality, and (3) supporting and mentoring students through research.
Candidates will be required to show commitment in promoting the School of Architecture's core beliefs - design excellence, responsibility, resiliency, respect and response. Additionally, candidates will take responsibility for committee and service assignments. Candidates should possess a quality of mind displaying high levels of intelligence, clarity of communication, analytical competence, critical judgment, originality, and initiative. Candidates should be individuals who value, advocate, and encourage free analysis and representation and constructive, mutually respectful relationships with faculty, staff, and students.
Minimum qualifications:

An advanced degree in either architecture, structural design, or related fields.
Previous academic teaching and/or professional experience (with examples).
Demonstration of research and/or creative work, and demonstration of trajectory of excellence in these areas.
Ability to teach design studio courses and seminars in which students develop innovative architectural designs with knowledge of structures and artificial intelligence
Ability to teach core and advanced courses in structures, design studios, and artificial intelligence.
Preferred qualifications:

Accredited degree in architecture or doctoral degree in architecture or a related field (with a focus on design, structures, and artificial intelligence).
Educational training or experience in the application of artificial intelligence technologies.
Integration of architectural research with design projects.
Awards or recognition for teaching and/or design.
Review of applications will begin on January 10, 2026, and the position remains open until filled.
Application

Qualified applicants must submit:
a) A letter of intent including qualifications and areas of research and teaching interests. The letter of intent should also include the candidate's approach to our school's core beliefs and the college's commitments.
b) Curriculum Vitae.
c) Teaching philosophy (one page). 
d) Research statement (one page).
e) A scholarly/design portfolio including architectural design work, research or creative activities and examples of students' work (8MB max or a link to a digital portfolio).
f) Names and contact information of three references (with phone, mail, and email addresses). References will not be contacted prior to receiving the candidate's consent to contact.
All materials should be uploaded via https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/.
Candidates may be asked to provide additional information during the search process.
Please address questions about the search for this position to the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Ajla Aksamija: ajla.aksamija@utah.edu.
Questions specifically about the School of Architecture may be directed to the School's Chair, Dr. Timothy O. Adekunle: timothy.adekunle@utah.edu.

Review of applications will begin on January 10, 2026, and the position remains open until filled.